Heating devices and apparatus

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing heating devices with flow through low thermal mass heaters face issues in rapidly switching between hot and cold beverage preparation due to residual heat transfer, leading to poor beverage quality and increased complexity, cost, and hygiene concerns from the use of bypass valves.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a cooling means within the heating device's base structure to cool the fluid channel directly, eliminating the need for bypass valves by using a cooling channel that can be adjacent or integrated with the fluid channel, allowing for efficient heat transfer and residual heat removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If bypass valves are used to enable cold beverage flow through a separate channel, then cold beverage preparation is enabled after hot beverage, but device complexity increases and reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to prepare alternating hot and cold beveragesVSAvoidsystem complexity with multiple valves and channels

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the heating element and cooling means into a single integrated unit, where the cooling means is positioned in direct thermal contact with the heating element. This integration eliminates the need for separate bypass valves and multiple channels, allowing the same fluid channel to be used for both hot and cold beverages by simply controlling the thermal state of the heating element.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The heating element is designed to perform multiple functions: heating fluid for hot beverages and serving as a heat sink for cooling the fluid channel for cold beverages. This multi-functionality is achieved by providing a cooling means that can rapidly remove residual heat from the heating element, enabling the same component to support both hot and cold beverage preparation without requiring separate dedicated channels or valves.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If bypass valves are used to separate hot and cold fluid channels, then cold beverage quality is maintained, but cleaning difficulty increases and hygiene control deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeverage quality degradation from residual heatVSAvoidcleaning ease with multiple valves

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the hot and cold fluid pathways into a single channel, eliminating the need for bypass valves and separate channels. The cooling means is integrated directly with the heating element, creating a unified structure that is simpler to manufacture and clean compared to multi-valve systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling means is activated before cold beverage preparation to pre-cool the heating element and fluid channel, removing residual heat from previous hot beverage preparation. This preliminary cooling action ensures that the fluid channel is ready for cold beverage flow without requiring complex valve operations or separate channels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If residual heat is not removed from the heating element, then system simplicity is maintained, but cold beverage temperature control and quality deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicity without cooling meansVSAvoidfluid channel temperature for cold beverage

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling means acts as an intermediary between the heating element and the environment, providing a controlled pathway for heat removal. It is positioned in direct thermal contact with the heating element, enabling efficient heat transfer from the heating element through the cooling means to the surrounding environment or cooling fluid, thus controlling the temperature of the fluid channel for cold beverage preparation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 rapid and hygienic preparation of alternating hot and cold beverages without waiting for the system to cool, improving beverage quality, reducing complexity and cost, and enhancing hygiene by maintaining the fluid channel at a lower temperature, while also potentially reusing heat for energy efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a cooling means, arranged in use to cool the heating element

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a heating element, the heating element arranged in use to heat fluid within the fluid channel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS11889946B2Heating devices and apparatus

Publication Date: 2024.02.06 KONINK DOUWE EGBERTS BV

AI summary

The invention provides a heating device comprising a base structure comprising a fluid channel and a heating element, the heating element arranged in use to heat fluid within the fluid channel, the heating device further comprising a cooling means, arranged in use to cool the fluid channel.