Air Guide Member Structure for Even Food Heating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing food preparation apparatuses fail to achieve even heating of food due to irregular air flow patterns, which can lead to uneven cooking results.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus features an air guide member on the outer wall below the food preparation chamber, directing air flow essentially upwards, combined with a bottom wall having an open structure and air guide ribs, to create a regular and unobstructed air flow pattern with highest velocity in the center, decreasing radially outward, ensuring even heating.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If air is allowed to swirl in the space below the bottom wall (as in prior art), then the apparatus structure is simple, but the air flow pattern becomes irregular and food heating becomes uneven

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveevenness of food heatingVSAvoidcomplexity of air guide member structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The air guide member is segmented into multiple functional components: air guide ribs extending radially outward to direct airflow upward, a frustoconical air guide part to promote vertical flow, and an array of small openings in the bottom wall. This segmentation allows each component to perform a specific function in creating a regular upward airflow pattern, resolving the contradiction between heating evenness and structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces a vertical dimension to the airflow by using upwardly extending air guide ribs and a frustoconical air guide part. This transforms the airflow from a horizontal swirling pattern (in the prior art) to a predominantly vertical upward flow, achieving even heating while adding structural elements that guide the flow in the vertical dimension.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Manufacturing precision

If air guide ribs are added to direct airflow upward, then food heating evenness improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveregularity of air flow patternVSAvoidnumber of components in air guide member

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The air guide ribs, frustoconical air guide part, and bottom wall with openings are merged into a single integrated air guide member assembly. This consolidation achieves the desired regular upward airflow pattern while minimizing the number of separate components, as the entire assembly can be manufactured as one piece or pre-assembled unit, thus resolving the contradiction between flow regularity and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Speed

If the bottom wall has an open structure with small openings, then upward airflow into food is improved, but the structural strength of the bottom wall decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevelocity of air flow into food preparation chamberVSAvoidstructural strength of bottom wall

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The bottom wall is designed with local quality variation: it has an open structure with an array of small openings in the regions where airflow to food is needed, while maintaining structural integrity through the distribution and sizing of these openings. The air guide ribs and frustoconical part concentrate and direct the airflow through these localized openings, achieving high velocity airflow into the food preparation chamber while the overall bottom wall structure retains sufficient strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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

This configuration results in even food preparation by maintaining consistent air flow interaction across the food preparation chamber, preventing swirling and ensuring uniform heating from both below and above, thus enhancing cooking efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a fan for moving hot air succesively through the bottom wall, the food preparation chamber and the discharge opening

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

heat radiating means positioned in the upper part of the food preparation chamber

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Data Source

PatentEP2034872B9Apparatus for preparing food and air guide member therefor

Publication Date: 2010.09.01 KAVARING COOKING SYST

Figure 1~2B
Figure 3A~4
Figure 5A~5E

AI summary

Apparatus for preparing food, comprising a food preparation chamber (2) with an air-permeable bottom wall (5) and an upper air discharge opening (6), a fan (7) for moving hot air succesively through the bottom wall (5), the food preparation chamber (2) and the discharge opening (6), air guide means (9) for returning the air from the discharge opening (6) towards the bottom wall (5) separate from the food preparation chamber (2), heat radiating means (10) positioned in the upper part of the food preparation chamber (2) and an air guide member (II) below the food preparation chamber (2). The air guide member (II) is provided for directing the air flow essentially upwards into food present in the food preparation chamber (2).