Cooking device comprising a cooking surface that is easy to clean and resistant to scratching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cooking surfaces made of stainless steel tend to stick to certain foods, such as potatoes and fish, and are prone to scratching from sharp tools, making them difficult to clean and maintain.
Innovation Solution
A cooking device with a metal support carrying a ceramic surface layer of transition metal boride or boronitride, which provides hardness greater than or equal to 150 HV, formed by a conversion layer of iron or titanium boride, or a coating of transition metal boronitride, offering improved scratch resistance and non-adhesion properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a stainless steel cooking surface is used, then the surface is durable and resistant to corrosion, but food sticks to the surface and it is prone to scratching
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite structure consisting of a metal support (stainless steel or titanium) combined with a surface layer of transition metal boride or boronitride. This composite material approach allows the base metal to provide structural durability and corrosion resistance, while the boride/boronitride surface layer provides scratch resistance and food non-adhesion properties, thus resolving the contradiction between durability and ease of operation.
2Strength
If a transition metal nitride deposit is applied to improve scratch resistance, then the surface becomes more resistant to scratching, but food adhesion increases making cleaning difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameter of the surface coating from transition metal nitride to transition metal boride or boronitride. This parameter change fundamentally alters the surface properties: boride and boronitride coatings maintain high scratch resistance while providing superior food non-adhesion characteristics, thus resolving the contradiction between scratch resistance and ease of cleaning.
3Ease of manufacture
If the surface layer is made thinner to reduce material cost, then the coating is less expensive and applies more easily, but scratch resistance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the metal support structure with the boride/boronitride surface layer into an integrated coating system. The metal support (particularly stainless steel or titanium) provides a hard, durable base that contributes to overall scratch resistance, allowing the surface layer to be applied in optimized thicknesses that balance manufacturing ease with sufficient protective performance. The combined system achieves better overall strength than either component alone.
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 solution significantly reduces food adhesion and enhances cleaning ease while providing superior scratch resistance compared to stainless steel surfaces, making the cooking device more durable and easier to maintain.
Implementation Method 1
Surface layers of transition metal borides are known for their properties of high hardness, wear resistance and thermal stability
Implementation Method 2
the surface layer is formed by a conversion layer of iron boride and/or titanium, depending on the material used for the support
Data Source
Figure 1~4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a cooking device (1) including a metal holder (2) supporting a ceramic cooking surface (3), the holder (2) having a hardness no lower than 150 HV. According to the invention, the holder (2) forms a substrate supporting a surface layer made of a transition metal boride or boronitride forming the cooking surface (3). The present invention further relates to a culinary article comprising a cooking device of the type above-mentioned, a household cooking appliance comprising a cooking device of the type above-mentioned, as well as a method for producing a cooking device of the type above-mentioned.