Heating apparatus and refrigerator

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing food heating methods, such as heating devices and microwaves, face challenges with long heating times, uneven heating, and nutrient loss due to inefficient energy distribution, which affect food quality.

Innovation Solution

A radio frequency heating device is designed with the signal processing and measurement and control circuit external to the heating cavity, utilizing an electromagnetic generating module and radiating antenna to achieve uniform heating while maximizing space utilization and heat dissipation through an air supply duct.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the signal processing and measurement and control circuit is disposed inside the cylinder body, then the device structure is compact, but the heating space is reduced and the control circuit heat affects the heating cavity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating spaceVSAvoiddevice structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The signal processing and measurement and control circuit is extracted from inside the cylinder body and disposed outside. This separation removes the control circuit from the heating cavity, preventing its heat from affecting the heating process while maximizing the available heating space within the cylinder body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If the electromagnetic heating device occupies large space, then the heating effect is good, but the device occupies too much heating space

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating effectVSAvoidheating space
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The control circuit is moved from the internal three-dimensional space to the external environment, effectively utilizing the external space dimension. This allows the internal cylinder body to be fully dedicated to heating space while the control circuit operates externally, connected through the rear cover.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the control circuit is inside the cylinder body, then the device is compact, but the heat generated by the control circuit is not easy to dissipate and affects heating uniformity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating uniformityVSAvoidheat dissipation
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The heat-generating control circuit is extracted from the heating cavity environment. By disposing the circuit outside the cylinder body, the heat it generates can dissipate independently without interfering with the thermal field inside the heating cavity, thereby maintaining heating uniformity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Adaptability or versatility

If the heating device is placed in refrigerator storage compartment, then it facilitates food heating, but the control circuit heat affects the storage compartment temperature

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefood heating functionVSAvoidstorage compartment temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The control circuit is extracted from the heating device's internal structure and disposed externally, allowing it to be thermally isolated from the refrigerator storage compartment. The rear cover with through holes provides a thermal barrier, preventing control circuit heat from entering the storage compartment and affecting stored food.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 configuration enhances heating efficiency and uniformity, reduces temperature quickly, and maintains food quality by preventing heat from the control circuit from entering the heating cavity, thus improving the overall heating effect.

Implementation Method 1

an electromagnetic generating module 121 disposed outside the cylinder body 110 and configured to generate electromagnetic signals; a radiating antenna 122 electrically connected with the electromagnetic generating module 121 and configured to radiate electromagnetic waves of corresponding frequencies in the heating cavity according to the electromagnetic signals generated by the electromagnetic generating module 121

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic radiation: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

the through holes on the rear plate are communicated with the air supply duct, so as to quickly reduce a temperature of the signal processing and measurement and control circuit by a cooling air flow in the air supply duct

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForced convection: Forced Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3910272B1Heating apparatus and refrigerator
Publication Date: 2023.03.01 HAIER SMART HOME CO LTD
  • EP3910272B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3910272B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3910272B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Disclosed are a heating device and a refrigerator. The heating device includes: a cylinder body, in which a heating cavity is defined and configured to place an object to be processed; an electromagnetic generating module, configured to generate an electromagnetic wave signal; a radiating antenna, electrically connected with the electromagnetic generating module to generate electromagnetic waves of a corresponding frequency in the heating cavity according to the electromagnetic wave signal, so as to heat the object to be processed in the heating cavity; and a signal processing and measurement and control circuit, electrically connected with the electromagnetic generating module and disposed outside the cylinder body. In the heating device of the present invention, the signal processing and measurement and control circuit is disposed outside the cylinder body and does not occupy the space of the heating cavity inside the cylinder body, so that the size of the available space inside the heating cavity is greatly increased, thereby increasing the space utilization rate of the heating cavity. At the same time, the heat generated by the signal processing and measurement and control circuit during operation may be prevented from entering the heating cavity and being transferred to the object to be processed, thereby improving the heating uniformity.