Dual-Coil Heating Element with Segmented Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Stovetop electric heating elements often overheat food and liquids, posing fire hazards, and existing solutions fail to effectively and automatically control temperature, while also requiring adaptors for mounting, which complicates retrofitting and updating existing stoves and cooktops to conform to safety standards like UL 858.
Innovation Solution
An electric heating element design featuring an inner and outer resistive coil with temperature sensors and a controller that dynamically modulates electrical current, allowing for precise temperature control by selectively turning on and off the inner coil while maintaining the outer coil's operation, and can be mounted without adaptors to existing stoves and cooktops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a single coil heating element is used, then the device complexity is low, but the temperature control precision is insufficient leading to overheating hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is divided into an inner coil and an outer coil that can be independently controlled. The controller selectively energizes the inner coil, outer coil, or both coils simultaneously based on temperature feedback, enabling precise temperature regulation and preventing overheating while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
2Manufacturing precision
If temperature control mechanisms are added to prevent overheating, then the temperature control precision improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A temperature sensor is positioned near the inner coil to continuously monitor the cooking surface temperature. The controller receives this feedback and automatically adjusts the heating element operation by selectively energizing the inner or outer coil to maintain safe temperature levels, preventing overheating through closed-loop control.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating element is segmented into independently controllable inner and outer coils, allowing the controller to selectively activate only the necessary coil based on temperature feedback, thereby achieving precise temperature control without requiring a completely complex control system.
3Adaptability or versatility
If adaptors are used for mounting the heating element, then the adaptability to different stove types improves, but the ease of manufacture and installation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is designed with a universal mounting structure that can be directly installed in existing stoves and cooktops without requiring adaptors or additional hardware. The inner and outer coils are configured to fit standard mounting configurations, enabling easy retrofittability while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
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 design effectively prevents overheating, ensuring safe cooking while allowing for easy retrofitting and compliance with safety standards, enhancing cooking performance and safety by minimizing overcooking and allowing for direct mounting without additional hardware.
Implementation Method 1
an electrically resistive inner heating element, an electrically resistive outer heating element
Implementation Method 2
one or more temperature sensors positioned along a cold leg of the inner heating element
Implementation Method 3
The one or more temperature sensors include an electro-mechanical temperature controlling device
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of an electric heating element is disclosed, including an electrically resistive inner heating element, an electrically resistive outer heating element, and a thermostat positioned along a cold leg of the inner heating element. The thermostat is configured to selectively allow electrical current to be delivered to the inner heating element while maximum electrical current, for example, continues to be provided to the outer heating element. The thermostat cycles the electrical current on and off when detecting maximum and minimum desired temperatures radiated from the electric heating element. The inner heating element has a pair of cold legs that extend parallel to a pair of cold legs of the outer heating element, some or all of which may be supported by a terminal bracket.