Induction Cooker Top Plate with Localized Cooling Region
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing induction heating cooking apparatuses require a significant amount of time to cool cooking containers compared to heating them, due to the inefficiency of the cooling mechanism.
Innovation Solution
An induction heating cooking apparatus with a top plate featuring a first region for heating and a second region with higher thermal conductivity for cooling, utilizing a heating coil for inductive heating and a cooling device, such as a Peltier element, to rapidly cool the cooking container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a cooling device is provided below the top plate to cool the cooking container, then the cooling function is added to the induction heating cooker, but the cooling speed is insufficient compared to heating speed
Solution Approach 1:
The top plate is divided into a first region with lower thermal conductivity and a second region with higher thermal conductivity. The cooling device is positioned below the second region, which has superior heat conduction properties. This local differentiation allows heat to be rapidly conducted from the cooking container through the second region to the cooling device, significantly improving cooling speed while maintaining the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal conductivity parameter of the top plate is changed by using different materials or structures for different regions. The second region uses a material with higher thermal conductivity than the first region, enabling more efficient heat transfer from the cooking container to the cooling device, thus accelerating the cooling process.
2Ease of manufacture
If the top plate is made of uniform material, then the manufacturing is simple, but the cooling efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a uniform material throughout the top plate, the invention applies local quality by using different materials with different thermal conductivity properties in different regions. The second region uses a high thermal conductivity material to efficiently conduct heat away from the cooking container during cooling operations, while the first region uses a different material suitable for heating operations. This can be implemented through segmented construction or layered structures that maintain manufacturing feasibility while improving cooling efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The top plate employs composite material construction with at least two different materials having different thermal conductivity properties. This composite structure allows the plate to exhibit both high thermal conductivity in the cooling region (for efficient heat removal) and appropriate thermal properties in the heating region, thereby improving cooling efficiency without sacrificing manufacturing practicality.
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 allows for faster cooling of cooking containers, reducing the overall cooking time and preventing bacterial propagation by facilitating quicker temperature reduction after cooking, while also enabling concurrent or sequential heating and cooling operations.
Implementation Method 1
a heating coil provided below the first region included in the top plate and configured to inductively heat a cooking container placed on the first region
Implementation Method 2
a cooling device provided below the second region included in the top plate and configured to cool a cooking container placed on the second region, where the second region has a higher thermal conductivity than does the first region
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
An induction heating cooking apparatus includes a top plate having a tabular shape and including a first region and a second region having a higher thermal conductivity than does the first region, a heating coil provided below the first region included in the top plate and configured to inductively heat a cooking container placed on the first region, and a cooling device provided below the second region included in the top plate and configured to cool a cooking container placed on the second region.