Apparatus and methods for at least semi-autonomous meal storage and cooking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sous-vide cooking methods require significant human intervention and are time-consuming, making them impractical for daily use, as they involve preparing meals in advance and storing them before cooking.
Innovation Solution
A semi-autonomous fluid-immersion cooking device with a thermal container and fluid circulation system that circulates fluid at varying temperatures to cook food, allowing for autonomous storage and cooking of meals by transferring thermal energy between different volumes within the device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If traditional sous-vide cooking methods are used, then food can be cooked at controlled temperatures, but significant human intervention and time are required for preparation and cooking
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-cooking meals in advance and storing them in the thermal container with fluid circulation. The controller automatically manages the cooking process, temperature control, and fluid circulation without requiring human intervention during the actual cooking phase. This allows meals to be prepared ahead of time and simply heated when needed, significantly reducing active preparation time while maintaining automation.
2Ease of operation
If meals are prepared in advance and stored before cooking, then time required for daily preparation is reduced, but human intervention is still needed for transferring food between storage and cooking devices
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the storage container and cooking device into a single integrated unit. The thermal container with fluid circulation system serves both as a storage medium and a cooking medium. The controller automatically manages both storage temperature control and cooking temperature control, eliminating the need for separate storage and cooking devices and the manual transfer operations between them. This integration simplifies operation while managing system complexity through unified control.
3Device complexity
If a single volume of fluid is used for both storage and cooking, then device complexity is reduced, but temperature control precision for different food items is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the fluid circulation into multiple independent zones within the thermal container. Each zone can be controlled at different temperatures by the controller, allowing simultaneous storage of temperature-sensitive items and cooking of items requiring higher temperatures. The fluid circulation system divides the single volume into controllable segments, maintaining temperature control precision while using a unified thermal container structure.
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
Enables efficient and autonomous meal preparation by maintaining food at desired temperatures for storage and cooking, reducing human intervention and time requirements while ensuring precise temperature control for sous-vide cooking.
Implementation Method 1
The volume of fluid has a first temperature and is configured to transfer thermal energy to the first food item
Implementation Method 2
After a predetermined time, at least a portion of the volume of fluid is heated to a second temperature greater than the first temperature
Implementation Method 3
At least a portion of the volume of fluid is conveyed to the second volume such that (1) the second food item is substantially submerged in the portion of the volume of fluid conveyed into the second volume
Data Source
AI summary
A method of using a fluid-immersion storage and cooking device having a thermal container that defines a first volume and a second volume includes disposing a first food item in the first volume. A second food item and a third food item are disposed in the second volume in a first position and a second position, respectively. A volume of fluid having a first temperature is circulated through the first volume to transfer thermal energy to the first food item. After a predetermined time, at least a portion of the volume of fluid is heated to a second temperature. A portion of the volume of fluid is conveyed to the second volume such that (1) the second food item is substantially submerged in the portion of the volume of fluid and (2) the third food item is disposed substantially outside of the portion of the volume of fluid.