Sous vide device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sous vide devices, both bath and immersion types, face challenges in design and construction that affect performance, ease of use, versatility, hygiene, and maintenance, particularly in compact and cost-effective forms.
Innovation Solution
A sous vide device design featuring a tubular outer housing with rotatable inner walls and vanes for fluid flow, a motor-driven impeller for circulation, a tubular heater for temperature control, and magnetic couplings for efficient operation, allowing for compact immersion use and efficient heat distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a compact immersion design is used, then storage space is saved and versatility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs nested tubular structures where the first inner wall and second inner wall are positioned concentrically, with ducts nested within the tubular configuration. This nesting approach allows multiple functional components (ducts, vanes, heater) to be integrated within a compact cylindrical housing, achieving space efficiency while maintaining functional complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is segmented into distinct functional zones: the first duct for liquid intake, the second duct for heated liquid circulation, the heater zone, and the impeller zone. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function efficiently within the compact immersion design, resolving the contradiction between compactness and functional complexity.
2Reliability
If a recirculating heated water supply system is integrated, then temperature control performance is improved, but device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heater and impeller into a single integrated assembly where the heater is positioned at the center of the impeller. This combination allows simultaneous heating and fluid circulation within one compact unit, improving temperature control reliability while reducing overall device complexity compared to separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The heater is positioned to pre-heat liquid before it enters the main circulation duct, ensuring that temperature control is established early in the flow path. This preliminary heating action improves overall temperature uniformity and control performance.
3Productivity
If vanes are positioned adjacent to the outlet, then liquid circulation efficiency is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vanes are designed with curved surfaces that follow the rotational flow pattern of the liquid. This curvature design naturally guides the liquid flow from the inlet through the heater and out through the outlet, improving circulation efficiency while being more tolerant of manufacturing variations compared to sharp-edged geometric designs.
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 enhances performance, ease of use, and maintenance while providing improved hygiene and versatility, enabling efficient heat circulation and temperature control in compact immersion applications.
Implementation Method 1
a heater operatively associated with the fluid flow path to heat the liquid passing therealong
Implementation Method 2
rotatably driven vanes associated with the fluid flow path to cause liquid to flow from the inlet to the outlet; a motor drivingly connected to the vanes to cause rotation thereof
Implementation Method 3
a first magnetic coupling rotatably driven by the motor, and a second magnetic coupling driven by the first magnetic coupling and associated with the vanes so as to cause rotation thereof
Data Source
AI summary
A sous vide device (100) including an outer housing (104) within which there is located a heated tube (448) surrounding inner tubular wall (311), with the inner tubular wall (311) providing a first duct (461), and a second duct (462) being provided between the inner tubular wall and outer tubular wall with the first duct (461) and second duct (462) co-operating to provide a fluid flow path extending from an inlet (107) to an outlet (106), with vanes (450) being attached to the inner tubular wall (311) so as to be rotatably driven thereby to cause the liquid to pass along the fluid flow path.