Autonomous Cooking Grill with Rotatable Grate and Self-Service Tools
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking grills face issues with human error, non-uniform heating, and heat loss, and require manual operation for tasks like flipping and cleaning, which can lead to inconsistencies in cooking.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous cooking grill with a rotatable grate or griddle connected to a hub rotating mechanism, equipped with autonomous tools such as flippers, ejectors, cleaners, and temperature probes, and a processing unit to control these tools for efficient and consistent food preparation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual operation is used for flipping and cleaning, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability and consistency of cooking deteriorate due to human error and inattention
Solution Approach 1:
The grill system performs flipping, temperature monitoring, and cleaning operations autonomously without requiring human intervention. The flip mechanism automatically flips food items, temperature probes continuously monitor cooking temperature, and the cleaning system automatically maintains the grill surface, enabling the system to serve itself and eliminate human error.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical operations are replaced with automated mechanical systems. A motorized flip mechanism replaces manual flipping, electronic temperature probes replace manual temperature checking, and an automated cleaning system replaces manual scrubbing, substituting human-operated mechanical actions with machine-controlled processes.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional grilling is used, then heat loss is minimized, but uniformity of heating deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Temperature probes continuously monitor the temperature at different locations on the grill surface and provide feedback to the control system. The control system uses this feedback to adjust heating elements or airflow to maintain uniform temperature distribution across the grill, preventing hot spots and cold zones while optimizing energy usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The grill system dynamically adjusts operating parameters such as heating element power, airflow rate, and flip timing based on real-time temperature measurements and cooking stage. This dynamic control enables the system to maintain optimal temperature uniformity throughout the cooking process while minimizing energy waste through adaptive rather than static operation.
3Productivity
If automated flipping and temperature monitoring are implemented, then productivity and safety are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system integrates multiple functions into a single unified platform that manages flipping, temperature monitoring, timing, and cleaning operations. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be separate complex systems into one coordinated control unit, improving productivity through automation while limiting the increase in overall device complexity through functional integration.
4Manufacturing precision
If frequent flipping is performed for even cooking, then manufacturing precision of grill marks is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic flipping at precisely timed intervals based on the specific food item and desired cooking outcome. Rather than continuous or manual flipping, the automated mechanism flips food at optimal moments during the cooking process, maintaining consistent grill marks while minimizing total cooking time through scientifically determined flip schedules.
Data Source
AI summary
The autonomous cooking grill comprises a grate or griddle connected to a rotatable hub which is connected to a hub rotating means, all supported by a grill body, wherein when the hub rotating means is activated the hub rotates the grate. In a further embodiment, the autonomous cooking grill comprises a griddle connected to a rotatable hub which is connected to a hub rotating means, all supported by a grill body, wherein when the hub rotating means is activated the hub rotates the griddle. The autonomous cooking grill can have one or more of the additional features of autonomous flipper(s), autonomous ejector(s), autonomous grate cleaner(s) and autonomous temperature probe(s), and bins to store cooked food products ejected from the grill. The features are utilized with suitable food products, such as patties. The autonomous cooking grill can use gas (or alternatively electricity) for cooking and use an electric actuator to turn the grate or griddle. The autonomous cooking grill may additionally comprise a cover to partially cover the grill or griddle. In a further embodiment, there is additionally a center grill for manually cooking food.