Cooking appliance with camera for monitoring the cooking space

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cooking appliances with imaging cameras for monitoring the cooking chamber face challenges in efficiently cooling both the camera and control electronics while minimizing space usage and maintaining effective data protection and heat absorption.

Innovation Solution

A cooking appliance design where the cooling air duct is arranged to flow from the imaging camera to the control electronics, allowing for shared cooling without active cooling, with the camera positioned to minimize heat absorption and maintain good data protection, and a single camera is sufficient for capturing the cooking chamber effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate cooling systems are used for camera and control electronics, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and space usage increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling effectivenessVSAvoidcooling system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the cooling of the camera and control electronics into a single cooling air duct system. The cooling air duct has a first section for the camera and a second section for the control electronics, allowing both components to be cooled by the same airflow path. This merging approach reduces the number of separate cooling systems needed while maintaining adequate cooling for both components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling air duct serves multiple functions: it cools the camera in its first section and cools the control electronics in its second section. This multi-functional design allows a single cooling system to handle multiple heat-generating components, reducing overall system complexity and space requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If camera is positioned to maximize cooking chamber view, then monitoring quality is improved, but heat absorption by camera increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooking chamber monitoring qualityVSAvoidheat absorption by camera
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling air duct is segmented into two distinct sections: a first section for cooling the camera and a second section for cooling the control electronics. This segmentation allows the cooling airflow to be distributed appropriately to different heat-generating components along the duct path, with the camera being cooled before the air reaches the control electronics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Measurement precision

If multiple cameras are used to capture cooking chamber, then monitoring coverage is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooking chamber coverageVSAvoidcamera system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling air duct design allows the cooling airflow to serve multiple components automatically along its path. The first section cools the camera and the second section cools the control electronics without requiring separate cooling systems for each component. This self-service approach to cooling reduces system complexity while maintaining adequate cooling for all heat-generating components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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

This design optimizes space usage, reduces heat absorption, and ensures effective cooling of both components while providing a clear view of the cooking chamber, ensuring efficient operation and cost-effectiveness by eliminating the need for additional cameras.

Implementation Method 1

The cooling air duct is arranged and designed in such a way that the cooling air flows from the camera to the control electronics

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3985310A1Cooking appliance with camera for monitoring the cooking space
Publication Date: 2022.04.20 V-ZUG AG
  • EP3985310A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2b
  • EP3985310A1 patent drawingFigure 2c~3b
  • EP3985310A1 patent drawing

AI summary

A cooking appliance comprises a cooking chamber (2), an imaging camera (5) for monitoring the cooking chamber (2), control electronics (7) for controlling the cooking appliance, and a cooling air duct (8) for conveying cooling air. The cooling air duct (8) is arranged and designed such that the cooling air flows from the camera (5) to the control electronics (7).