Stirring motion mechanism for cooking apparatus

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional automated kitchen equipment fails to achieve balanced distribution of food ingredients during cooking, often resulting in uneven mixing and potential ingredient loss due to excessive movement and uncontrolled stirring mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

An automated cooking apparatus with a specially designed stirring mechanism that includes a cooking container and a motion mechanism capable of producing controlled movements, such as rotational, oscillatory, or vibratory motions, to ensure uniform stirring and mixing while maintaining a balanced distribution of food ingredients, allowing for efficient heating and preventing ingredient loss.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional stirring mechanisms are used to mix food ingredients, then mixing action is achieved, but balanced distribution of food ingredients is not maintained

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedistribution uniformityVSAvoidmixing effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs dynamic motion patterns including rotation, oscillation, and vibration of the cooking container to achieve uniform distribution of food ingredients. The container moves from static to dynamic states, creating varied stirring actions that prevent ingredient accumulation in specific areas while maintaining balanced distribution throughout the cooking space.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The stirring mechanism utilizes periodic oscillatory and vibratory motions in addition to continuous rotation. These periodic actions create cyclical mixing patterns that systematically move ingredients through different zones of the container, ensuring comprehensive and uniform distribution over time while preventing localized accumulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Quantity of substance

If large magnitude movements are applied to mix food ingredients, then mixing is achieved, but food ingredients may be pushed out of the cooking container

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemixing thoroughnessVSAvoidingredient loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies controlled excessive motion by implementing oscillation and vibration in addition to rotation, creating motion that exceeds simple circular stirring. However, the amplitude and duration of these excessive actions are precisely controlled to achieve thorough mixing without causing ingredients to escape the container boundaries.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts motion parameters including amplitude, frequency, and type of movement (rotation, oscillation, vibration) to optimize mixing effectiveness. By changing these parameters, the system achieves thorough mixing while maintaining ingredient containment, preventing loss through controlled motion boundaries.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If conventional stirring mechanisms are used, then stirring action is provided, but energy efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestirring effectivenessVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The cooking container serves multiple functions: it acts as both the heating vessel and the stirring mechanism through its ability to rotate, oscillate, and vibrate. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate stirring devices, reducing overall system complexity and energy consumption while maintaining effective mixing productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The cooking container performs self-stirring through its own motion capabilities. By enabling the container to rotate, oscillate, and vibrate independently, the system eliminates the need for external stirring mechanisms, thereby reducing energy consumption associated with additional motors and mechanical components while maintaining effective mixing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Device complexity

If simple stirring mechanisms are used, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability of maintaining balanced distribution is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanism simplicityVSAvoiddistribution balance

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic motion control with multiple degrees of freedom (rotation, oscillation, vibration) to achieve reliable balanced distribution. While the motion patterns are complex, the underlying mechanism remains relatively simple, using the container's own movement capabilities rather than adding complex mechanical stirring devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11641981B2Stirring motion mechanism for cooking apparatus

Publication Date: 2023.05.09 HE ZHENGXU

AI summary

The present application discloses an automated cooking apparatus that includes a cooking container to contain or otherwise hold food or food ingredients and a stirring motion mechanism to move the cooking container by fast speed yet points on the internal surface of the container are displaced by properly small distance. The stirring motion mechanism may comprise one or more kinematic mechanisms or pairs, each comprising a first mating part and a second mating part whose movement is constrained relative the first mating part, wherein the first mating part is connected to the cooking container.