Drinkware with active temperature control
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a lack of technology for actively heating or cooling dishware, drinkware, and food containers, limiting the ability to maintain food at desired temperatures during use.
Innovation Solution
The development of actively heated or cooled containers with integrated heating or cooling systems, including heating elements, power storage, wireless power reception, and control circuitry that can sense parameters to adjust heating or cooling based on user input or environmental conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If passive heating or cooling mechanisms are used (relying on heat transfer properties of ceramic material), then the structure remains simple, but the ability to actively maintain desired temperatures is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces passive thermal conduction mechanisms with active electronic heating elements (resistive heating) and cooling mechanisms (Peltier elements), transforming a purely thermal system into an electro-thermal system that can actively control temperature rather than relying on material properties alone
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that automatically detect temperature and activate heating or cooling elements as needed, creating a self-regulating system that maintains desired temperatures without continuous user intervention, thus justifying the added complexity through autonomous operation
2Temperature
If actively heated or cooled systems are integrated into drinkware, then temperature maintenance capability is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit is designed to handle multiple functions (heating, cooling, temperature sensing, wireless communication) through a single integrated electronic system that can be programmed for different operations, reducing the need for separate dedicated components for each function and simplifying the manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses variable power delivery to heating elements and adjustable Peltier element configurations to achieve different temperature settings and modes (heating, cooling, maintaining), allowing a single device design to cover multiple operational requirements without needing separate hardware variants
3Measurement precision
If sensors and control circuitry are added to sense parameters and adjust heating/cooling, then temperature control precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements closed-loop feedback control where sensors continuously monitor temperature and other parameters, and the control circuit automatically adjusts heating element power or Peltier element operation based on sensed values, ensuring precise temperature maintenance while using straightforward proportional control logic rather than complex algorithms
Solution Approach 2:
The control circuit acts as an intermediary between the simple sensing elements and the power-consuming heating/cooling elements, translating sensor readings into appropriate power delivery commands, thus decoupling the complexity of precise control from both the sensing and actuation sides of the system
4Ease of operation
If wireless power reception and power storage elements are integrated, then operational convenience is improved, but the device complexity and energy management requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The power storage element (battery or capacitor) is pre-charged via wireless power transfer before use, allowing the device to operate independently during heating or cooling cycles without needing continuous connection to a power source, thus providing operational convenience while using a well-established wireless charging technology platform
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the maintenance of food at desired temperatures for extended periods, enhancing convenience and food quality by actively managing temperature within the containers.
Implementation Method 1
one or more heating elements configured to heat one or more surfaces of the receiving portion of the body
Implementation Method 2
the body having a vacuum insulated chamber configured to reduce the rate in which heat energy exits the mug or travel mug
Data Source
AI summary
An actively heated mug has a body with a chamber that can receive and hold a beverage and a heating element to actively heat the chamber, batteries, and circuitry that controls the operation of the heating element. A user interface is electrically connected to the circuitry and has one or more buttons actuatable a) to turn on the heating element, b) to adjust a temperature setting to one of multiple temperature settings to control the operation of the heating element to heat or maintain the liquid at a user selected temperature setting, and c) to turn off the heating element.