Angled Frying Pan Support for Grease Separation and Splash Shielding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking utensils are inadequate in efficiently separating excess oil and grease from food during frying, often resulting in unhealthy dietary fat intake, and previous solutions are either inconvenient, costly, or bulky.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising an angled frying pan supporting structure and a shield that directs oil and grease away from food, preventing splashing and splattering, while allowing for easy pan movement and efficient grease collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional frying pans are used, then cooking is simple and straightforward, but excess oil and grease accumulate on foodstuff resulting in unhealthy dietary fat intake
Solution Approach 1:
The frying pan is segmented into two distinct zones: a cooking surface for food preparation and a collection surface for oil and grease accumulation. This segmentation allows oil to be directed away from food through gravity while maintaining separate functional areas, reducing dietary fat intake without complicating the overall pan structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a dimensional change by tilting the pan body at an angle of 5-15 degrees relative to the horizontal cooking surface. This angular orientation creates a gravitational gradient that directs oil and grease toward a designated collection area, adding a spatial dimension to oil separation without requiring complex mechanical components.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If cooking grills are used to allow oil and fat to run off, then less oil remains on food, but the grill surface is difficult to clean and requires additional care in manufacturing and handling
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the oil collection function from the cooking surface by providing a separate, dedicated collection surface at the lower end of the tilted pan. Oil and grease are directed to this separate area through gravity, allowing the main cooking surface to remain clean and easy to maintain while still achieving oil separation.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If angled surfaces are provided at the bottom of fryers to move oil and grease away, then some oil separation is achieved, but the devices are limited by inconvenience in use, high cost of manufacture, or general bulkiness
Solution Approach 1:
The tilted pan design serves multiple functions: it provides a cooking surface, creates gravitational oil separation, and includes a collection surface for grease accumulation. This multi-functionality achieves effective oil-grease separation while maintaining ease of operation and avoiding the bulkiness of specialized devices.
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
The system effectively separates excess oil and grease from food, reducing dietary fat intake, and is easy to use and clean, with the ability to adapt to various pan sizes and cooking surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
The bottom side and the top side are angled with respect to each other... the oil and grease escaping from the foodstuff is directed by gravity to the lowest end of the frying pan
Data Source
AI summary
A system for directing cooking liquids away from cooking foodstuff in a frying pan is disclosed. The system includes a frying pan supporting structure and a shield. The frying pan supporting structure includes a bottom side for placement on a heating element and a top side upon which said frying pan rests. The bottom side and the top side are angled with respect to each other. The liquid, typically in the form of oil or grease in flowing form, substantially collects under the shield which prevents the splattering and splashing of oil and hot grease on the user.