Thermal management for a wireless cooking probe
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional temperature probes are not capable of withstanding high cooking temperatures, which can damage battery and electronic components, and often have visibility issues due to suboptimal display placement.
Innovation Solution
A battery-powered temperature probe with a flexible arm design, where the temperature sensor is in thermal communication with food products and the control housing is positioned outside the cooking utensil, using magnetic attachment and a radiant heat shield to reduce heat exposure to sensitive components and improve display visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the control housing is placed inside the cooking utensil for compact design, then the device complexity is reduced, but the temperature experienced by control electronics and battery becomes too high causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature probe is divided into two separate housing sections: a sensor housing that remains inside the cooking utensil to withstand high temperatures, and a control housing that extends outside the utensil to protect electronics and battery from thermal damage. This segmentation allows each component to be positioned in its optimal thermal environment.
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible arm serves as an intermediary connection between the sensor housing inside the utensil and the control housing outside. This flexible arm allows the control housing to be positioned away from the heat source while maintaining structural connection and signal transmission between the two housing sections.
2Temperature
If the control housing is placed outside the cooking utensil to protect electronics, then the temperature experienced by control electronics is reduced, but the display visibility becomes suboptimal for user viewing
Solution Approach 1:
The display is positioned on the control housing that extends outward from the cooking utensil, moving it to a different spatial dimension that is more accessible to the user. This external positioning allows the display to be viewed from above and at various angles without being obscured by the utensil structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The control housing is designed with the display positioned at its outer end, creating a localized viewing area that is optimized for user interaction. This placement ensures the display is in a location with optimal lighting conditions and viewing angles, separate from the thermal environment of the cooking area.
3Reliability
If the temperature probe is designed to withstand very high cooking temperatures, then the reliability at high temperature is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional thermal protection components
Solution Approach 1:
The probe is segmented into a sensor housing designed for high-temperature exposure and a control housing for electronics protection. This segmentation allows the sensor housing to be optimized for thermal resistance while the control housing focuses on electronic protection, distributing the thermal protection requirements across different components rather than requiring the entire device to withstand extreme temperatures.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensitive electronic components and battery are extracted from the high-temperature environment by placing them in the control housing that extends outside the cooking utensil. This extraction removes the electronics from the harmful thermal zone while the sensor housing remains to perform the temperature sensing function in the high-temperature environment.
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 solution allows for safe and proper operation of the temperature probe at high temperatures, extending its lifespan and providing improved visibility and performance by minimizing heat exposure to the control electronics and battery.
Implementation Method 1
The flexible arm is magnetically attachable to the cooking utensil such that the temperature sensor is in thermal communication with the food products
Implementation Method 2
A radiant heat shield may be included in the control housing and the control housing may be oriented such that temperature-sensitive components, such as the battery and display, experience reduced temperatures during operation
Implementation Method 3
the temperature sensor is in thermal communication with the food products
Data Source
AI summary
A battery-powered temperature probe for measuring the temperature of food products within a cooking utensil. The temperature probe includes a temperature sensor and a control housing positioned at opposite ends of a flexible arm. The flexible arm is magnetically attachable to the cooking utensil such that the temperature sensor is in thermal communication with the food products and the control housing is positioned outside of and below the top of the cooking utensil. A radiant heat shield may be included in the control housing and the control housing may be oriented such that temperature-sensitive components, such as the battery and display, experience reduced temperatures during operation.