Sous vide cooker
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sous vide immersion cookers pose a risk of user contact with heated components due to their design, particularly in consumer appliances where space constraints make heat control inadequate.
Innovation Solution
A sous vide cooker design featuring a housing with a bulkhead, heat sink, and skirt configuration that includes a TRIAC in conductive thermal communication with the heat sink, an impeller, and a motor-driven impeller system, along with temperature and water level sensors, to enhance heat control and user safety by isolating heated components and improving heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the sous vide cooker is made smaller for portability and consumer use, then ease of operation and portability are improved, but the risk of user contact with heated components increases and heat control becomes inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cooker into distinct thermal zones using a bulkhead that separates the heating element chamber from the water bath chamber. This segmentation isolates the heated components (heating element and TRIAC) in an upper chamber while the lower chamber contains the water bath, preventing user contact with hot components while maintaining compact size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a bulkhead as an intermediary structure between the heating element and the water bath. This bulkhead creates a physical barrier that prevents direct contact between users and heated components while allowing thermal energy to be transferred through the water circulation system.
2Productivity
If the heating element and TRIAC are placed in direct contact with the water bath for efficient heating, then productivity is improved, but the risk of overheating and user contact with heated components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is segmented into two separate chambers: an upper chamber containing the heating element and TRIAC, and a lower chamber containing the water bath. This segmentation allows efficient heating through water circulation while preventing direct contact between users and heated components.
Solution Approach 2:
The bulkhead serves as an intermediary structure that separates the heating elements from the water bath. It allows thermal energy to be transferred through the circulation system while maintaining physical isolation for safety and heat control.
3Productivity
If the heating element is positioned to maximize heat transfer to the water, then productivity is improved, but the complexity of thermal management and user safety measures increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooker is segmented into vertically stacked chambers with the heating element in the upper chamber and water bath in the lower chamber. This segmentation achieves efficient heat transfer through the circulation system while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a horizontal arrangement of components to a vertical stacking arrangement. The bulkhead extends vertically to create separate chambers, utilizing the vertical dimension to achieve both heat transfer efficiency and safety without increasing horizontal footprint or overall complexity.
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 effectively manages heat dissipation and user safety by isolating heated components, reducing the risk of user contact and improving heat control, while maintaining the compactness required for consumer appliances.
Implementation Method 1
A TRIAC is physically attached in conductive thermal communication to the heat sink in the second cavity
Implementation Method 2
A heating element located within the third cavity
Implementation Method 3
An impeller is located in the third cavity. A drive shaft extends through at least the heat sink and into the third cavity and is operatively connected to the impeller
Data Source
AI summary
A sous vide cooker having a housing, a bulkhead attached to the housing to form a first cavity, a heat sink attached to the bulkhead to form a second cavity, and a skirt attached to the bulkhead to form a third cavity below the heat sink. A TRIAC is physically attached in conductive thermal communication to the heat sink in the second cavity. The cooker also has a motor, an impeller located in the third cavity, a drive shaft extending through at least the heat sink and into the third cavity and operatively connecting the motor to the impeller, and a heating element located within the third cavity.