Liquid Heating Control for Sterile Formula at Feeding Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for reconstituting infant formula milk are time-consuming and lack reliability in achieving the desired temperature, often requiring hot water for sterilization followed by cooling, which can be inaccurate and may introduce non-sterile cold water, posing risks to dosage and temperature control.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus that calculates and delivers a predetermined volume of water at a controlled temperature by separating the heating process into two phases: an initial phase to achieve sterilization temperature and a subsequent phase to adjust to the final feeding temperature, ensuring accurate and repeatable temperature delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hot water (>70°C) is used to sterilize powdered infant formula, then sterilization is achieved, but the liquid must be cooled before feeding which is time-consuming and temperature control is inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the water dispensing process into two distinct phases: a first volume of hot water (>70°C) for sterilization and a second volume of cooler water for temperature adjustment. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both sterilization and appropriate feeding temperature without requiring prolonged cooling time, as the cooler second volume actively reduces the temperature rather than passive cooling waiting.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-calculates and pre-heats the water to the required temperature before dispensing. The control system determines the exact volumes of hot and cooler water needed based on the desired final temperature, allowing the sterilization-phase hot water to be prepared in advance and then combined with the second volume to achieve the target temperature efficiently.
2Loss of time
If cold water is added to speed up cooling, then cooling time is reduced, but the cold water may not be sterile affecting dosage and final temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates temperature sensors that continuously monitor the temperature of the liquid in the receptacle during the dispensing process. The control system uses this feedback to adjust the dispensing of the second volume of water, ensuring the final temperature reaches the precise target. This feedback mechanism guarantees both sterility (by using controlled water sources) and temperature accuracy, eliminating the risks associated with adding uncontrolled cold water.
3Ease of operation
If a single volume of warm water is dispensed, then the process is simple, but it is difficult to judge the correct temperature accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses temperature sensors to continuously monitor the temperature of the liquid in the receptacle and provides feedback to the control system. This allows the apparatus to automatically adjust the dispensing process to achieve the precise target temperature, eliminating the need for manual temperature judgment while maintaining operational simplicity for the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus performs self-regulation of the temperature by automatically controlling the dispensing volumes and monitoring the temperature feedback. The system serves itself by determining when the target temperature is reached and stopping the dispensing process, removing the need for user intervention in temperature judgment while keeping the operation simple.
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 apparatus provides a reliable and efficient method for achieving the desired temperature for infant formula milk, ensuring sterilization and accurate temperature control, thus enhancing safety and convenience in preparing infant formula.
Implementation Method 1
calculate a period of 'ON' time required for energisation of the heating means to deliver the calculated amount of energy, energise the heating means for the calculated period of 'ON' time
Implementation Method 2
operate the pump during a first period of time to dispense a first volume of heated liquid at or above a predetermined initial temperature from an outlet of the apparatus
Implementation Method 3
a temperature sensor sensitive to the temperature of the liquid upstream of the heating means
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for dispensing a predetermined volume of a warm liquid comprises a heater (27), a pump (22) and a temperature sensor (40) sensitive to the temperature of the liquid upstream of the heater (27). A controller (50) is arranged to receive upstream temperature data from the temperature sensor (40), calculate the amount of energy required to reach a desired final temperature, energise the heater (27) for a calculated period of ON time, and dispense liquid for a calculated period of time that is at least partly contemporaneous with the calculated period of ON time. After the heater (27) has been de-energised, the dispensed liquid removes residual heat so that the average temperature after dispensing the predetermined volume is the desired final temperature.