Climate-Controlled Catering Box for Heat Retention and Humidity Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional catering boxes inadequately maintain the quality of delicate food items during transport due to insufficient temperature control and excessive humidity, leading to cooling of hot food items and sogginess of bread-containing items.
Innovation Solution
A catering box with active climate control, utilizing a microcontroller to adjust humidity levels by engaging an exhaust fan based on sensor data, maintaining specific humidity between 3% and 4% to prevent moisture buildup and using a heat mass for extended temperature retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional insulation is used in catering boxes, then temperature retention is improved for a short period, but humidity control deteriorates leading to moisture buildup and sogginess
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where a humidity sensor continuously monitors the internal humidity level of the catering box. When the sensor detects that humidity exceeds a predetermined threshold, it triggers the exhaust fan to activate, which then reduces humidity back to acceptable levels. This closed-loop feedback mechanism resolves the contradiction by actively managing humidity without requiring complex structural modifications to the insulation system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the existing temperature differential between the interior and exterior of the catering box to drive natural convection currents that facilitate humidity removal. The heat mass maintains internal temperature, creating buoyancy-driven air flow that carries moisture toward the exhaust fan without requiring additional active heating or cooling systems. This self-service approach improves humidity control while avoiding increased device complexity.
2Loss of energy
If sealed enclosure is used to maintain temperature, then heat loss is reduced, but moisture accumulation increases adversely affecting food quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful moisture component from the sealed enclosure by incorporating an exhaust fan system. The fan actively removes humid air from the interior of the catering box while maintaining the sealed enclosure for heat retention. This separation function allows the system to simultaneously preserve heat and eliminate moisture, resolving the contradiction between sealed enclosure benefits and moisture accumulation problems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the humidity parameter within the sealed enclosure by activating the exhaust fan when humidity thresholds are exceeded. The enclosure remains sealed for thermal purposes, but the humidity parameter is actively managed through periodic ventilation events triggered by sensor feedback. This parameter change approach allows maintaining heat while controlling moisture levels.
3Device complexity
If passive insulation is used, then device complexity is minimized, but duration of temperature maintenance is insufficient for long-distance transport
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a heat mass that is pre-heated before the catering box is loaded with food items. This preliminary heating action stores thermal energy in the heat mass, which then slowly releases heat during transport to maintain internal temperature for extended periods. The preliminary action extends the duration of temperature maintenance without requiring complex active heating systems, thus maintaining device simplicity while improving duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The exhaust fan operates continuously or periodically based on humidity sensor feedback, providing continuous humidity control throughout the transport duration. This continuous useful action ensures that moisture accumulation is prevented over the entire transport period, enabling long-distance delivery while maintaining the simple passive insulation structure. The continuity of the humidity control function extends the effective duration of the catering box operation.
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
Delicate food items like grilled cheese sandwiches and hamburgers are kept hot and fresh during transport, maintaining their quality without significant cooling or sogginess, allowing for longer transportation times and improved consumer experience.
Implementation Method 1
an insulated container that includes a heat mass configured to retain heat and to radiate the heat
Implementation Method 2
a microcontroller configured to selectively engage or disengage the exhaust fan in response to computed specific humidity levels
Data Source
AI summary
A catering box with active climate control is configured to transport “delicate” foods, such as grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, and hamburgers, without inducing substantial sogginess in the bread of those food items. The catering box includes a heat mass configured to retain heat generated by a hot plate and to then radiate that heat, during transport, after the hot plate has been disconnected from a power source. In addition, the catering box includes an exhaust fan that actively controls internal specific humidity levels in order to prevent moisture from settling within the bread of stored food items. A microcontroller within the catering box monitors temperature and absolute humidity levels, computes the current specific humidity level, and then selectively engages or disengages the exhaust fan in response. With his approach, the catering box may limit the degree to which humidity settles within the bread of delicate food items stored within.