Micro Hotplate Reflector Element Reduces Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Micro hotplate devices face challenges in reducing heat dissipation into the external environment, leading to inefficient energy use and potential overheating of nearby electronic components, which limits their integration with other components in small devices.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates reflector elements, such as those suspended inside or formed on the rear side of the cavity, to reflect thermal radiation back onto the membrane, reducing heat loss and allowing for more efficient energy use and compact integration with other components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If traditional micro hotplate devices are used without reflector elements, then the device structure is simple, but heat dissipation into the external environment is high leading to energy inefficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the principle of converting harmful thermal radiation that would otherwise be lost to the environment into beneficial heat by using reflector elements to redirect the radiation back onto the membrane. This transforms the harmful heat dissipation into useful heating, significantly improving energy efficiency while adding only moderate structural complexity through the incorporation of reflector elements positioned within the cavity.
2Use of energy by moving object
If micro hotplate devices operate with high heat dissipation, then energy consumption is high, but integration with thermally sensitive electronic components is limited
Solution Approach 1:
By converting the harmful heat dissipation into beneficial recycled heat through the reflector elements, the system reduces overall energy consumption while lowering the thermal load on surrounding components. This enables safe integration with thermally sensitive electronic components that would otherwise be overheated by the high heat dissipation of traditional micro hotplate devices.
3Loss of energy
If reflector elements are added to reduce heat dissipation, then energy efficiency improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements reflector elements that can be integrated into the existing micro hotplate device manufacturing process using standard micromechanical techniques. The reflectors are positioned within the cavity structure and can be formed using deposition or etching processes already employed in device fabrication, thereby achieving significant heat dissipation reduction without requiring fundamentally new manufacturing methods or excessive process complexity.
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 approach significantly reduces heat dissipation, enabling energy-saving operations, safer integration with thermally sensitive components, and simplifies thermal insulation, while allowing for miniaturization and cost-effective manufacturing of micro hotplate devices.
Implementation Method 1
at least one reflector element (18), which is arranged on an inside (12a) of the membrane (12), in such a way that thermal radiation from the at least one heating line (16) and/or the membrane (12) can be reflected back at least partially onto and/or into the membrane (12)
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a micro heating plate device having a membrane support unit (10), a membrane (12), which at least partially spans at least one cavity (14) formed in the membrane support unit (10), and having at least one heating line (16) arranged on and/or in the membrane (12). In addition, the micro heating plate device comprises at least one reflector element (18) arranged on the inner side (12a) of the membrane (12) oriented toward the cavity (14) such that by means of the at least one reflector element (18), a heat radiation emitted by the at least one heating line (16) and/or the membrane can be reflected back onto and/or into the membrane (12), at least partially. The invention further relates to a sensor having a micro heating plate device.