Vented Jacket Enclosure for Heat-Sensitive Data Recorders
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Solution Overview
Problem
Temperature-sensitive electronic devices and components often fail when exposed to high process temperatures in environments like ovens and furnaces, as existing protective measures are inadequate for prolonged durations at high temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A protective enclosure with a housing, compartment for a heat absorbing element, and a vented jacket configured to contain a liquid, which absorbs heat and allows vapor release, thereby protecting devices from high temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If thermocouple recording devices are used to record profiles through a diffusion furnace, then temperature profiling can be achieved, but the devices are limited to short durations at high process temperatures (less than 3 min. at 850° C.) due to restricted protective insulation thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a protective enclosure as an intermediary structure between the high-temperature furnace environment and the temperature-sensitive electronic recording devices. This enclosure includes insulating layers and phase change materials that act as thermal barriers, allowing the devices to withstand prolonged high-temperature exposure (10+ minutes at 850° C.) without direct thermal damage. The enclosure mediates the thermal stress, enabling extended duration operation while protecting the electronics from harmful thermal effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs phase change materials (such as paraffin or other organic phase change materials) within the protective enclosure that undergo phase transition from solid to liquid at temperatures below the furnace operating temperature. This phase change absorbs significant heat energy, creating a thermal buffer that protects the electronic devices from direct exposure to high temperatures. The phase change mechanism enables the enclosure to maintain lower internal temperatures despite external high-temperature conditions, thereby extending the safe exposure duration for the recording devices.
2Duration of action of moving object
If phase change materials are used in addition to insulation, then longer duration at high temperature can be achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested protective enclosure structure where multiple protective layers are contained within a housing. The phase change materials are positioned within insulated compartments inside the enclosure, creating a nested arrangement where each layer provides additional protection. This nested design allows the complex protective function to be organized in a compact, hierarchical manner, managing the complexity through structured layering rather than a single complex component.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective enclosure is divided into distinct functional segments: an outer housing, inner insulating layers, phase change material compartments, and a protected interior space for the electronic devices. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific protective function independently, making the overall system more manageable and easier to design. The segmented structure distributes the protective complexity across multiple simple, well-defined elements rather than a single complex assembly.
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 enclosure effectively extends the duration that temperature-sensitive devices can withstand high temperatures, allowing for accurate temperature profiling and data recording in high-temperature processes without device failure.
Implementation Method 1
a heat absorbing element and a vented jacket configured to contain a liquid
Implementation Method 2
a vented jacket configured to contain a liquid... to allow for the release of vapors if the liquid vaporizes
Data Source
AI summary
Protective enclosure and method for protecting heat sensitive, data recording devices in high temperature environments. The protective enclosure has a housing having at least one compartment for containing a heat sensitive, data recording device, e.g., a temperature recording device, and a jacket configured to contain a phase change material. The jacket may be vented and configured to at least partially surround the compartment. The housing may be sealed with an endcap. The recording device and a heat absorbing element are disposed within the same or within adjoining or adjacent sub-compartments within the enclosure. In a method, the enclosure with heat absorbing element and temperature recording device is placed within a heated environment or environment to be heated, e.g., a furnace. The recording device is connected to a thermal couple.