Thermal simulator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10466188-B2
Application number	US-201715399777-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2017
Priority date	Jun 18, 2013
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

A thermal simulator simulates the thermal behavior of items such as eggs for which the actual internal temperature profile is difficult to measure. A yolk body simulates the egg yolk, an albumen body surrounds the yolk body and simulates the egg albumen, and a shell layer surrounds the albumen body to simulate the shell. The thermal properties of the materials forming the egg body, albumen body and shell layer are tuned to match the thermal properties of the egg yolk, egg albumen and egg shell. Thermometric devices are positioned within the egg body and egg albumen along with communication devices which process signals from the thermometric devices indicative of temperature and communicate these signals to a computer for further processing and display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal simulator, comprising:
a first body formed of a first material, said first material having a first heat capacity, a first density, and a first thermal conductivity;
a first thermometric device positioned within said first body; and
a first communication device for transmitting a first temperature, measured within said first body by said first thermometric device, to a position outside of said first body.

2. The thermal simulator according to claim 1 , wherein said first communication device comprises:
transduction and signal processing circuitry for converting a temperature measurement into an electric signal;
a radio frequency antenna and radio transmitter circuitry for transmitting said electric signal; and
an energy storage unit for powering said circuitry.

3. The thermal simulator according to claim 1 , wherein said first communication device comprises an electrical conductor extending from said first thermometric device through said first body.

4. The thermal simulator according to claim 1 , wherein said first thermometric devices comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of capacitive sensors, piezo-resistive sensors, vibration based sensors and thermocouples.

5. The thermal simulator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second body surrounding said first body, said second body formed of a second material, said second material having a second heat capacity, a second density, and a second thermal conductivity.

6. The thermal simulator according to claim 5 , further comprising
a second thermometric device positioned within said second body; and
a second communication device positioned within said second body for transmitting a second temperature, measured within said second body by said second thermometric device, to a position outside of said second body.

7. The thermal simulator according to claim 6 , wherein said second communication device comprises:
transduction and signal processing circuitry for converting a temperature measurement into an electric signal;
a radio frequency antenna and radio transmitter circuitry for transmitting said electric signal; and
an energy storage unit for powering said circuitry.

8. The thermal simulator according to claim 6 , wherein said second communication device comprises an electrical conductor extending from said second thermometric device through said second body.

9. The thermal simulator according to claim 5 , wherein said first and second bodies are in contact with one another.

10. The thermal simulator according to claim 5 , wherein said second material is different from said first material.

11. The thermal simulator according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of said second heat capacity, said second density, and said second thermal conductivity is different from said first heat capacity, said first density, and said first thermal conductivity respectively.

12. The thermal simulator according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a third body surrounding said second body, said third body formed of a third material, said third material having a third heat capacity, a third density, and a third thermal conductivity.

13. The thermal simulator according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a third thermometric device positioned within said third body; and
a third communication device positioned within said third body for transmitting a third temperature, measured within said third body by said third thermometric device, to a position outside of said third body.

14. The thermal simulator according to claim 13 , wherein said third communication device comprises:
transduction and signal processing circuitry for converting a temperature measurement into an electric signal;
a radio frequency antenna and radio transmitter circuitry for transmitting said electric signal; and
an energy storage unit for powering said circuitry.

15. The thermal simulator according to claim 13 , wherein said third communication device comprises an electrical conductor extending from said third thermometric device through said third body.

16. The thermal simulator according to claim 12 , wherein said second and third bodies are in contact with one another.

17. The thermal simulator according to claim 12 , wherein said third material is different from said second material.

18. The thermal simulator according to claim 12 , wherein at least one of said third heat capacity, said third density, and said third thermal conductivity is different from said second heat capacity, said second density, and said second thermal conductivity respectively.

19. A thermal simulator, comprising:
a first substrate formed of a first material, said first material having a first heat capacity, a first density, and a first thermal conductivity;
a first thermometric device positioned within said first substrate; and
a first communication device positioned within said first substrate for transmitting a first temperature, measured within said first substrate by said first thermometric device, to a position outside of said first substrate.

20. The thermal simulator according to claim 19 , wherein said first communication device comprises:
transduction and signal processing circuitry for converting a temperature measurement into an electric signal;
a radio frequency antenna and radio transmitter circuitry for transmitting said electric signal; and
an energy storage unit for powering said circuitry.

21. The thermal simulator according to claim 19 , wherein said first communication device comprises an electrical conductor extending from said first thermometric device through said first substrate.

22. The thermal simulator according to claim 19 , wherein said first thermometric device comprises a capacitive sensor.

23. The thermal simulator according to claim 19 , wherein said first thermometric device comprises a thermocouple.

24. The thermal simulator according to claim 19 , further comprising:
a second substrate overlying said first substrate, said second substrate formed of a second material, said second material having a second heat capacity, a second density, and a second thermal conductivity.

25. The thermal simulator according to claim 24 , further comprising:
a second thermometric device positioned within said second substrate; and
a second communication device positioned within said second substrate for transmitting a second temperature, measured within said second substrate by said second thermometric device, to a position outside of said second substrate.

26. The thermal simulator according to claim 25 , wherein said second communication device comprises:
transduction and signal processing circuitry for converting a temperature measurement into an electric signal;
a radio frequency antenna and radio transmitter circuitry for transmitting said electric signal; and
an energy storage unit for powering said circuitry.

27. The thermal simulator according to claim 25 , wherein said second communication device comprises an electrical conductor extending from said second thermometric device through said second substrate.

28. The thermal simulator according to claim 24 , wherein said first and second substrates are in contact with one another.

29. The thermal simulator according to claim 24 , wherein said second material is different from said first materi

Assignees

• Ohio State Innovation Foundation

Inventors

• Yousef Ahmed
• Kasler David
• Shavezipur Mohammad

Classifications

• G01K13/12

  combined with sampling devices for measuring temperatures of samples of materials · CPC title

• G01N33/08 Primary

  Eggs, e.g. by candling · CPC title

• G01N25/00 Primary

  Investigating or analyzing materials by the use of thermal means (G01N3/00 - G01N23/00 take precedence) · CPC title

• A23V2002/00

  Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs · CPC title

• G01K7/02

  using thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples · CPC title