Cooking attachment for a heatable vessel of a kitchen appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking attachments for food processors do not efficiently manage condensate flow, leading to increased water usage and prolonged heating times due to direct contact between food and the base openings, which impedes steam and condensate flow.
Innovation Solution
A cooking attachment with a capillary system that directs condensate into the food processor vessel using capillary action, combined with a base design featuring spacers and tapered base openings to separate and optimize steam and condensate flow, reducing resistance and facilitating quicker cooking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the base of the cooking attachment has openings for steam and condensate flow, then steam can enter the cooking attachment and condensate can drain, but food may come into direct contact with the base openings which impedes steam and condensate flow
Solution Approach 1:
The base opening is segmented into two distinct functional zones: a steam opening region and a condensate opening region. This segmentation allows steam and condensate to flow through separate areas, preventing mutual interference and ensuring that food contact with one region does not block the other flow path, thereby maintaining low flow resistance and efficient cooking
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the base opening are assigned different local qualities: the steam opening region is optimized for steam ingress while the condensate opening region is optimized for condensate egress. This local differentiation ensures that each flow type has its own optimal pathway, reducing flow resistance and preventing food contact from blocking the wrong opening type
2Productivity
If condensate is collected in the cooking attachment, then it can be drained back into the container, but water usage increases and heating time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
A capillary structure acts as an intermediary element between the cooking attachment interior and the container. This capillary mediator enables selective transport of condensate back into the container while blocking steam flow, allowing efficient water recovery without requiring full drainage cycles that would prolong heating time
Solution Approach 2:
The capillary structure utilizes surface tension and capillary pressure parameters to control fluid transport. By designing the capillary dimensions and material properties, the system changes the transport parameters to favor condensate回流 while maintaining steam barrier function, thus improving cooking efficiency without extending heating time
3Ease of operation
If the base opening allows both steam and condensate flow, then both functions are served, but the opposing flows interfere with each other increasing resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The base opening is divided into a steam opening region and a condensate opening region, creating separate flow paths for steam and condensate. This spatial segmentation eliminates flow interference by ensuring that steam entering through one region does not conflict with condensate draining through another region, while still serving both functions through the integrated base structure
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 solution enables faster cooking by minimizing condensate retention, reducing water usage, and ensuring efficient steam and condensate circulation, thereby shortening the heating phase and improving cooking efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the capillary effect is used to direct condensate collected in the cooking attachment into the container of the food processor
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a cooking attachment (2) for a heatable vessel (3) of a food processor (1), which cooking attachment (2) has a base (4) with base openings (5) through which steam escaping from the vessel (3) flows into the Cooking attachment (2) can enter and/or condensate emerging from the cooking attachment (2) can enter the vessel (3), the bottom openings (5) having at least one steam opening (9) and at least one condensate opening (9) formed separately from the steam opening (9). 10) have. In order to specify a cooking attachment for a heatable vessel of a food processor, which is advantageously designed with regard to a condensate opening, the invention proposes that the condensate opening (10) has a capillary (14) with a first end area (15) and a second end area (16). , wherein the first end area (15) is arranged in the area of the base (4) on the side facing the inside of the cooking attachment (2), and the second end area (16) is arranged on the side facing the vessel (3) of the food processor (1). Side of the cooking attachment (2) is guided out of the cooking attachment (2), so that condensate located at the first end region (15) can flow into the vessel (3) via the capillary (14).