Actively Heated Drinkware with Wireless Power and Vacuum Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a lack of technology for actively heating or cooling dishware, drinkware, and food containers during use, relying on passive heat transfer mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The development of actively heated or cooled containers, such as mugs and plates, equipped with heating elements, power storage elements, wireless power receivers, and control circuitry to maintain the temperature of contents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If passive heating or cooling mechanisms are used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to actively maintain temperature during use is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces passive thermal mechanisms with an active electronic heating system comprising heating elements, power storage elements, wireless power receivers, and control circuitry. This substitution enables precise temperature control and active maintenance of desired temperatures during use, directly resolving the contradiction between temperature maintenance capability and device complexity.
2Temperature
If heating elements and power storage elements are added, then the temperature control capability is improved, but the weight of the object increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs vacuum insulation to dramatically reduce heat transfer rates, which allows the heating system to operate more efficiently and maintain temperatures with lower power input. This parameter change in the thermal properties of the container walls reduces the energy storage requirements and consequently reduces the weight of power storage elements needed, resolving the contradiction between temperature control capability and weight.
3Loss of energy
If vacuum insulated chambers are added, then the heat retention is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the container into multiple sealed chambers with vacuum insulation between them. This segmentation approach allows each chamber to be manufactured and evacuated separately, making the vacuum insulation process more manageable and less precision-critical than creating a single large vacuum space. The modular structure resolves the contradiction between heat retention improvement and manufacturing precision requirements.
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
These containers can effectively maintain the temperature of liquids or foods at desired settings for extended periods, enhancing convenience and food preservation.
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.