U.S. patent application number 13/216176 was filed with the patent office on 2012-10-25 for can heating and cooling device.
This patent application is currently assigned to FOXCONN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to JUI-WEN HUNG, SHIH-YAO LI, CHIH-JEN LIU.
Application Number | 20120266609 13/216176 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47020211 |
Filed Date | 2012-10-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120266609 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LIU; CHIH-JEN ; et
al. |
October 25, 2012 |
CAN HEATING AND COOLING DEVICE
Abstract
An exemplary can heating and cooling device includes a container
made of thermally conductive material, a heat spreader with a heat
spreading portion and a heat exchanging portion, and a heat
exchanger with a thermoelectric cooling chip and a heat sink. The
container includes an outer side wall with a planar thermal
contacting section of the container. The heat spreading portion of
the heat spreader contacts the outer side wall of the container.
The heat exchanging portion of the heat spreader contacts the
planar thermal contacting section of the container. The
thermoelectric cooling chip includes a first surface thermally
connected with the heat exchanging portion of the heat spreader,
and a second surface thermally connected with the heat sink.
Inventors: |
LIU; CHIH-JEN; (Tu-Cheng,
TW) ; HUNG; JUI-WEN; (Tu-Cheng, TW) ; LI;
SHIH-YAO; (Tu-Cheng, TW) |
Assignee: |
FOXCONN TECHNOLOGY CO.,
LTD.
Tu-Cheng
TW
|
Family ID: |
47020211 |
Appl. No.: |
13/216176 |
Filed: |
August 23, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/3.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25B 2321/0251 20130101;
F25D 2331/805 20130101; F25D 31/007 20130101; F25B 21/04
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/3.3 |
International
Class: |
F25B 21/04 20060101
F25B021/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 25, 2011 |
TW |
100114357 |
Claims
1. A can heating and cooling device comprising: a container made of
thermally conductive material, the container comprising an outer
sidewall with a planar thermal contacting section; a heat spreader
with a heat spreading portion contacting the outer sidewall of the
container and a heat exchanging portion contacting the planar
thermal contacting section of the container; and a heat exchanger
comprising a thermoelectric cooling chip and a heat sink, the
thermoelectric cooling chip comprising a first surface thermally
connected with the heat exchanging portion of the heat spreader and
a second surface thermally connected with the heat sink.
2. The can heating and cooling device according to claim 1, wherein
the thermal contacting section has an elongated recess for
receiving the heat exchanging portion of the heat spreader.
3. The can heating and cooling device according to claim 2, wherein
the first surface of the thermoelectric cooling chip contacts both
of the planar thermal contacting section of the container and the
heat exchanging portion of the heat spreader.
4. The can heating and cooling device according to claim 1, wherein
the heat exchanger further comprises a fan fixed beside the heat
sink, the fan being configured for cooling the heat sink by forced
airflow.
5. The can heating and cooling device according to claim 1, wherein
the heat exchanger further comprises a printed circuit board with a
controlling circuit for controlling the thermoelectric cooling
chip.
6. The can heating and cooling device according to claim 1, further
comprising a shell with a barrel portion having an opening and a
heat dissipating portion adjacent to the barrel portion, the barrel
portion receiving the container and the heat spreader therein, the
heat dissipating portion receiving the heat exchanger therein.
7. The can heating and cooling device according to claim 6, wherein
the heat dissipating portion of the shell has a plurality of
ventilation holes defined therein.
8. The can heating and cooling device according to claim 6, wherein
the shell further comprises a ring-shaped cap located at the
opening of the barrel portion and exposing an opening of the
container to the outer environment.
9. The can heating and cooling device according to claim 6, further
comprising a heat insulation barrel sandwiched between the shell
and the container.
10. The can heating and cooling device according to claim 9,
wherein a window is defined in one side of the heat insulation
barrel, and the heat exchanging portion of the heat spreader
extends through the window to thermally connect with the first
surface of the thermoelectric cooling chip.
11. A can heating and cooling device comprising: a thermally
conductive container for receiving a can, the container comprising
an outer sidewall with a planar thermal contacting section; a heat
spreader with a heat spreading portion contacting the outer
sidewall of the container and a heat exchanging portion contacting
the planar thermal contacting section of the container; and a heat
exchanger comprising a thermoelectric cooling chip and a heat sink,
with two surfaces of the thermoelectric cooling chip respectively
thermally connected with the heat exchanging portion of the heat
spreader and the heat sink, the heat exchanger configured for
transferring heat from one of the two surfaces to the other surface
or transferring heat from the other surface to said one of the two
surfaces according to selection by a user, to either heat the heat
exchanging portion or cool the heat exchanging portion.
