Composite Heating Tray Structure to Prevent Warping in Bain-Marie Use

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cooling and heating pans for catering containers often fail to operate effectively in both dry and bain-marie modes, and are unable to maintain temperatures below 0°C for ice cream dispensing or reach high temperatures of 140°C without warping or becoming unusable.

Innovation Solution

A cooling and heating pan with a base firmly connected to a sandwich panel consisting of stainless steel and aluminum layers, providing flexural rigidity and thermal conductivity, and equipped with silicone surface heaters and cooling tubes for temperature control, ensuring watertightness and preventing warping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If chrome steel is used for the heating pan to enable bain-marie operation, then watertightness is improved, but warping occurs at high temperatures

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovewatertightnessVSAvoidwarping

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The base is constructed as a composite structure with a stainless steel sandwich panel (multiple layers including aluminum and stainless steel) firmly connected to the chrome steel base at several points. This composite design combines the watertightness of chrome steel with the dimensional stability of the sandwich panel at high temperatures, preventing warping while maintaining bain-marie capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Temperature

If ceramic glass plate is used for heating, then high temperatures up to 140°C are achieved, but bain-marie operation becomes impossible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating temperatureVSAvoidoperating modes

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The heating device is designed as a silicone surface heater that can operate in both dry mode (achieving up to 140°C) and bain-marie mode (with water bath). The silicone material provides both high-temperature resistance and compatibility with water-based heating, enabling the pan to fulfill multiple functions across different operating modes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Temperature

If cooling tube is used for cooling, then side walls are cooled, but temperatures significantly below 0°C cannot be reached

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling temperatureVSAvoidcooling effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling system is enhanced by attaching cooling tubes not only to the side walls but also to the base of the pan. This multi-dimensional cooling approach allows refrigerant to circulate through both vertical and horizontal surfaces, significantly increasing the cooling capacity and enabling temperatures well below 0°C for ice cream dispensing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Shape

If sandwich panel is added to prevent warping, then flexural rigidity is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexural rigidityVSAvoidbase structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 operation in dry and bain-marie modes, maintaining temperatures from -5°C to 140°C, while preventing warping and ensuring long-term watertightness for safe food serving.

Implementation Method 1

a sandwich panel, preferably consisting of a layer of stainless steel, a layer of aluminum and a layer of stainless steel... with good thermal conductivity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conductivity: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

the cooling device consists of at least one cooling tube which is or are in firm contact with the underside of the sandwich panel and the side walls

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 3

The heating device preferably consists of at least one silicone surface heater that lies against the underside of the sandwich panel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3531878B1Cooling and heating tray for gastronomy containers

Publication Date: 2023.03.15 HOELLER HLDG GMBH

Figure 1

AI summary

The cooling and heating tray (11) for gastronomy containers has a base (12) and side walls (13, 14, 15), wherein a heating device and a cooling device are provided for optional operation as a heating tray or as a cooling tray, and wherein the heating device heats the base (12). According to the invention, both the base (12) and the side walls (13, 14, 15) consist of stainless steel, and the base (12) is fixed at a number of locations, preferably by means of threaded bolts (16) welded to the base (12), to a sandwich panel (20), preferably consisting of a layer of stainless steel (21), a layer of aluminium (22) and a further layer of stainless steel (23). The cooling device cools both the side walls (13, 14, 15) and the base (12).