Cleaning a cooking chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cartridge holders in cooking appliances often inadequately clean cooking spaces due to insufficient water distribution, leading to poor removal of food residues, grease films, and limescale deposits.
Innovation Solution
A cooking appliance with a cartridge holder featuring a water sprinkling piece that deflects pressurized water laterally from the inlet connection, utilizing radially extending water ducts to form targeted jets for enhanced cleaning, and a water distribution piece with annular bases and drainage openings to ensure effective and unobstructed water flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If water is sprayed from a top-mounted nozzle onto a cleaning plate, then the cleaning plate can collect and distribute water, but the water flows without pressure and cleaning effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device is divided into multiple functional sections: a pressurized water inlet nozzle, an intermediate section with lateral outlets, and a cleaning plate with spray openings. This segmentation allows the water to be pressurized at the inlet while being distributed through multiple lateral outlets along the intermediate section, maintaining pressure throughout the cleaning process rather than losing pressure as water flows down to a collection plate
Solution Approach 2:
The water delivery system transitions from a vertical downward flow (single dimension) to a multi-dimensional distribution pattern. The intermediate section introduces lateral (horizontal) outlets that spray water in multiple directions, creating a three-dimensional cleaning pattern that maintains pressure while covering broader areas of the cooking chamber
2Manufacturing precision
If a single-piece cartridge holder is manufactured, then structural integrity is maintained, but manufacturing precision and tolerance control become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge holder is divided into at least two separate parts: the holder body and the cleaning plate assembly. This allows each component to be manufactured independently with appropriate tolerances for its specific function, then assembled together. The segmentation enables precise control of critical dimensions in each part without the complexity of maintaining tight tolerances throughout a single monolithic structure
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate section acts as a mediator component that connects the water inlet nozzle to the cleaning plate. This intermediary element provides a standardized interface between components, allowing each part to be manufactured with relaxed tolerances while maintaining proper alignment and function through the intermediate connection section
3Reliability
If water channels are closed conduits, then water flow is controlled, but particles in water can cause blockages
Solution Approach 1:
Different sections of the water delivery system have different channel configurations tailored to their specific functions. The inlet and distribution sections use closed conduits for controlled water flow, while the lateral spray outlets and cleaning plate openings use open-channel designs that are less susceptible to blockages. This local differentiation allows the system to maintain water flow control where needed while resisting blockages in areas exposed to particles
Solution Approach 2:
The water channel configuration changes from closed conduits in the inlet section to open channels in the spray outlets. This parameter change in the channel geometry allows the system to transition from pressure-controlled flow to particle-resistant flow in different locations, adapting the water delivery characteristics to the specific requirements of each section
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 provides improved mechanical cleaning by maintaining high kinetic energy of water jets, ensuring thorough wetting and removal of residues and deposits, even with low water volume flow, and prevents blockages from particles.
Implementation Method 1
The water sprinkler unit has an intermediate section between the mounting area and the water inlet nozzle, from which pressurized water entering the water inlet nozzle exits laterally
Implementation Method 2
The water is shaped by the water channels, particularly into water jets, which are directed towards the walls of the cooking chamber in order to achieve a particularly high mechanical cleaning effect
Implementation Method 3
The water is shaped by the water channels, particularly into water jets, which are directed towards the walls of the cooking chamber in order to achieve a particularly high mechanical cleaning effect
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a cartridge holder (7) for a cooking device (1) with a cooking chamber (2) and a water connection (5) on the cooking chamber side, having a water sprinkling piece (8) which has an upper water inlet connector (14) that can be connected to the water connection (5) and a securing region (12) for a cartridge (6) to be arranged in the cooking chamber (2). The cartridge holder (7) additionally has a water distributing piece (9) which has at least one radially extending water conducting channel (18-20) for water (W) exiting the water sprinkling piece (8). A method is used to clean a cooking chamber (2) of a cooking device (1), wherein pressure is applied to a water inlet connector (14) of a water sprinkling piece (8) using water (W), the water is deflected to a water distributing piece (9) placed on the water sprinkling piece (8) by means of the water sprinkling piece (8), and the water (W) is guided towards at least one wall (2a, 2b, 2c) of the cooking chamber (2) by means of at least one laterally open water conducting channel (18-20) which is provided in the water distributing piece (9). In particular, the invention can be used advantageously on steam processing devices, for example independent steam cooking devices or ovens with a steam cooking function. In particular, the invention can be used advantageously on domestic cooking devices.