Portable Drinkware with Phase-Change Cooling and Active Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drinkware containers fail to maintain the temperature of liquids at a suitable level for consumption over an extended period, leading to either burning from hot liquids or cooling down, making it unsatisfactory for users, especially during travel.
Innovation Solution
An actively heated or cooled portable container with a heating and cooling system that includes a phase change material, a heating element, control circuitry, and power storage elements, allowing for temperature regulation of liquids to maintain them at a predetermined temperature for an extended period.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional drinkware is used to hold hot liquid, then the liquid can be stored, but the liquid cools down too much or burns the user's mouth before consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling element is pre-charged with phase change material at a predetermined temperature before use. When hot liquid is poured into the container, the pre-charged cooling element immediately begins cooling the liquid, eliminating the waiting time that would otherwise be required for the liquid to cool to a safe drinking temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling element utilizes phase change material that transitions from solid to liquid at a predetermined temperature (e.g., melting point). This phase transition absorbs excess heat from the hot liquid, rapidly cooling it to a safe consumption temperature without requiring active cooling mechanisms or extended waiting periods.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If conventional drinkware is used during travel, then portability is achieved, but the liquid temperature cannot be maintained over extended periods
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is pre-charged with electrical energy from the power storage element before travel. This allows the heating element to operate autonomously during transit, maintaining liquid temperature without requiring external power sources or complex active temperature control systems throughout the journey.
Solution Approach 2:
The power storage element stores electrical energy within the container system itself, enabling the heating element to self-regulate and maintain liquid temperature without external intervention. The system serves itself by using stored energy to compensate for heat loss during extended travel periods.
3Adaptability or versatility
If active heating and cooling systems are added to maintain liquid temperature, then temperature control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of implementing a complex active temperature control system throughout the entire container, the invention uses localized passive cooling through phase change material in specific cooling elements positioned at strategic locations. This provides effective temperature regulation with minimal system complexity by concentrating cooling function where it is most needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the inherent physical property of phase change material transitioning at a predetermined temperature to provide passive cooling. This eliminates the need for complex active cooling mechanisms, motors, or control systems, achieving temperature regulation through a fundamental parameter change (phase transition) of the cooling material.
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 system effectively maintains the temperature of liquids within a suitable range for consumption, ensuring that beverages remain enjoyable and safe to drink for an extended duration, even during travel.
Implementation Method 1
a phase change material configured to transition from one phase to a second phase at a predetermined temperature
Implementation Method 2
the phase change material is in thermal communication with at least a portion of the inner sidewall of the portable body
Implementation Method 3
a heating element in thermal communication with at least a portion of the inner sidewall or inner bottom wall of the portable body
Data Source
AI summary
An actively heated or cooled portable container is provided. The container has a portable body with a receiving portion defined by an inner wall that receives a liquid. A heating and cooling system housed in the portable body has a cooling element in thermal communication with at least a portion of the inner wall to remove heat from the liquid. The heating and cooling system also has a heating element in thermal communication with at least a portion of the inner wall, control circuitry to control the operation of the heating element and one or more power storage elements to provide electrical energy to the heating element and/or control circuitry. The control circuitry controls the heating element to add heat to the liquid in the receiving portion to maintain the temperature of the liquid at a predetermined temperature or increase the temperature of the liquid above said predetermined temperature. Optionally, the control circuitry can calculate a volume of the liquid in the receiving portion of the portable body based on sensed information indicative of a temperature of the liquid in the receiving portion.