In-Situ Camera Cooling Design for High-Heat Cooking Appliances
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current high-heat camera systems face challenges in maintaining component temperatures below damaging thresholds, inefficient heat management, and limited installation flexibility in high-temperature environments, often requiring external placement that restricts optimal viewing angles and cooking precision.
Innovation Solution
A modular in-situ camera system with a cooling mechanism that includes passive and active cooling methods, such as heat sinks, phase change materials, and coolant manifolds, integrated within a hermetically sealed enclosure, allowing placement inside high-heat environments for optimal viewing and easy installation/removal, while managing convective, conductive, and radiative heat transfers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the camera system is placed inside the host system cavity for optimal viewing, then the viewing angle and cooking precision are improved, but the camera components are exposed to high temperatures that can damage them
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system is segmented into a camera assembly and a separate heat sink assembly. The camera assembly is positioned inside the host system cavity for optimal viewing, while the heat sink assembly extends outward to provide thermal management. This segmentation allows the camera to operate in the high-temperature environment without direct exposure to damaging heat levels.
Solution Approach 2:
A heat shield or thermal barrier is introduced as an intermediary between the camera components and the high-temperature cavity environment. This intermediary structure allows the camera to capture images of the cavity interior while protecting sensitive components from excessive heat through thermal isolation layers or reflective barriers.
2Temperature
If a cooling mechanism is added to protect camera components from heat, then the temperature control is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is extracted as a separate heat sink assembly that can be attached to or integrated with the camera assembly. This modular approach allows the cooling mechanism to be added without redesigning the entire camera system, and the heat sink can be optimized independently for thermal management while keeping the camera components simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat sink assembly is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides thermal management for the camera components, extends the camera assembly outward from the cavity, and can incorporate mounting features for secure installation. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by combining several functions into a single integrated component.
3Ease of operation
If the camera system is made modular for easy installation and removal, then the ease of operation is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system is divided into modular components including a camera assembly, heat sink assembly, and mounting bracket. Each component can be independently manufactured, tested, and installed. The mounting bracket provides a simple interface that allows the camera assembly to be quickly attached or detached from the host system without complex fastening mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera components are nested within the heat sink assembly, which is in turn mounted on the bracket. This nested structure allows for compact packaging during installation while maintaining easy access to individual components for replacement or maintenance. The nested design reduces the number of separate mounting operations required.
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 system effectively maintains camera components below critical temperatures, enhances cooking precision with top-down views, and facilitates easy replacement or removal, improving operational safety and flexibility in high-heat environments.
Implementation Method 1
a first cooling component can be dedicated to minimizing heat transfer from a cavity of the host system (e.g., oven) to the camera system
Implementation Method 2
a heat sink enclosing the camera system to maximize convective and/or conductive heat transfer away from the camera system
Implementation Method 3
a heat shield having an infrared coating or a lens having an infrared or reflective coating is implemented to minimize radiative heat transfer
Implementation Method 4
passive and active cooling methods, such as heat sinks, phase change materials, and coolant manifolds
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging system for a high-heat cooking appliance, including a camera system including an optical sensor, a lens, and a set of light emitters; and a camera cooling mechanism thermally connected to the camera system.