Heating and Cooling Unit with Semiconductor Device and Heat Pipe

Abstract

Aspects of the invention support the changing of a serving surface temperature in order to cool or heat the serving surface. Heat is transferred to or from the serving surface through at least one Peltier device, a heat pipe, and a heat sink. The mode of operation is determined by changing the electrical power polarity to the at least one Peltier device. A control device may activate the at least one Peltier device from a measured temperature and a temperature setting with a hysteresis. A plurality of Peltier devices may be partitioned into different subsets so that the control device may activate a selected subset during different time intervals. When the measured temperature is outside a temperature range, all of the Peltier devices may be activated, while only a selected subset may be activated when the measured temperature is within the temperature range and until a hysteresis temperature is reached.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for changing a measured temperature of a serving surface, the apparatus comprising:
 a first Peltier device transferring heat between a top side and a bottom side of the first Peltier device;   the serving surface thermally coupled with the top side of the first Peltier device;   a heat pipe comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion thermally coupled with the bottom side of the first Peltier device, the heat pipe transferring the heat with the bottom side of the first Peltier device, the heat flowing between the first portion and the second portion; and   a heat exchange device thermally coupled to the second portion of the heat pipe to exchange the heat with the second portion.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the serving surface is thermally coupled to the top side of the first Peltier device to decrease the measured temperature;   the heat pipe extracting the heat from the bottom side of the first Peltier device, the heat flowing from the first portion to the second portion; and   the heat exchange device thermally coupled to the second portion of the heat pipe to extract the heat from the second portion.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the serving surface is thermally coupled to the top side of the first Peltier device to increase the measured temperature;   the heat pipe transferring the heat to the bottom side of the first Peltier device, the heat flowing from the second portion to the first portion; and   the heat exchange device thermally coupled to the second portion of the heat pipe to transfer the heat to the second portion.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of Peltier devices. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a temperature sensor providing an indication of the measure temperature of the serving surface; and   a control device activating selected Peltier devices from the plurality of Peltier devices based on the indication.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the control device selects different Peltier devices to activate from the plurality of Peltier devices. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the control device activates all of the plurality of Peltier devices when the measured temperature is outside a temperature range. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the temperature range is between a temperature setting and a hysteresis temperature. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the control device activates a first proper subset of the plurality of Peltier devices when the measured temperature is within the temperature range. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the control device deactivates all of the plurality of Peltier devices when the measured temperature reaches a hysteresis temperature. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the control device activates a second proper subset during a subsequent time interval. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 5  further comprising:
 a fan; and 
 the control device varying a speed of the fan based on the measured temperature. 
 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the control device changes polarity of electrical power to the plurality of Peltier devices to change a mode of operation of the apparatus. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a fan; and   the control device activating the fan based on the mode of operation.   
     
     
         15 . A method for controlling a measured temperature of a serving surface, the method comprising:
 transporting heat between the a top side and a bottom side of a first Peltier device that is thermally coupled with the serving surface;   transferring the heat between the bottom side of the first Peltier device and a first portion of a heat pipe that is thermally coupled with the bottom side of the first Peltier device;   moving the heat between the first portion and a second portion of the heat pipe; and   exchanging the heat between the second portion of the heat pipe and a heat exchange device that is thermally coupled with the second portion.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the transporting comprises transporting the heat from the top side to the bottom side of the first Peltier device to decrease the measured temperature;   the transferring comprises transferring the heat from the bottom side of the first Peltier device to the first portion of the heat pipe;   the moving comprises moving the heat from the first portion to the second portion of the heat pipe; and   the exchanging comprises exchanging the heat from the second portion of the heat pipe to the heat exchange device.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the transporting comprises transporting the heat from the bottom side to the top side of the first Peltier device to increase the measured temperature;   the transferring comprises transferring the heat from the first potion of the heat pipe to the bottom side of the first Peltier device;   the moving comprises moving the heat from the second portion to the first portion of the heat pipe; and   the exchanging comprises exchanging the heat from the heat exchange device to the second portion of the heat pipe.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 activating selected Peltier devices from a plurality of Peltier devices based on the measured temperature of the serving surface, wherein the plurality of Peltier devices includes the first Peltier device.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 selecting different Peltier devices from the plurality of Peltier devices.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 activating all of the plurality of Peltier devices when the measured temperature is outside a temperature range.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 activating a proper subset of the plurality of Peltier devices when the measured temperature is within the temperature range.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 deactivating all of the plurality of Peltier devices when the measured temperature reaches a hysteresis temperature.   
     
     
         23 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
 measuring a measured temperature of a serving surface; and   activating selected Peltier devices from a plurality of Peltier devices based on the measured surface temperature.   
     
     
         24 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to perform:
 selecting different Peltier devices from the plurality of Peltier devices.   
     
     
         25 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to perform:
 activating all of the plurality of Peltier devices when the measured temperature is outside a temperature range.   
     
     
         26 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 25 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to perform:
 activating a proper subset of the plurality of Peltier devices when the measured temperature is within the temperature range.   
     
     
         27 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 26 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to perform:
 deactivating all of the plurality of Peltier devices when the measured temperature reaches a hysteresis temperature.