Boride-Coated Cooking Surface to Reduce Food Sticking and Scratching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cooking surfaces made of stainless steel are prone to food sticking and scratching, and existing transition metal nitride deposits do not effectively prevent food from adhering, especially with certain foods like potatoes and fish.

Innovation Solution

A cooking device with a metal holder supporting a ceramic surface coated with a boride or transition metal boronitride layer, which provides superior scratch resistance and reduces food sticking, featuring a hardness greater than or equal to 150 HV and a surface layer thickness of at least 2 μm, preferably 3-5 μm, achieved through physical vapor deposition or thermo-chemical boride processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If stainless steel cooking surface is used, then durability and strength are improved, but food sticking and scratching occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooking surface durabilityVSAvoidfood sticking and scratching

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies a composite material solution by combining a metal holder (stainless steel or titanium) with a ceramic coating layer (boride or transition metal boronitride). This composite structure integrates the strength and durability of metal with the non-stick and scratch-resistant properties of ceramic, resolving the contradiction between durability and food sticking/scratching issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the surface parameters of the cooking surface by applying a coating layer with different physical and chemical properties. The ceramic coating layer has specific hardness (≥150 HV), thickness (2-10 μm), and surface characteristics that prevent food sticking and resist scratching, while the underlying metal holder maintains structural strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If transition metal nitride deposit is applied, then scratch resistance is improved, but food sticking occurs with certain foods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescratch resistanceVSAvoidfood sticking

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the material composition and surface parameters by using boride or transition metal boronitride coatings instead of nitride deposits. These coatings have specific physical properties including hardness ≥150 HV, thickness 2-10 μm, and surface characteristics that simultaneously provide scratch resistance and prevent food sticking, including with difficult-to-cook foods like potatoes and fish.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-generated harmful factors

If ceramic coating is applied to improve non-stick properties, then food sticking is reduced, but scratch resistance and durability decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefood stickingVSAvoidscratch resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention creates a composite structure where a hard ceramic coating layer (boride or transition metal boronitride) is applied to a strong metal holder substrate. The ceramic layer provides non-stick properties and scratch resistance, while the metal holder provides structural strength and durability. This composite approach resolves the contradiction between non-stick performance and scratch resistance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies different materials with different properties to different layers of the cooking surface. The surface layer has ceramic properties for non-stick performance and scratch resistance, while the substrate layer has metal properties for strength and durability. This local differentiation of material qualities resolves the contradiction between coating benefits and structural requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 boride or transition metal boronitride coating significantly reduces food sticking and enhances cleaning ease compared to stainless steel surfaces, while providing superior scratch resistance, making the cooking surface easier to maintain and more durable with repeated use.

Implementation Method 1

achieved through physical vapor deposition or thermo-chemical boride processing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical vapor deposition: Physical Vapour Deposition

Implementation Method 2

achieved through physical vapor deposition or thermo-chemical boride processing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermo-chemical boride processing:

Data Source

PatentUS9895020B2Cooking device comprising a cooking surface that is easy to clean and resistant to scratching

Publication Date: 2018.02.20 SEB SA

AI summary

The present invention relates to a cooking device including a metal holder supporting a ceramic cooking surface, the holder having a hardness no lower than 150 HV. The holder forms a substrate supporting a surface layer made of a transition metal boride or boronitride forming the cooking surface. The present invention further relates to a culinary article including a cooking device of the type above-mentioned, a household cooking appliance including a cooking device of the type above-mentioned, as well as a method for producing a cooking device of the type above-mentioned.