Apparatus for heating a pot of food or beverage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing devices for keeping food or beverages hot are energy-intensive, wasteful, and inefficient, as they often rely on blown hot air and have a single temperature setting, leading to energy loss and increased food waste due to bulk storage requirements.

Innovation Solution

A heating apparatus with receptacles that include a heater element mounted on the sidewalls, a temperature sensor at the base, and a controller to manage heating based on a pot sensor, allowing for efficient heat transfer and customizable temperature settings for individual pots, reducing energy consumption and waste.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If blown hot air is used to heat pots of food or beverage, then the food or beverage can be kept hot, but energy is wasted and noise is generated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature of food or beverageVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The heating system is segmented into individual receptacles, each with its own heater element. This allows each receptacle to be heated independently rather than heating the entire air space, significantly reducing energy consumption while maintaining the required temperature of the food or beverage in each pot.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The heater elements are extracted from the air circulation system and mounted directly to the sidewalls of each receptacle. This eliminates the need for blown hot air and direct air circulation, reducing both energy waste and noise generation while maintaining effective heating of the pots.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Device complexity

If a single global temperature setting is used for the whole device, then the structure is simple, but energy is wasted when only a few pots are present

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature control systemVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The temperature control system is segmented into individual receptacles, each with its own heater element and temperature sensor. This allows independent temperature control for each receptacle, enabling the system to heat only the necessary number of pots at any given time, thereby reducing energy waste while maintaining operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Loss of energy

If food or beverage is stored in bulk to keep it hot, then energy efficiency improves, but food waste increases when only small quantities are sold

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy efficiencyVSAvoidfood waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The heating apparatus is divided into multiple individual receptacles that can independently heat small quantities of food or beverage. This eliminates the need to store and heat large bulk quantities, allowing the system to heat only the specific small portions that are about to be sold, thereby reducing both energy consumption and food waste from unsold bulk stock.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Ease of operation

If the temperature sensor is mounted near the heater element, then the temperature measurement is convenient, but the sensor is affected by heat from the heater causing inaccurate readings

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature sensingVSAvoidtemperature measurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The temperature sensor is extracted from the immediate vicinity of the heater element and mounted on the base of the receptacle, physically separated from the heat source. This positioning allows the sensor to accurately measure the temperature of the pot contents without being directly affected by the heat emitted from the sidewall-mounted heater element, ensuring measurement precision while maintaining operational convenience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 apparatus efficiently heats and maintains the temperature of pots with precise control, minimizing energy usage and waste by only heating when necessary and allowing for varied temperature settings, thus optimizing energy efficiency and compliance with food safety standards.

Implementation Method 1

the heat energy generated at the receptacle can be efficiently passed to the pot, heating the pot contents

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

The heat that is generated by the receptacle and passed to the pot may raise the temperature of the pot

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal convection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS11576515B2Apparatus for heating a pot of food or beverage

Publication Date: 2023.02.14 EQUIP LINE LTD

AI summary

There is provided an apparatus for heating a pot of food or beverage, the apparatus comprising at least one receptacle (20), each receptacle for temporarily receiving a pot of food or beverage to be heated. Each receptacle comprises a base (22), sidewalls (24), and an opening opposite from the base (22) for receiving the pot; a heater element (43) mounted to the sidewalls; a temperature sensor (45) mounted to the base; a pot sensor (40, 41) for detecting whether or not a pot is present in the receptacle; and a controller connected to the heater element, temperature sensor, and pot sensor. The controller is configured to control the heater element in response to the pot sensor and temperature sensor.