Heating lunch box

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing heating lunch boxes heat food primarily from the bottom, leading to slow heating speeds and inadequate heat transfer to positions away from the bottom, resulting in poor food heating efficiency and user experience.

Innovation Solution

A heating lunch box design with a first heating member at the bottom and a second heating member on the side wall of the inner container, controlled by temperature detection units to ensure even heating and safety, using a flexible heating sheet for the side member and a circuit board for activation and deactivation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If heating is only carried out at the bottom portion of the food container, then the structure is simple, but the heating speed is slow and heat transfer to positions far from the bottom is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating structure complexityVSAvoidheating speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The heating function is segmented into multiple heating members positioned at different locations (bottom heating member at the bottom portion, side heating members on the side walls, and optionally top heating member at the top portion). Each heating member independently heats its local region, collectively achieving comprehensive and rapid heating of the entire food container, thereby resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and heating speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The heating approach transitions from one-dimensional (bottom-only) heating to multi-dimensional heating by adding heating members on side walls and potentially at the top. This spatial expansion from a single point to multiple dimensions enables simultaneous heating of different regions, dramatically improving heating speed while maintaining reasonable structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Device complexity

If heating is only carried out at the bottom portion of the food container, then the structure is simple, but the food heating effect is poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating structure complexityVSAvoidfood heating effect

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The heating system is divided into multiple segmented heating members distributed at different positions within the food container (bottom, sides, top). This segmentation ensures that heat is applied to all regions of the food simultaneously, eliminating cold spots and ensuring uniform heating throughout, thereby significantly improving the reliability of the food heating effect while keeping each individual heating element simple.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different heating members are positioned to provide localized heating quality appropriate for their respective regions. The bottom heating member addresses the base layer, side heating members handle the lateral portions, and the top heating member (if present) covers the upper layer. This localized quality approach ensures comprehensive heating coverage and consistent food heating effect across the entire container.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If the inner container protrudes from the outer shell, then access is easier, but users may touch hot surfaces causing burns

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer accessVSAvoidburn risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The inner container is nested within the outer shell such that it does not protrude beyond the outer shell's boundaries. This nesting arrangement allows users to easily access and remove the inner container through the opening in the outer shell while ensuring that the heated inner container remains enclosed within the protective outer shell during operation, eliminating the burn hazard associated with protruding hot surfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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

Accelerates heating speed and ensures uniform temperature distribution across the food container, preventing burns and improving user safety by avoiding direct contact with hot surfaces.

Implementation Method 1

The base is equipped with a heat-conducting member at a bottom portion of the receiving slot and a heating member below the heat-conducting member. The heating member is used for heating

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

The inner container is used for heat conduction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS12502026B1Heating lunch box

Publication Date: 2025.12.23 OU ZHENFEI

AI summary

A heating lunch box includes a base and a food container. The food container is used for holding food. The base includes an outer shell, a circuit board, a first heating member, a second heating member, and an inner container. The circuit board, the first heating member, the second heating member, and the inner container are arranged inside the outer shell. The inner container is used for heat conduction. The first heating member and the second heating member are both electrically connected to the circuit board. A receiving slot with an opening at a top portion thereof is defined in the inner container. The first heating member is disposed at a bottom portion of the inner container. The second heating member is disposed on an outer side wall of the inner container. A top portion of the inner container does not protrude from a top surface of the outer shell.