Cooking machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable cooking machines, such as fryers and ovens, face inefficiencies in hot air diffusion and air circulation, leading to tangential heat distribution and unwanted mixing of hot and cold air, which affects cooking quality and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A cooking machine design featuring a cylindrical container with a bell-shaped airflow duct directing hot air perpendicular to the foodstuffs and separate cooling air circulation paths, utilizing upper and lower heating elements, and strategically positioned air intakes and outlets to ensure homogeneous airflow and prevent overheating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If hot air is blown inside the container from above and from one side, then the foodstuffs can be cooked with small amounts of oil, but the hot air diffusion becomes tangential with respect to the foodstuffs causing uneven heat distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spatial dimension of hot air delivery by introducing a lower heating element positioned beneath the container, adding a vertical dimension to heat distribution. This complements the upper heating element and creates multi-directional hot air flow that penetrates foodstuffs more effectively rather than only tangential surface heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different heating approaches to different locations: upper heating elements provide top-down heat while lower heating elements provide bottom-up heat. This localized quality differentiation ensures comprehensive heat distribution across the entire food volume, addressing both surface and interior cooking requirements.
2Productivity
If the returning air crosses an annular channel between the container and casing to be reheated, then air circulation is improved, but hot and cold air mix in the top area causing turbulences and reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the air circulation paths into distinct channels: one for hot air delivery and another for cooling air intake. This segmentation prevents mixing of hot and cold air streams, maintaining thermal efficiency while ensuring continuous circulation. The lower air intake and separate circulation route eliminate the turbulence problem caused by mixing in the top area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the cooling air intake function from the top area and relocates it to the lower part of the casing. This separation removes the source of turbulence and heat loss, allowing cooling air to be drawn in separately without interfering with the hot air circulation path.
3Temperature
If a bell-shaped airflow duct directs hot air perpendicular to the foodstuffs, then homogeneous heat distribution is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a bell-shaped (curved) airflow duct instead of a straight or angular duct. This curved geometry naturally directs the hot air flow perpendicular to the foodstuffs surface, achieving homogeneous heat distribution across the entire food area. The curved shape also facilitates smooth airflow transitions, reducing turbulence while maintaining thermal efficiency.
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 hot air diffusion and cooling air circulation, resulting in improved cooking efficiency, fragrance, and thermal management, ensuring even heat distribution and preventing turbulences, thereby enhancing the cooking process.
Implementation Method 1
a source of hot air that is transportable in the direction of said foodstuffs
Implementation Method 2
heating means that are suitable for generating a hot airflow
Implementation Method 3
diffusion of the cooling air of the motor
Data Source
Figure 1~2a
Figure 2b~5
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Cooking machine of the type comprising an outer casing (2) within which there is housed a container (3) for foodstuffs to be cooked and a source of hot air transportable in the direction of said foodstuffs; such casing being closed at its upper part by a lid (5). Means (7) for generating a hot airflow in the direction of the foodstuffs arranged in the container (3) are provided associated with such a lid, said means comprising an upper heating element (71), a fan (72) actuated by a motor (73) adapted to generate an airflow heated by said heating element, and a duct for conveying air (74), adapted to direct the hot airflow downwards in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane on which the foodstuffs are arranged in the container (3).