Cup Holder Temperature Gradient Control With One Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cup holders require two temperature sensors to measure container and outside temperatures, leading to increased complexity and variability in heating or cooling determination, which is affected by outside temperature variations.
Innovation Solution
A cup holder with a single temperature measurement device that calculates the container-housing-portion temperature gradient and controls a thermoelectric element based on this gradient, allowing for automatic heating or cooling without user intervention, using a Peltier element and a control system that stores reference temperature gradients for determining heating or cooling actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If two temperature sensors are used to measure container temperature and outside temperature, then heating or cooling can be automatically controlled, but the device complexity increases and outside temperature variations affect determination accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of measuring container temperature and determining heating/cooling needs into a single temperature sensor system. The control unit calculates the temperature gradient between the container and its housing portion using one sensor, eliminating the need for separate outside temperature measurement while maintaining automatic control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The container housing portion acts as an intermediary element. Instead of directly measuring outside temperature, the system measures the temperature of the housing portion which is thermally coupled to both the container and the external environment, providing an indirect but sufficient measurement for control decisions.
2Extent of automation
If two temperature sensors are used to measure container and outside temperatures, then heating or cooling determination can be made, but measurement precision decreases due to outside temperature variations affecting the criterion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the measurement parameter from absolute outside temperature to temperature gradient (difference). By measuring the temperature difference between the container housing portion and the container rather than absolute temperatures, the system eliminates the influence of outside temperature variations on the heating/cooling determination criterion.
Solution Approach 2:
The container housing portion serves as a thermal intermediary that reflects both container temperature and external environmental influence. By measuring the temperature gradient across this intermediary rather than directly comparing container temperature with outside air temperature, the system achieves more precise and stable heating/cooling determination.
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 accurate automatic control of heating or cooling with a simple structure, reducing sensor requirements and minimizing the impact of outside temperature variations, while preventing unnecessary heating or cooling due to minor temperature changes.
Implementation Method 1
current is applied to a Peltier element disposed on a lower portion of the holder to heat or cool the beverage container inside the cup holder
Implementation Method 2
a temperature measurement device measuring a temperature of the container housing portion
Data Source
AI summary
A cup holder is provided, in which a control portion calculates a container-housing-portion temperature gradient ΔT based on a temperature T detected by a thermistor disposed inside a convex portion located on a bottom portion of a container housing portion. The control portion automatically carries out heating or cooling relative to the container housing portion based on that the container-housing-portion temperature gradient ΔT is a heating reference temperature gradient α or above, or is a cooling reference temperature gradient β or below. Thus, determinations of the heating or cooling is carried out based on only the container-housing-portion temperature gradient ΔT, so that heating or cooling control can be accurately carried out only by one temperature sensor.