Automatic cooking machine capable of reducing viscosity of liquid in cooking pot
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Restaurants and beverage stores face challenges with labor-intensive cooking processes, leading to staff fatigue, accidents, and food waste due to the need for continuous preparation of ingredients, especially those that cannot be reheated or stored for long periods, which conventional methods struggle to address effectively.
Innovation Solution
An automatic cooking machine with a cooking pot, strainer, water inlet and outlet system, and drain mechanism that controls the timing and amount of water input and output, allowing for intermittent heating and draining to manage viscosity and cook ingredients efficiently, reducing manual labor and food waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ingredients are cooked in advance to fulfill orders after business hours, then productivity is improved, but the ingredients cannot be kept for too long and must be replaced frequently, leading to food waste and increased labor burden
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic action through automatic intermittent draining and water replenishment during the cooking process. The control unit periodically activates the drain valve to remove excess liquid and then replenishes water, creating a cycling process that maintains optimal cooking conditions without continuous manual intervention. This periodic operation enables advance cooking while preserving ingredient quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooking system performs self-service through automated control of the drain valve and water inlet valve. The control unit autonomously monitors and adjusts the liquid level in the cooking pot by automatically draining excess liquid and replenishing water, eliminating the need for continuous manual monitoring and intervention. This self-regulating mechanism allows ingredients to be cooked in advance without degradation.
2Productivity
If staff work earlier and continuously to prepare ingredients, then productivity is improved, but staff fatigue and accidents increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooking system performs self-service through automated control of the drain valve and water inlet valve. The control unit autonomously monitors and adjusts the liquid level in the cooking pot by automatically draining excess liquid and replenishing water, eliminating the need for continuous manual monitoring and intervention. This self-regulating mechanism allows ingredients to be cooked in advance without degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual mechanical operations with automated electronic control. The control unit substitutes human intervention by automatically controlling the drain valve and water inlet valve based on liquid level detection, transforming a manually-intensive process into an automated system that reduces staff burden and safety risks.
3Manufacturing precision
If the cooking machine automatically controls water input and draining, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into distinct functional components: a liquid level detection mechanism, a control unit, a drain valve control, and a water inlet valve control. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall system design while achieving precise automatic control of water input and draining during the cooking process.
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 automatic cooking machine automates the cooking process, reducing staff burden, minimizing food waste, and ensuring consistent cooking quality by controlling ingredient quantity and cooking time, while also reducing the risk of ingredients sticking or burning.
Implementation Method 1
when the cooking pot is being heated
Implementation Method 2
the inlet valve intermittently turns on and turns off, so that the water outlet connector outputs cold water or hot water into the strainer
Implementation Method 3
the drain valve intermittently turns on and turns off to output a portion of the liquid within the cooking pot
Implementation Method 4
a strainer, arranged to be capable of being placed in the cooking pot to receive ingredients, wherein a bottom and sidewalls of the strainer are provided with multiple filter pores
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic cooking machine includes: a cooking pot; a strainer arranged to be capable of being placed in the cooking pot to receive ingredients; a water outlet connector arranged to operably output cold water or hot water into the strainer; an inlet valve arranged to operably control timing of outputting cold water or hot water from the water outlet connector; a drain valve arranged to operably control timing of draining the liquid from the cooking pot; and a drain port arranged to operably output liquid passed through the drain valve. When the cooking pot is being heated, the inlet valve intermittently turns on and turns off, so that the water outlet connector outputs cold water or hot water into the strainer, while the drain valve intermittently turns on and turns off to output a portion of the liquid within the cooking pot.