Grate and range system
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas cooking range grates either inefficiently transfer heat due to obstructed air flow or are unstable for smaller cooking vessels, leading to uneven heating and tipping issues.
Innovation Solution
A grate design featuring a rectilinearly-bounded border with eight tangs and six nubs forming a non-contiguous surface plane, allowing a five-inch diameter circle to be positioned anywhere without tipping by maintaining at least three points of contact, ensuring stability and efficient heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a traditional grate configuration with tangs extending toward the burner is used, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but stability for smaller cooking vessels deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The grate is segmented into multiple discrete support elements (tangs and nubs) rather than continuous bars. This segmentation allows strategic placement of support points to provide both heat transfer efficiency (by leaving gaps for convection) and stability (by creating multiple contact points for vessels)
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the grate have different properties: tangs provide primary support and heat transfer, while nubs provide additional stability points. The alternating pattern creates local variations in support density to accommodate both efficient heat transfer and vessel stability
2Stability of the object's composition
If a continuous grate configuration is used to prevent tipping, then vessel stability is improved, but heat transfer efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous surface is broken into discrete tang and nub elements, allowing air to flow through the gaps for efficient heat transfer while maintaining stability through multiple contact points
3Stability of the object's composition
If tangs are spaced to accommodate smaller vessels, then vessel stability is improved, but the number of contact points decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is divided into multiple discrete elements (tangs and nubs) distributed across the grate surface, increasing the number of potential contact points for small vessels while maintaining appropriate spacing
Solution Approach 2:
The grate provides varying densities of support elements in different regions, with tangs and nubs strategically positioned to ensure small vessels can find multiple contact points regardless of placement
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 design provides stable support for smaller cooking vessels while maintaining efficient heat transfer by preventing tipping and optimizing the balance of heat distribution across the cooking surface.
Implementation Method 1
heat transfer via convective air flow from the burner elements
Data Source
AI summary
Individual grates and a multi-grate system for a cooking range include construction of the tangs and nubs of each grate are aligned with each other in a manner providing a non-contiguous surface along a common plane. The common plane is provided by the uppermost surfaces of the tangs and nubs upon which the bottom of a cooking vessel (e.g., stock pot, skillet, saucepan, griddle, etc.) rests, with the relative position providing that a five-inch diameter bottom surface of the cooking vessel will contact the common plane sufficiently to substantially prevent tipping.