Cannoli Shell Frying Rack for Uniform Submerged Cooking
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Solution Overview
Problem
The traditional method of cooking cannoli shells requires constant manual rotation and limits the number that can be cooked simultaneously, as they must be submerged evenly in hot oil to prevent uneven cooking.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a rack, clips, and rods that holds multiple cannoli dough shells under the surface of cooking oil, allowing for simultaneous cooking of 14-42 shells without manual rotation, using a tiered structure to maximize capacity and ensure uniform cooking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the traditional method of cooking cannoli shells is used with manual rotation, then the shells can be cooked, but the cooking process requires constant manual attention and the number of shells that can be cooked simultaneously is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The cooking device allows cannoli shells to cook themselves without manual rotation. The shells are suspended vertically in the oil, allowing natural convection and oil circulation to cook them uniformly on all sides without human intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from horizontal cooking (shells lying flat in oil) to vertical suspension (shells hanging vertically). This dimensional change allows multiple shells to be cooked simultaneously in a compact space while eliminating the need for rotation, as the vertical orientation enables uniform heat distribution from all directions.
2Productivity
If multiple cannoli shells are placed in the cooking oil simultaneously using the traditional method, then productivity increases, but the shells must not touch each other and must all float at the same level, limiting the number that can be cooked
Solution Approach 1:
The cooking device divides the cooking space into multiple vertical suspension positions using a rack system with multiple tiers or levels. Each shell is independently suspended on a rod or wire, allowing them to be spaced vertically rather than horizontally, thus preventing contact while maximizing the number of shells that can be cooked in the available oil volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a nested or tiered rack structure where multiple levels of shell suspension are arranged vertically within the frying pan. This nested arrangement allows shells to be stacked at different heights, maximizing space utilization and allowing more shells to be cooked simultaneously without them touching.
3Ease of operation
If cannoli shells float on the surface of cooking oil during the traditional cooking method, then they are easy to handle, but they become unevenly cooked and require constant rotation
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of allowing shells to float on the surface of the oil (horizontal orientation), the invention inverts the approach by suspending shells vertically below the oil surface. This inversion allows the oil to circulate uniformly around all surfaces of the shells through natural convection, eliminating the need for rotation and ensuring even cooking without compromising handling, as the shells are securely suspended.
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 efficient and uniform cooking of a large number of cannoli shells simultaneously, reducing manual intervention and increasing production capacity while maintaining quality.
Implementation Method 1
During the cooking process the dough wrapped cylinders float
Data Source
AI summary
A device for cooking cannoli shells is comprised of a rack, a plurality of clips, a plurality of rods and a handle. The clips are attached to the upper side of the rack. The clips releasably secure the rods at a central section of each rod. The rods are shaped such that cannoli dough in the shape of a cannoli shell may be placed on each end of each rod, for a total of two shells per rod. The handles allow the device to be inserted into and removed from hot cooking oil. When the device is placed within a frying pan, the cannoli dough shell wraps on the rods are submerged below the surface of the cooking oil. Multiple racks may be releasably attached to each other to form a multiple tiered device which can be used with a frying pan deep enough to accommodate the device.