Countertop thermoelectric assembly

• US 20060005548A1
• Filed: 07/08/2004
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Keith Ruckstuhl
• Original Assignee: Keith Ruckstuhl
• Inventors: Ruckstuhl, Keith
• Application Number:
  US10/887,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20060005548A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/3.200
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 77/08 for incorporating apparatus operated by power, including water power; for incorporating apparatus for cooking, cooling, or laundry purposes
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/04 reversible
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/021 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/0251 by a gas
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/02 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 31/005 Combined cooling and heating devices

Abstract

A countertop thermoelectric assembly includes a countertop forming a food preparation surface at an upper side thereof, at least one Peltier effect device located below the countertop, a thermal transfer plate located between the countertop and the thermoelectric device, a heat sink in thermal communication with the thermoelectric unit, and a controller to selectively operate the thermoelectric unit to cool and/or warm the food preparation surface formed by the countertop. A first temperature sensor located to provide signals representative of a temperature of the countertop. A second temperature sensor located to provide signals representative of a temperature of the heat sink. A condensation shield is located below the heat sink. A moisture sensor is located to provide signals representative of moisture at the condensation shield. At least one fan is located below the countertop to direct air over the heat sink and/or the condensation shield.

Claims

1. A thermoelectric assembly comprising, in combination:

a built-in kitchen cabinet having a hinged door to selectively provide access to an interior storage space of the kitchen cabinet;

wherein the kitchen cabinet has an open top;

a kitchen countertop supported on a top of the kitchen cabinet and closing the open top of the kitchen cabinet;

wherein at least a portion of the countertop forms a food preparation surface at an upper side thereof;

at least one thermoelectric unit located below the countertop within the kitchen cabinet and in thermal communication with the countertop;

a heat sink in thermal communication with the thermoelectric unit; and

a controller in electrical communication with the thermoelectric unit to selectively operate the thermoelectric unit to change a temperature of the food preparation surface without substantially changing a temperature of the interior storage space.

2. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric unit is a Peltier effect device.

3. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 1, wherein the countertop comprises at least one material selected from the group of natural stone, stainless steel and concrete.

4. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 1, wherein the kitchen cabinet includes a storage drawer located between the open top and the interior storage space and the thermoelectric device is located above the drawer and does not substantially change an interior temperature of the storage drawer.

5. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a thermal transfer plate located between the countertop and the thermoelectric device.

6. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 5, wherein the thermal transfer plate comprises a material having a relatively high thermal conductivity.

7. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 5, wherein the thermal transfer plate extends beyond the thermoelectric unit and at least a portion of a lower side of the thermal transfer plate is provided with insulation.

8. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor in electrical communication with the controller and located to provide signals representative of a temperature of the preparation surface.

9. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 8, further comprising at least one fan located below the countertop and within the kitchen cabinet to direct air over the heat sink, and wherein the controller operates the fan after the controller stops operation of the thermoelectric until signals from the temperature sensor indicate that a thermal load of the thermoelectric unit is above or below a predetermined level.

10. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor in electrical communication with the controller and located to provide signals representative of a temperature of the heat sink.

11. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 10, further comprising at least one fan located below the countertop and within the kitchen cabinet to direct air over the heat sink, and wherein the controller operates the fan after the controller stops operation of the thermoelectric until signals from the temperature sensor indicate that a thermal load of the thermoelectric unit is above or below a predetermined level.

12. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 1, further comprising at least one fan located below the countertop and within the kitchen cabinet to direct air over the heat sink.

13. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 12, further comprising an enclosure about the heat sink and the fan and having an air outlet.

14. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 13, wherein the air inlet and the air outlet are each in communication with an external environment about the kitchen cabinet through vents in a front wall of the kitchen cabinet.

15. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a condensation shield located below the heat sink.

19. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 1, wherein the controller is in electrical communication with the thermoelectric unit to operate the thermoelectric unit to selectively cool and warm the preparation surface.

28. The countertop thermoelectric assembly according to claim 1, wherein the countertop includes an insert panel having a planar top surface forming the food preparation surface and flush with a planar top surface of a portion of the countertop surrounding the insert panel.

29. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 4, wherein the thermoelectric unit has a low profile so that the thermoelectric unit is located entirely above the effective storage space of the drawer.

