Drinkware Container with Multi-Zone Heating for Liquid Circulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a lack of actively heated or cooled dishware and drinkware technologies that can maintain food or beverage temperatures effectively during use, relying on passive heat transfer mechanisms that are inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Development of actively heated or cooled containers, such as mugs and plates, equipped with heating or cooling elements, power storage, control circuitry, and sensors that allow for wireless power reception and user-controlled temperature management, ensuring liquids are kept at desired temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If passive heating or cooling mechanisms are used in dishware, then the device complexity is reduced, but the temperature control effectiveness and duration are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is segmented into multiple independent heating elements that can be selectively activated based on different zones of the dishware, allowing precise temperature control in specific areas while maintaining overall system simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
A microcontroller unit acts as an intermediary between the power source, heating elements, and temperature sensors, coordinating their operations to achieve effective temperature control without requiring complex direct connections between all components
2Temperature
If actively heated dishware with multiple components is provided, then the temperature control effectiveness is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heating elements, power storage components, control circuitry, and temperature sensors are merged into an integrated assembly that can be manufactured as a single modular unit, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining active temperature control capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The control circuitry is designed to universally manage multiple heating elements and temperature sensors through standardized interfaces, allowing the same manufacturing process to produce versatile temperature control systems for different dishware types
3Temperature
If heating elements and control systems are added to drinkware, then the temperature control capability is enhanced, but the device complexity and power management requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Temperature sensors continuously monitor the liquid temperature and provide feedback to the control circuitry, which automatically adjusts heating element operation to maintain the desired temperature, eliminating the need for complex manual power management
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-regulation of power consumption by using temperature feedback to automatically activate or deactivate heating elements, managing its own power requirements without external intervention while maintaining optimal liquid temperature
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 maintain liquids at user-selected temperatures for extended periods, providing efficient and convenient temperature control for food and beverages, enhancing user experience.
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 drinkware container includes a vessel with a chamber that receives and holds a volume of liquid. The drinkware container includes a heating module with a first heating element operable to heat one portion of the chamber and a second heating element operable to heat another portion of the chamber, the second heating element spaced from the first heating element. Operation of the first and second heating elements generates a circulation current in the volume of liquid in the chamber that mixes the liquid and diffuses a temperature of the liquid to thereby reduce temperature stratification of the liquid in the chamber and so that a temperature of the liquid throughout the volume of liquid in the chamber is approximately uniform.