Cooking apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Induction heating cooking apparatuses lack intuitive visual cues for heating states, making it difficult for users to recognize the heating status of the cooking container, especially from a distance, and do not provide immediate feedback.
Innovation Solution
A cooking apparatus with an induction heating coil and a flame image generating unit that projects light to simulate flame images on the cooking container, allowing for visual recognition of heating states, adjustable brightness, size, and color, along with a user interface and controller to manage these features and communicate cooking information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a digital display in the form of a level meter is disposed in the induction heating cooking apparatus to display the heating state, then the heating state can be displayed, but the recognition characteristics are lowered and users cannot easily recognize the heating state from a distance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses LED lights to project flame-like images onto the cooking container surface, creating a visual copy of actual flames. This allows users to intuitively recognize the heating state from a distance, solving the problem of poor recognition characteristics of digital displays while maintaining accurate heating state information display
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs different colored LEDs (red, green, blue) to represent different heating states and container positions. The color changes provide immediate visual feedback to users about the heating status, making it easily recognizable from a distance without requiring detailed observation of digital readouts
2Speed
If induction heating is used to heat the cooking container rapidly without combustion, then heating speed is improved and safety is enhanced, but visual flame images are not generated making it difficult to recognize heating state
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces LED lights as an intermediary element that projects flame-like images onto the cooking container. This mediator provides the visual feedback that is naturally present in combustion-based heating, allowing users to recognize heating states intuitively while maintaining the rapid heating and safety advantages of induction heating technology
Solution Approach 2:
The LED projection system creates a visual copy of flame images on the cooking container surface, simulating the appearance of actual flames without combustion. This copying approach maintains the safety and speed benefits of induction heating while restoring the intuitive visual cues that users expect from traditional cooking appliances
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
Enhances user intuition about the cooking container's heating state through visual flame images, providing immediate feedback and allowing for remote recognition, while also enabling communication of cooking progress and method adjustments.
Implementation Method 1
an induction coil that generates a magnetic field when a current is applied. When the current is applied to the induction coil and thus the magnetic field is generated, a secondary current is induced into the cooking container, and Joule' heat is generated by a resistance component of the cooking container
Implementation Method 2
Joule' heat is generated by a resistance component of the cooking container. Thus, the cooking container is heated
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of light sources that radiate light toward the cooking container
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a cooking apparatus including: an induction heating coil that generates a magnetic field heating a cooking container; and an image generating unit that radiates light so that an image is generated on a surface of the cooking container, wherein the image generating unit includes: a plurality of light sources that radiate light toward the cooking container; a light source driving circuit that provides driving currents to the plurality of light sources; and a light-emitting controller that controls the light source driving circuit.