Electric Cooker Control Unit for Automatic Power Shutdown
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric stove safety systems fail to reliably prevent fires and energy losses due to the inability to automatically shut off the heating plates after a preset time, which can be accidentally extended by users, and do not account for power failures during cooking.
Innovation Solution
A control system that counts down the cooking time from a manufacturer-preset value, automatically shutting off the heating plate if the time exceeds the critical limit, even during power failures, and prevents user intervention to extend cooking time, with audible and visual signals indicating completion or power loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the cooking time is made adjustable by the user, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates because users can accidentally extend the cooking time beyond the preset safety limit
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the cooking time setting function from user control while maintaining the countdown display. The control unit prevents modification of the preset cooking time stored in memory, effectively removing the ability to extend cooking time beyond safety limits while still allowing users to monitor the countdown process.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary between the user and the cooking time parameter. It displays the countdown to inform users of the automatic shut-off timing while simultaneously blocking any attempts to modify the preset time, thus mediating between user convenience and safety requirements.
2Productivity
If the cooking time is extended beyond the preset limit, then the productivity is improved, but the harmful factors increase due to fire hazards and energy loss
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by pre-programming a maximum cooking time limit that cannot be exceeded. The control unit is designed to automatically shut off power at the preset time regardless of user attempts to extend it, proactively preventing fire hazards and energy waste before they can occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potential harm of extended cooking (fire risk, energy waste) into a beneficial safety feature. The immutable preset time limit, which initially seems restrictive, actually protects users from accidents while the countdown display maintains user awareness and convenience.
3Ease of operation
If the control system monitors power failures and extends cooking time, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs self-service by automatically detecting power failures and managing the countdown timer without requiring user intervention. It monitors power supply status, continues the countdown during outages, and automatically shuts off at the preset time, eliminating the need for complex user interfaces for power failure management.
4Reliability
If the preset cooking time is made unchangeable, then the reliability is improved, but the adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the cooking time parameter into two distinct parts: the preset time limit stored in memory (immutable for safety) and the displayed countdown (dynamic for user information). This segmentation allows the system to maintain reliability through the fixed preset while providing adaptability through the visible countdown that informs users of the automatic shut-off timing.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
It concerns a control system that monitors the heating plate (12) of an electric stove equipped with a housing (10), at least one heating plate (12), and a control knob (11) for the heating plate (12). The system counts down the cooking time during the cooking process from the manufacturer's preset time to zero and then switches off the power supply to the heating plate (12). The innovation is that the power supply to the heating plate (12) is switched off if the power interruption during the cooking process exceeds the manufacturer's preset critical time, and the cooking time countdown continues if the power supply is restored before the end of the critical time, regardless of the power interruption.