Peltier Cup Holder Structure for Low-Resistance Heating and Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cup holders with thermoelectric elements suffer from low thermal conductivity, leading to inadequate cooling and heating efficiency due to thermal resistance.
Innovation Solution
A cooling and heating cup holder design featuring a thermally conductive holder body with a Peltier element and an air conditioner system, including a heat radiating duct and blowing fan, which minimizes thermal resistance and enhances heat transfer through direct contact and efficient heat radiation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a thermoelectric element is attached to a heat transfer block in a cup holder, then heat can be transferred to a container, but the thermoelectric block itself serves as a resistance causing low thermal conductivity and insufficient cooling and heating effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the thermoelectric block from the heat transfer path entirely. Instead of using a thermoelectric block that acts as thermal resistance, the design directly attaches the thermoelectric element to the holder body, extracting the problematic component while maintaining the heat transfer function through improved direct contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder body is divided into distinct functional regions: a first holder body for cooling and a second holder body for heating. Each holder body has a dedicated thermoelectric element attached directly to it, allowing independent optimization of thermal pathways without the interference of a shared thermoelectric block.
2Productivity
If a thermoelectric element is used in a cup holder, then cooling and heating function is achieved, but thermal resistance reduces the efficiency of heat transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The thermoelectric element is merged directly with the holder body through direct attachment, eliminating the intermediate thermoelectric block that caused thermal resistance. This merging creates a unified thermal pathway that maximizes heat transfer efficiency and minimizes energy loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a thermal conductor as an intermediary substance between the thermoelectric element and the holder body. This thermal conductor fills gaps and improves contact, acting as a mediator that enhances heat transfer while being thermally conductive itself, unlike the problematic thermoelectric block.
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 design achieves improved thermal efficiency, rapid cooling and heating effects, reduced weight, and increased productivity, allowing for a compact, insulated, and optimized structure.
Implementation Method 1
a Peltier element including an operation surface and a heat radiating portion... installed such that the operation surface is directly attached to the contact surface... to transfer heat to the contact surface
Implementation Method 2
a heat radiating duct in which the heat radiating portion of the Peltier element is buried and a blowing fan for blowing out air
Implementation Method 3
a blowing fan for blowing out air at one side of the heat radiating duct
Implementation Method 4
a Peltier element including an operation surface and a heat radiating portion... to transfer heat to the contact surface
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling and heating cup holder includes a holder body having a container shape, formed of a thermally conductive material, having a substantially uniform thickness, and having a contact portion pressed from an inner side to integrally protrude outward from one side surface thereof and having a contact surface forming a predetermined plane; a Peltier element including an operation surface and a heat radiating portion having an opposite row opposite to the operation surface and installed such that the operation surface is directly attached to the contact surface at an outer side of the holder body to transfer heat to the contact surface; and an air conditioner including a heat radiating duct in which the heat radiating portion of the Peltier element is buried and a blowing fan for blowing out air at one side of the heat radiating duct.