Induction-Heated Milk Foamer Container for Easy Dishwasher Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing milk frothers are difficult to clean due to the presence of electrical and electronic components, which prevents immersion in cleaning solutions or use in dishwashers, leading to potential bacterial growth from dried milk residues.
Innovation Solution
Designing a milk foam maker where electrical components are housed within the base body, allowing the container to be made of non-conductive materials, and using an alternating field generator to heat the container, enabling it to be submerged in dishwashing liquid or cleaned in a dishwasher, while ensuring rapid and uniform heating of milk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If electrical and electronic components are integrated into the container, then heating function is achieved, but cleaning becomes difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into two separate parts: a container without electrical components that can be freely cleaned, and a base body containing all electrical and electronic components including the heating device. This segmentation allows the container to be submerged in cleaning solutions or placed in dishwashers while the base body remains stationary and handles all heating functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating device and all electrical components are extracted from the container and relocated to the base body. This extraction eliminates the conflict between having heating functionality and maintaining cleanability, as the container becomes a simple, cleanable receptacle while the base body houses the sophisticated heating system.
2Ease of operation
If electrical components are removed from the container, then cleaning ease is improved, but heating reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The base body acts as an intermediary between the power source and the container. It contains the heating device that generates thermal energy and transfers it to the container through controlled contact, ensuring reliable heating while keeping the container itself free of electrical components for easy cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating function is achieved through a dedicated heating device in the base body that uses thermal conduction and convection rather than direct electrical heating elements in the container. This substitution maintains heating reliability while eliminating electrical components from the cleanable parts.
3Ease of operation
If the base body contains all electrical components, then device complexity increases, but container cleanability is improved
Solution Approach 1:
All electrical and electronic components including the motor for the agitator and the heating device are merged into a single base body unit. This consolidation, while increasing base body complexity, simplifies the overall system by creating a clear division of labor where the container remains a simple, cleanable component.
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 solution allows for easy cleaning of the container, prevents bacterial growth, and ensures efficient heating of milk without exposing the container to electrical components, thus improving user handling and hygiene.
Implementation Method 1
an alternating field generator (36) for generating an alternating magnetic field is provided in the base body (12) in the area in which the container base (20) is placed on the base body (12)
Implementation Method 2
the alternating field generator (36) is designed to inductively heat the container base (20) placed on the base body (12) due to the alternating magnetic field, as a result of which the milk present in the container (14) is heated
Implementation Method 3
the bottom of the container is made of a ferromagnetic and/or electrically conductive material, at least in sections... the provision of ferromagnetic material has the advantage that the alternating magnetic field can be bundled in such a way that the bottom of the container, and thus the milk, is rapidly heated
Implementation Method 4
The alternating field generator is designed as an induction coil that at least partially surrounds the wall section that forms the depression on the base body side
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an automatic milk foamer having a container for receiving milk, having a base body on which or in which the container can be place, having a stirring device that can be placed in the container for foaming the milk, having a motor provided in the base body for driving the stirring device, and having a heating device for warming the milk present in the container, wherein the heating device comprises an alternating magnetic field generator provided in the base body for generating an alternating magnetic field, wherein the container is designed such that it heats up due to the alternating magnetic field.