Cooking apparatus with adjustable cooking surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cooking apparatuses with rigidly mounted cooking surfaces face issues due to uneven floors, leading to canted surfaces that cause food products to cook unevenly and result in increased labor and reduced food quality, as grease and byproducts can flow undesirably.
Innovation Solution
A cooking apparatus with a leveling device and inclinometer system that adjusts the cooking surface's position using electronic controllers and user interfaces, allowing for precise leveling and tilting to maintain a horizontal plane or achieve specific pre-programmed positions, utilizing three actuators for vertical movement and dual-axis adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cooking surface is rigidly mounted to the grill frame, then the structure is simple and stable, but the cooking surface becomes canted on uneven floors causing food to cook unevenly and grease to flow undesirably
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by replacing the rigid, fixed mounting system with an adjustable support system that can dynamically change the cooking surface's position and orientation. The support system includes adjustable legs or mechanisms that allow the cooking surface to be leveled and tilted as needed, transforming a static structure into a dynamic one that adapts to uneven floors and different cooking requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by allowing the support system to modify key geometric parameters of the cooking surface, specifically its height, tilt angle, and levelness. These parameter adjustments enable the cooking surface to maintain proper orientation regardless of floor unevenness, directly addressing the cooking quality issue while managing system complexity through controlled adjustments.
2Reliability
If the cooking surface is adjusted to be level, then eggs and liquid products cook evenly, but grease and byproducts cannot flow to collection areas efficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by enabling the cooking surface to change its tilt angle dynamically. During the cooking process, the surface can be adjusted from a level position (for even cooking) to a tilted position (for grease drainage), allowing the system to adapt to different operational phases and requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic action through the sequential adjustment of the cooking surface orientation. The surface is first positioned level for the cooking phase, then adjusted to a tilted position for the drainage phase, creating a periodic cycle of position changes that alternates between these two functional states to optimize both cooking quality and grease management.
3Productivity
If the cooking surface is canted to facilitate grease flow, then drainage is improved, but food products cook unevenly with varying thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the cooking surface orientation adjustable rather than fixed. The support system allows the cooking surface to be tilted at different angles, enabling operators to optimize the tilt for grease drainage while minimizing its impact on cooking uniformity, or to switch between level and tilted positions as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by allowing precise control over the tilt angle of the cooking surface. Rather than using a fixed cant angle, the system can adjust the tilt parameter to an optimal value that balances grease drainage efficiency with cooking uniformity, or temporarily set the surface to level during cooking and tilt only during drainage phases.
4Ease of operation
If manual leveling adjustments are made, then operator control is maintained, but labor time and operator frustration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the self-service principle by incorporating sensors (such as level sensors or inclinometers) that automatically detect the cooking surface's orientation and provide feedback to the control system. The system can then automatically make adjustments or guide the operator with minimal intervention, reducing the time and effort required for leveling while maintaining operator control through the user interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by using sensors to continuously monitor the cooking surface position and providing this information to the control system. This feedback loop enables automatic adjustments or real-time guidance to the operator, significantly reducing the time and labor required for leveling adjustments while maintaining precise control over the cooking surface orientation.
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 solution ensures consistent cooking surfaces, reducing operator frustration and improving food quality by maintaining even cooking and facilitating efficient grease management and cleaning processes through automatic positioning and closed-loop feedback.
Implementation Method 1
an inclinometer configured to sense the position
Data Source
AI summary
A cooking apparatus includes a cooking surface, a leveling device, an inclinometer, and an electronic controller. The leveling device is constructed and arranged to adjust a position of the cooking surface, and the inclinometer senses the cooking surface position. The electronic controller is configured to receive a position signal from the inclinometer and output a command signal to the leveling device for position adjustment.