Continuous cooking surface with individually controllable heating zones

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing grills with continuous cooking surfaces struggle to maintain different temperature zones effectively due to heat conduction between regions, making it difficult to cook food at varying temperatures simultaneously.

Innovation Solution

A grill design featuring individually controllable heating zones separated by isolation zones with cooling channels to reduce heat transfer, allowing for independent temperature control of each zone through thermally conductive plates and isolation bars with cooling channels or different thermal conductivity materials.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If a continuous cooking surface is used with heating elements positioned beneath, then the cooking surface provides a large cooking area, but heat conduction between regions causes temperature uniformity across zones, making it difficult to maintain different temperature zones

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooking surface areaVSAvoidtemperature zone control

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The continuous cooking surface is divided into multiple independently controllable heating zones, each with its own heating element and temperature control. This segmentation allows different zones to be maintained at different temperatures simultaneously while still providing a large continuous cooking area. The isolation bars with cooling channels further segment the thermal pathways between zones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Isolation bars with cooling channels are introduced as intermediary elements between adjacent heating zones. These isolation bars act as thermal barriers that reduce heat conduction between zones, allowing temperature differentials to be maintained. The cooling channels actively remove heat from the isolation bars, enhancing their barrier function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Temperature

If heating zones are separated by isolation zones with cooling channels, then temperature control between zones is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional cooling channels and isolation bars

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature zone controlVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The isolation bars serve dual functions: they provide structural support for the continuous cooking surface and simultaneously act as thermal barriers with integrated cooling channels. By merging the structural and thermal isolation functions into a single component, the overall device complexity is reduced compared to having separate structural supports and thermal barriers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The isolation bars are designed to perform multiple functions: structural support, thermal isolation, and heat sink through cooling channels. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components, thereby managing device complexity while achieving effective temperature zone control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Temperature

If cooling channels are added to isolation bars to reduce heat transfer, then temperature differentials between zones are maintained, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat transfer reductionVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Cooling channels are integrated into the isolation bars to actively remove heat and enhance the thermal barrier effect. These channels can be manufactured using standard hydraulic/pneumatic conduit techniques, which are well-established in industrial manufacturing, thereby managing complexity while achieving effective heat transfer reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

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 precise temperature control across different zones, facilitating the simultaneous cooking of foods at different temperatures by minimizing heat conduction between zones, ensuring consistent and adjustable cooking conditions.

Implementation Method 1

each isolation bar comprises a cooling channel extending at least partially along a length of the isolation bar

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

minimizing heat conduction between zones

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

Each heating zone comprises a heating zone plate with one or more heating elements disposed beneath the heating zone plate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Data Source

PatentUS10542840B2Continuous cooking surface with individually controllable heating zones

Publication Date: 2020.01.28 EVO AMERICA LLC

AI summary

Examples are disclosed herein that relate to a grill with a continuous cooking surface having individually controllable heating zones separated by one or more isolation zones. One example provides a grill, comprising a continuous cooking surface comprising a plurality of individually controllable heating zones separated by one or more isolation zones, each heating zone comprising a heating zone plate with one or more heating elements disposed beneath the heating zone plate, and each isolation zone comprising an isolation bar joined to adjacent conductive plates of adjacent heating zones, each isolation bar comprising a cooling channel extending at least partially along a length of the isolation bar.