Apparatus for automatic meal preparation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking devices, such as slow cookers and multi-cookers, are limited in their ability to prepare meals from whole ingredients in a way that is both easy, cost-effective, and healthy, as they often result in overcooked or nutrient-degraded food, and lack the versatility to cook dishes that require precise timing and heat exposure.
Innovation Solution
An automatic meal preparation apparatus that uses removable spice/sauce cartridges and a computer-assisted system to control cooking time, heat intensity, spice combination, and ingredient addition, featuring a stirring arm and induction heating, allowing for precise preparation of various cuisines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If slow cookers are used for cooking, then unattended cooking for many hours is enabled, but food becomes overcooked and mushy with destroyed nutrients
Solution Approach 1:
The cooking process is divided into multiple discrete time intervals with different heating power levels. The controller segments the cooking duration into phases (e.g., high power for 5 minutes, medium power for 10 minutes, low power for 30 minutes) to precisely control the total heating exposure for different ingredients, preventing overcooking while maintaining automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating power is made dynamic rather than static. The system automatically adjusts the heating power level at different time intervals during the cooking process. The controller can increase or decrease power based on the cooking stage and ingredient requirements, enabling precise control over the cooking curve while the device remains unattended.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multi-cookers are used for multiple cooking processes, then cooking versatility is improved, but precise timing and heat exposure control for different ingredients is still lacking
Solution Approach 1:
Different ingredients receive different local cooking treatments within the same cooking cycle. The system can apply different power levels to different ingredients based on their specific requirements. For example, vegetables may receive high power for quick cooking while meats receive lower power for longer periods, with the controller managing each ingredient's thermal exposure independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The user pre-arranges ingredients in the cooking chamber according to the recipe requirements before starting the automated cycle. The system is programmed with preliminary cooking parameters for different ingredient types, and the controller automatically executes the appropriate heating sequence without requiring manual intervention during cooking.
3Manufacturing precision
If precise cooking control is implemented for different ingredients, then nutrient integrity and food quality are maintained, but device complexity and operation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-testing and self-adjustment functions. The controller automatically tests heating elements, sensors, and communication channels upon startup, and can self-calibrate or adjust parameters based on detected conditions. This reduces the burden on the user while maintaining precise control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor cooking conditions (temperature, humidity, cooking stage) and feed this information back to the controller. The controller uses this feedback to automatically adjust heating power and timing, maintaining precise control without requiring complex manual input from the user.
4Measurement precision
If automated spice dispensing is implemented, then cooking consistency and recipe accuracy are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spice storage system is divided into multiple separate compartments, each dedicated to a specific spice or seasoning. The controller selectively opens only the required compartment during the cooking process, dispensing precise amounts of individual spices rather than requiring a complex mixed dispensing mechanism. This simplifies the overall system while maintaining dosage accuracy.
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 easy, healthy, and cost-effective cooking from whole ingredients by ensuring precise control over cooking parameters, maintaining nutrient integrity, and accommodating diverse recipes, thus providing a 'cook-from-scratch' experience without requiring extensive cooking skills.
Implementation Method 1
featuring a stirring arm and induction heating
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic meal preparation apparatus is provided which has a top section with compartments for raw food and at least one spice/sauce cartridge; a middle section with a cooking vessel; and a bottom section with a heating element. The sections are stacked in series within a housing. The compartments of the top section are disposed above the cooking vessel. The cooking vessel is in communication with the heating element. A controller receives a selection of a recipe from a user, and executes instructions of the recipe to selectively heat the heating element at certain times, and selectively dispense at least a portion of the raw food and a pre-determined measure of spice/sauce. The apparatus stirs and cooks the food and the spice/sauce in the vessel for a specified duration, in accordance with the recipe.