Cooking, soldering, and/or heating systems, and associated methods

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cooking and reflow soldering methods lack precision and efficiency due to reliance on blackbody radiation sources, which result in uneven heating, long cooking times, and potential damage to sensitive components, as they struggle to control temperature uniformly across varying thermal capacities.

Innovation Solution

The use of bulk photon sources, such as LEDs and laser diodes, for precise heating, combined with electrical conduction and hot oil searing, allows for closed-loop control to match the absorption spectrum of materials, ensuring uniform and rapid heating without overheating, and the incorporation of sensors for real-time temperature modulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If conventional blackbody radiation sources are used for heating, then heating can be achieved, but temperature control precision deteriorates due to thermal mass and uneven heat distribution

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature control precisionVSAvoidcooking time

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces conventional blackbody radiation heating (mechanical thermal system) with electromagnetic radiation from LEDs and laser diodes. This substitution enables precise temperature control by directly coupling electromagnetic energy to molecular vibrations in the material, bypassing the thermal mass limitations of conventional heating systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the fundamental heating parameter from thermal conduction/convection to direct electromagnetic absorption. By selecting specific LED wavelengths that match the absorption spectrum of the target material, the system achieves rapid and uniform heating throughout the bulk material without the time delays inherent in conventional thermal systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If conventional reflow soldering methods are used, then solder melting can be achieved, but component damage risk increases due to uniform heating of entire assembly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent safetyVSAvoidheating uniformity control

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by using LEDs positioned in close proximity to specific PCB areas, enabling selective heating of only the regions requiring solder reflow. This localized approach prevents overheating of sensitive components in other areas while achieving the necessary temperature for solder melting, thereby improving both component safety and heating control precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If microwave heating is used, then cooking speed improves, but browning and searing capability is lost due to poor energy penetration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooking speedVSAvoidsurface temperature for browning

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by first heating the bulk material rapidly using LED electromagnetic radiation to reach the target internal temperature, then applying conventional blackbody radiation or direct contact with a hot surface to achieve browning and searing. This two-stage approach combines the speed benefits of volumetric heating with the surface effects needed for desirable food texture and appearance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 enables precise control over cooking and soldering processes, reducing cooking time, preventing damage to components, and achieving uniform heating, resulting in faster and more accurate temperature management compared to traditional methods.

Implementation Method 1

heating the material by doses of photons emitted by bulk photon sources, such as lasers or light-emitting diodes (LEDs)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhoton absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 2

heating the material by passing electrical current through the material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 3

The material can be seared by contacting the surface with hot oil

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 4

The material can be seared by contacting the surface with hot oil

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS11426022B2Cooking, soldering, and/or heating systems, and associated methods

Publication Date: 2022.08.30 MTP TECH LLC

AI summary

Embodiments include systems and methods for heating materials, including heating materials for cooking and soldering. A representative system and method for cooking food includes passing electric current through the food, sensing a characteristic of the food, and modulating the electric current in response to the characteristic of the food to achieve a selected internal temperature of the food. The system and method can include searing the food with hot oil or photons directed at the surface of the food. A representative system and method for heating a material includes modulating a plurality of semiconductor light sources to emit photons toward the material, measuring a temperature of the material, and modulating the plurality of semiconductor light sources in response to the temperature of the material. The material can include solder and the method can include heating solder in a reflow soldering process.