Vacuum-Insulated Beverage Container with Inner-Wall Thermal Reserve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vacuum insulated beverage containers do not effectively stabilize the temperature of beverages over time due to equal or unequal wall thicknesses that prioritize weight and material cost over thermal efficiency, leading to unwanted heat transfer and reduced temperature retention.
Innovation Solution
The design features a thicker inner wall with a higher heat capacity than the outer wall, acting as a thermal reserve, and a vacuum chamber positioned between the walls to isolate the thermal reserve, ensuring that heat transfer occurs primarily through the beverage, thereby stabilizing its temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the inner wall is made thinner to reduce weight and material cost, then the weight and material cost decrease, but the heat capacity decreases leading to unwanted heat transfer with the beverage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the inner wall radially thicker in specific regions where thermal reserve is needed, rather than uniformly thickening the entire wall. This allows the inner wall to have higher heat capacity at critical locations while maintaining overall lightweight design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of wall thickness from a uniform value to a variable value, with the inner wall being radially thicker than the outer wall. This parameter change increases the heat capacity of the inner wall to provide thermal reserve functionality while managing overall weight.
2Strength
If the outer wall is made thicker to increase durability, then the durability improves, but the material cost increases and the wall approaches ambient temperature faster
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the thermal reserve function in the inner wall rather than distributing it throughout both walls. The outer wall can be optimized for durability with appropriate thickness while the inner wall handles the thermal management function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional design by making the inner wall thicker than the outer wall. Conventionally, the outer wall is made thicker for durability, but this patent reverses that approach to place the thermal reserve function where it is most effective - in the inner wall adjacent to the beverage.
3Ease of manufacture
If equal wall thickness is used for both inner and outer walls, then the manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but the thermal efficiency is reduced due to unwanted heat transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the thickness of the inner wall from the outer wall. The inner wall is made radially thicker to provide thermal reserve, while the outer wall maintains a thickness optimized for durability and comfort. This local differentiation improves thermal efficiency without significantly complicating manufacturing.
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
This configuration extends the time beverages remain at desired temperatures, with the thermal reserve absorbing or releasing heat as needed, maintaining temperature stability and comfort during handling.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum chamber positioned between the walls to isolate the thermal reserve, ensuring that heat transfer occurs primarily through the beverage
Implementation Method 2
The inner wall can be thicker than the outer wall, and in some cases the inner wall may contain material having an especially high heat capacity. The inner wall can then function as a thermal reserve, either sinking or supplying thermal energy to stabilize the temperature of the beverage.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments concern a handheld beverage container. The beverage container includes a vacuum chamber located radially between an inner tubular sidewall and an outer tubular sidewall and axially between an inner bottom wall and an outer bottom wall. The combined heat capacity of both of the inner tubular sidewall and the inner bottom wall can be greater than the combined heat capacity of both of the outer tubular sidewall and the outer bottom wall such that a vacuum insulated thermal reserve is formed. Heat can be exchanged between the thermal reserve and the beverage to stabilize the temperature of the beverage to counteract ambient cooling/heating of the beverage. Various embodiments concern a cap that seals with a disposable cup that is held within a container body, allowing a beverage to be contained in the disposable cup while being insulated by the container body, with or without a thermal reserve.