12. The can heating and cooling device according to claim 11,
wherein when the heat exchanger heats the heat exchanging portion,
the heat exchanger is electrified by an external power source.
13. A can heating and cooling device comprising: a thermally
conductive container for receiving a can, the container comprising
an outer sidewall with a planar thermal contacting section; a heat
spreader comprising a heat spreading portion contacting the outer
sidewall of the container and a heat exchanging portion contacting
the planar thermal contacting section of the container; and a heat
exchanger thermally connected with the heat exchanging portion of
the heat spreader, the heat exchanger being configured for
transferring heat from the heat exchanging portion to the external
environment when the heat exchanger operates in a first mode, and
receiving electrical energy from an external power source and
transferring heat to the heat exchanging portion when the heat
exchanger operates in a second mode.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to heating and
cooling devices for cans such as food cans.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] As living standards improve, people are turning more and
more attention to the convenience and pleasure of purchasing
ready-to-eat packaged foods when they are out of the home.
Accordingly, canned convenience foods are popular with consumers.
Many of such canned foods are bought hot or cold from a store or a
vending machine, with the intention that they are consumed
immediately. However, in some instances, by the time the consumer
is able to begin enjoy the canned food, the original hot or cold
can is no longer very hot or cold.
[0005] Therefore, it is desired to provide a device for consumers
to heat or cool canned food for enjoyment anytime.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with
reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings
are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being
placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the
disclosure.
[0007] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a can heating and cooling
device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0008] FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but showing another aspect of
the can heating and cooling device.
[0009] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the can heating and cooling
device of FIG. 2.
[0010] FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3, but showing another aspect of
the can heating and cooling device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe the
present can heating and cooling device in detail.
[0012] Referring to FIG. 1 through FIG. 4, a can heating and
cooling device 10 includes a container 11, two heat spreaders 12
and a heat exchanger 13.
[0013] The container 11 is made of thermally conductive material
with excellent thermal conductivity, such as ceramic, metal and so
on. In this embodiment, the container 11 is made of metal. The
container 11 is a hollow cylindrical body for receiving a can of
food. The container 11 includes an outer sidewall 112 and an
opening 110. The outer sidewall 112 has a planar thermal contacting
section 1120. The opening 110 is configured at an upper end of the
container 11.
[0014] The heat spreaders 12 surround the container 11 and contact
the outer sidewall 112 of the container 11. The heat spreaders 12
are configured for transferring heat to or from the outer sidewall
112, and eliminating temperature differences on the outer sidewall
112. In this embodiment, each heat spreader 12 includes two heat
spreading portions 120, and a heat exchanging portion 124 between
the two heat spreading portions 120. The two heat spreading
portions 120 surround the container 11 and contact the outer
sidewall 112 of the container 11. The heat exchanging portion 124
is arranged on and contacts the planar thermal contacting section
1120.
[0015] The heat exchanger 13 includes a thermoelectric cooling chip
130 and a heat sink 132. The thermoelectric cooling chip 130 is
capable of performing a heating or cooling function according to
different polarities of an external power supply (for example a
battery, a power supply on a vehicle, and so on) provided to the
thermoelectric cooling chip 130, respectively. The thermoelectric
cooling chip 130 includes a first surface 1302 and a second surface
1304. The first surface 1302 thermally contacts the heat exchanging
portions 124 of the heat spreaders 12, thereby acting as a heat
absorbing surface. The second surface 1304 thermally contacts the
heat sink 132, thereby acting as a heat releasing surface to
facilitate dissipation of heat.
[0016] When performing a heating function, the thermoelectric
cooling chip 130 transfers heat from the second surface 1304 to the
first surface 1302. As a result, the heat exchanging portions 124
of the heat spreaders 12 absorb heat from the first surface 1302,
and the heat spreading portions 120 spread the heat of the heat
exchanging portions 124 to the outer sidewall 112 of the container
11. As such, a can of food received in the container 11 is
heated.
[0017] When performing a cooling function, the thermoelectric
cooling chip 130 transfers heat from the first surface 1302 to the
second surface 1304. As a result, the thermoelectric cooling chip
130 absorbs heat from the heat exchanging portions 124 and
transfers the heat to the heat sink 132. Accordingly, the heat
exchanging portions 124 are cooled, and the heat spreading portions
120 transfer heat from the outer sidewall 112 to the heat
exchanging portions 124. As such, a can of food received in the
container 11 is cooled.
