Plane Heating Element With Thick Electrodes for Uniform Stove Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plane heating elements in electric stoves have high resistance electrode portions that can lead to local heating and hot wire breakdown due to high current density differences, limiting their ability to heat uniformly and efficiently in limited areas.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a plane heating element with thicker electrode portions and bridges compared to the pattern tracks, reducing resistance and preventing local heating, allowing for uniform heating and multi-pattern configurations to achieve various heating intensities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the electrode portion is made wider to reduce resistance, then the resistance decreases, but the available area for heating patterns is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional planar electrodes to three-dimensional elevated electrodes with thickness. By adding the vertical dimension and making electrodes thicker (3-5 mm), the resistance is reduced without occupying additional horizontal area, thus resolving the contradiction between low resistance and available heating area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an insulating layer as an intermediary between the electrode and the heating pattern area. This allows the electrode to be positioned below the heating surface, effectively separating the electrical conduction function from the thermal heating function and enabling both low resistance and adequate heating area.
2Device complexity
If a single hot wire is used in a limited area, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to heat uniformly at high temperature is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the heating element into multiple independent hot wires arranged in parallel within the limited area. Each hot wire can be controlled independently or simultaneously, enabling uniform high-temperature heating across different zones while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different heating characteristics to different regions by positioning multiple hot wires at specific locations. Each hot wire creates a localized heating zone, and the combination provides uniform overall heating with the ability to adjust heating intensity in different areas independently.
3Temperature
If the electrode has high resistance to enable high temperature heating, then the heating temperature increases, but local heating and hot wire breakdown occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates distinct functional zones with different resistance characteristics. The electrode portion has low resistance for stable current supply, while the hot wire pattern portion has high resistance for high-temperature generation. This spatial differentiation of resistance properties allows high temperature heating without compromising electrode stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the electrical circuit into separate functional components: the electrode (low resistance, stable current source) and the hot wire pattern (high resistance, heat generation zone). This segmentation prevents the contradiction between needing high resistance for heat generation and low resistance for stability.
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 configuration effectively lowers the heating temperature of electrode portions in limited areas, preventing hot wire breakdown and enabling uniform heating across the pattern area, while allowing for gradual high-temperature heating in multiple stages.
Implementation Method 1
a thickness of the electrode portion is thicker than a thickness of the pattern portion, so that a resistance of the electrode portion may be remarkably small in a limited area
Implementation Method 2
the heating portion is designed to have a high resistance in order to heat at a high temperature of 500° C. or higher
Data Source
AI summary
An electric heater includes a substrate; and a plane heating element disposed on one surface of the substrate, in which the plane heating element includes a pattern portion including a start point and an end point; and an electrode portion connected to the start point and the end point of the pattern portion, and a thickness of the electrode portion is thicker than a thickness of the pattern portion.