16. A thermoelectric assembly comprising, in combination:

a panel forming a preparation surface at an upper side thereof;

at least one thermoelectric unit located below the panel and in thermal communication with the panel;

a heat sink in thermal communication with the thermoelectric unit;

a controller in electrical communication with the thermoelectric unit to selectively operate the thermoelectric unit to change a temperature of the preparation surface;

a condensation shield located below the heat sink; and

a moisture sensor in electrical communication with the controller and located to provide signals representative of moisture at the condensation shield.

17. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 16, further comprising at least one fan located below the panel to direct air over the condensation shield, and wherein the controller operates the fan after the controller has stopped operation of the thermoelectric unit when signals from the moisture sensor indicate moisture is not present at the condensation shield.

18. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 16, further comprising at least one fan located below the panel to direct air over the condensation shield, and wherein the controller operates the fan when signals from the moisture sensor indicate moisture is present at the condensation shield.

20. A countertop thermoelectric assembly comprising, in combination:

a built-in kitchen cabinet having a hinged door to selectively Provide access to an interior storage space of the kitchen cabinet;

wherein the kitchen cabinet has an open top;

a kitchen countertop supporting the kitchen cabinet and closing the open top of the kitchen cabinet;

wherein at least a portion of a the countertop forms a food preparation surface at an upper side thereof;

at least one thermoelectric unit located below the countertop within the kitchen cabinet and in thermal communication with the countertop through the open top of the kitchen cabinet;

wherein the thermoelectric unit is a Peltier effect device;

a thermal transfer plate located between the countertop and the thermoelectric device;

a heat sink in thermal communication with the thermoelectric unit;

a controller in electrical communication with the thermoelectric unit to selectively operate the thermoelectric unit to change a temperature of the food preparation surface formed by the countertop without substantially changing a temperature of the interior storage space;

a first temperature sensor in electrical communication with the controller and located to provide signals representative of a temperature of the countertop; and

a second temperature sensor in electrical communication with the controller and located to provide signals representative of a temperature of the heat sink.

21. The countertop thermoelectric assembly according to claim 20, further comprising at least one fan located below the countertop to direct air over the heat sink.

22. The countertop thermoelectric assembly according to claim 21, further comprising an enclosure about the heat sink and the fan and having an air outlet.

23. The thermoelectric assembly according to claim 20, wherein the controller is in electrical communication with the thermoelectric unit to operate the thermoelectric unit to selectively cool and warm the preparation surface.

30. The countertop thermoelectric assembly according to claim 20, wherein the kitchen cabinet includes a storage drawer located between the open top and the interior storage space and the thermoelectric device is located above the drawer and does not substantially change an interior temperature of the storage drawer.

31. The countertop thermoelectric assembly according to claim 30, wherein the thermoelectric unit has a low profile so that the thermoelectric unit is located entirely above the effective storage space of the drawer.

32. The countertop thermoelectric assembly according to claim 20, wherein the countertop includes an insert panel having a planar top surface forming the food preparation surface and flush with a planar top surface of a portion of the countertop surrounding the insert panel.

24. A countertop thermoelectric assembly comprising, in combination:

a portion of a countertop forming a food preparation surface at an upper side thereof;

at least one thermoelectric unit located below the countertop and in thermal communication with the countertop;

wherein the thermoelectric unit is a Peltier effect device;

a thermal transfer plate located between the countertop and the thermoelectric device;

a heat sink in thermal communication with the thermoelectric unit;

a controller in electrical communication with the thermoelectric unit to operate the thermoelectric unit to selectively cool and warm the food preparation surface formed by the countertop;

a first temperature sensor in electrical communication with the controller and located to provide signals representative of a temperature of the countertop;

a second temperature sensor in electrical communication with the controller and located to provide signals representative of a temperature of the heat sink;

a condensation shield located below the heat sink; and

a moisture sensor in electrical communication with the controller and located to provide signals representative of moisture at the condensation shield.

25. The countertop thermoelectric assembly according to claim 24, further comprising at least one fan located below the countertop to direct air over the heat sink.

26. The countertop thermoelectric assembly according to claim 25, further comprising an enclosure about the heat sink and the fan and having an air outlet.

27. The countertop thermoelectric assembly according to claim 24, further comprising at least one fan located below the countertop to direct air over the condensation shield.