[0018] Due to the heat spreaders 12 surrounding the outer sidewall
112 of the container 11, a thermal conductive area between the
container 11 and the heat spreaders 12 is increased. Thereby,
temperature differences on the outer sidewall 112 are attenuated or
eliminated, and excellent temperature uniformity can be
achieved.
[0019] In a further embodiment, the planar thermal contacting
section 1120 can be configured to include two protrusions 1122 (for
example, steps) for supporting and thermally contacting the heat
exchangers 13. Each protrusion 1122 extends from the planar thermal
contacting section 1120. An elongated recess 1124 is defined
between the two protrusions 1122, for receiving the heat exchanging
portion 124 of a lower one of the two heat spreaders 12. When
assembled together, the heat exchanging portion 124 of an upper one
of the two heat spreaders 12 is received on an upper one of the
protrusions 1122, with that protrusion 1122 supporting the upper
heat exchanging portion 124 and contacting the heat exchanger 13.
The lower heat exchanging portion 124 is received in the recess
1124, with a lower one of the protrusions 1122 supporting the lower
heat exchanging portion 124 and contacting the heat exchanger 13.
Thus, the heat exchanger 13 contacts both of the heat exchanging
portions 124 and the protrusions 1122.
[0020] In another further embodiment, the heat exchanger 13 can be
configured to include a fan module 134. The fan module 134 includes
a fan 1340 and a base 1342. The fan 1340 is located beside the heat
sink 132, for cooling the heat sink 132 with forced airflow. The
base 1342 is configured for supporting the fan 1340. In addition,
the heat exchanger 13 can further include a printed circuit board
(PCB) 136, for supporting the thermoelectric cooling chip 130 and
circuits of the fan module 134. Such circuits of the fan module 134
can for example be a power supply circuit, a controlling circuit,
etc.
[0021] The can heating and cooling device 10 can further include a
shell 14 for receiving the container 11, the heat spreader 12 and
the heat exchanger 13. The shell 14 includes a barrel portion 140,
a heat dissipating portion 142, and a cap 144.
[0022] The barrel portion 140 includes an upper opening 1400 and
has a diameter slightly bigger than that of the container 11. As
such, the container 11 and the heat spreader 12 equipped on the
outer sidewall 112 can be together received in an interior space of
the barrel portion 140, via the opening 1400.
[0023] The heat dissipating portion 142 is configured beside an
upper section of the barrel portion 140, and is adjacent to the
opening 1400. The heat dissipating portion 142 is configured for
receiving the heat exchanger 13. The heat dissipating portion 142
includes an interior space communicated to that of the barrel
portion 140. In a still further embodiment, the heat dissipating
portion 142 can be provided with a plurality of ventilation holes
1420 therein, thereby enhancing dissipation of heat.
[0024] The cap 144 is generally arch-shaped. The cap 144 is located
at the opening 1400 of the barrel portion 140. The cap 144 covers a
gap between the outer sidewall 112 of the container 11 and an inner
sidewall of the barrel portion 140 of the shell 14. The opening 110
of the container 11 is exposed by a central aperture of the cap 144
to the outer environment. As such, a can of food can be loaded into
the container 11 via the opening 110.
[0025] Furthermore, the can heating and cooling device 10 can be
equipped with a heat insulation barrel 15. The heat insulation
barrel 15 is made of thermally insulative material, and is
sandwiched between the container 11 and the shell 14. The container
11 is received in the heat insulation barrel 15, and the heat
insulation barrel 15 is received in the barrel portion 140 of the
shell 14. Thereby, the container 11 is thermally isolated from the
shell 14 by the heat insulation barrel 15.
[0026] In an exemplary embodiment, the heat insulation barrel 15
includes a window 150 configured therein. The window 150 is formed
in one side of the heat insulation barrel 15, and extends from a
top of the heat insulation barrel 15 to a middle portion of the
heat insulation barrel 15. As such, the heat exchanging portions
124 received in the heat insulation barrel 15 are exposed, via the
window 150, to the heat exchanger 13 received in the heat
dissipating portion 142, and are thereby able to thermally contact
the heat exchanger 13.
[0027] It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments
are intended to illustrate rather than limit the disclosure.
Variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from
the spirit of the disclosure as claimed. The above-described
embodiments illustrate the scope of the disclosure but do not
restrict the scope of the disclosure.
* * * * *