Heat retaining dish assembly and method of heating same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for keeping hot food warm during transport and consumption are inefficient, posing safety risks and reducing food quality, as they often result in rapid cooling and uneven heating.
Innovation Solution
A dish assembly with a phase-change material and an electrically-conductive element, thermally coupled and heated by an electromagnetic induction heater, maintains food at a consistent warm temperature by absorbing and re-emitting heat, allowing safe handling and extended food warmth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional heating methods are used to keep food warm, then food temperature is maintained, but safety risks increase and food quality deteriorates due to rapid cooling and uneven heating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of water between liquid and vapor states. The heating element generates steam that circulates through channels in the plate, providing uniform thermal energy distribution. This phase change mechanism ensures consistent temperature maintenance across the food surface, eliminating hot and cold spots while maintaining food quality and safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces steam as an intermediary medium between the heating element and the food. The steam circulates through channels in the plate, acting as a thermal mediator that distributes heat uniformly. This intermediary approach prevents direct contact between the heating element and food, ensuring even heating while maintaining safety and food quality
2Temperature
If hot food is served immediately, then food is delivered while hot, but the dish becomes too hot to handle safely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the heating function into separate components: a heating element, steam generation chamber, and distributed steam channels. This segmentation allows the heating function to be isolated from the food contact surface, enabling the plate to maintain food temperature while the handle remains cool and safe for handling
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different thermal properties to different parts of the plate. The food contact area contains steam channels for heat distribution, while the handle area is designed with thermal insulation or reduced heat exposure, creating local quality differences that enable safe handling while maintaining food 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
The dish assembly effectively keeps food warm for an extended period, ensuring it remains palatable during consumption while being easy to handle without protective gear, addressing the inefficiencies of traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
an electromagnetic induction heater that is able to be positioned proximate the dish. The induction heater is operable to melt the phase-change material by producing a changing electromagnetic field that induces electrical current flow in the electrically-conductive element to heat and melt the phase-change material within the housing
Implementation Method 2
a phase-change material within the inner compartment... the phase-change material is adapted to melt in response to the electrically-conductive element being heated... at least some of the heat emitted from the phase-change material as it freezes after having been melted is absorbed by food
Data Source
AI summary
A dish assembly for serving food includes a dish housing that defines a surface, upon which the food can be placed, and an inner compartment, a phase-change material within the inner compartment, and an electrically-conductive element inside the inner compartment and thermally coupled to the phase-change material. In a typical implementation, the phase-change material is adapted to melt in response to the electrically-conductive element being heated by an electromagnetic induction heater. The thus heated dish assembly can facilitate getting hot food to a table while it is still hot, and once at the table, keeping that hot food at least warm for quite some time, while it is consumed.