Cooking appliance and method for controlling the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical cooking appliances with steam supply devices require manual cleaning of the cooking chamber, which is inefficient and difficult for greasy or strongly adhered contaminants, affecting user convenience and satisfaction.
Innovation Solution
An electrical cooking appliance with a steam supply device that automatically performs inner cleaning by sequentially supplying water and generating steam, using a water-level sensing module to control the water supply and steam generation, and includes a controller to activate pumps and heaters for effective cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If manual cleaning method is used, then device complexity is reduced, but cleaning effectiveness deteriorates for greasy or strongly adhered contaminants
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system performs automatic cleaning operations without requiring manual intervention. The controller automatically activates the water supply pump, steam generator, and water discharge pump to complete the cleaning cycle, enabling the system to serve itself and eliminate the need for manual cleaning while maintaining high cleaning effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes phase transition of water from liquid to steam to enhance cleaning effectiveness. The steam generator converts liquid water into steam, which penetrates and loosens greasy or strongly adhered contaminants more effectively than liquid water alone, thereby improving cleaning reliability without significantly increasing device complexity
2Device complexity
If simple water spraying is used for cleaning, then device complexity is reduced, but cleaning ability deteriorates for difficult contaminants
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning process continues sequentially through multiple stages: water supply, steam generation, and water discharge. The controller ensures continuous operation of each component in sequence, maintaining useful action throughout the cleaning cycle to effectively remove difficult contaminants without requiring overly complex device architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs phase transition from liquid water to steam to significantly enhance cleaning ability. Steam penetrates crevices and loosens strongly adhered contaminants more effectively than liquid water, thereby improving productivity without proportionally increasing device complexity
3Ease of operation
If automatic cleaning is implemented, then user convenience is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is designed to perform automatic cleaning operations autonomously. The controller manages the entire cleaning process by automatically activating and deactivating the water supply pump, steam generator, and water discharge pump based on predetermined sequences, thereby improving user convenience without requiring excessive complexity in the cleaning system
Solution Approach 2:
The water-level sensing module provides feedback to the controller about the water level in the steam generator. This feedback enables the controller to adjust the operation of the water supply pump and steam generator accordingly, ensuring proper water levels during automatic cleaning while maintaining reasonable device complexity through intelligent control
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 appliance achieves automatic and efficient cleaning of the cooking chamber, improving user convenience and satisfaction, while also enhancing steam generation and cooking efficiency through improved water-level sensing and control functions.
Implementation Method 1
a water supply pump configured to supply water from a water tank to the steam supply device
Implementation Method 2
a steam supply device configured for generating steam and supplying the steam to the cooking chamber
Implementation Method 3
a steam supply device configured for generating steam and supplying the steam to the cooking chamber
Implementation Method 4
a water discharge pump configured to discharge condensed water from the steam supply device into the water tank
Implementation Method 5
using a water-level sensing module to control the water supply and steam generation
Data Source
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AI summary
An electrical cooking appliance with automatic cleaning of a cooking chamber is disclosed. The appliance include a steam supply device configured for generating steam and supplying the steam to the cooking chamber; a water supply pump for supplying water from a water tank to the steam supply device; a water discharge pump for collecting condensed water from the steam supply device into the water tank; and a controller configured to: activate the water supply pump to supply water to the cooking chamber to clean the cooking chamber; and activate the steam supply device to supply steam to the cooking chamber to clean the cooking chamber.