Cooking Vessel Insert with Basket Drainage to Prevent Liquid Boil-Over
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cooking liquids tend to boil over in vessels, leading to liquid loss and the formation of a hard, difficult-to-clean film on the stove top due to the accumulation of dried liquid.
Innovation Solution
A cooking vessel insert with a body portion, transition wall, and skirt that engages the vessel rim, along with a basket inside to redirect boil-over liquids back into the vessel through small holes, preventing overflow and featuring a seal to contain liquids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If cooking vessels are used to heat liquids on stove tops, then cooking function is achieved, but liquid boil over occurs causing loss of liquid and accumulation on stove top
Solution Approach 1:
A basket with holes is introduced as an intermediary component between the cooking liquid and the vessel rim. The basket intercepts boil-over liquid and foam, allowing it to drain back through the holes while blocking the larger foam structures that would otherwise escape over the rim.
Solution Approach 2:
The basket is designed with multiple holes of varying sizes throughout its structure. This porous configuration allows liquid to pass through while trapping and redirecting foam, effectively separating the liquid phase from the gas phase of the boil-over mixture.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If liquid accumulates on stove top during cooking, then boil over is contained, but dried liquid forms hard film that is difficult to clean
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful boil-over liquid into a beneficial drained flow. By guiding the liquid back into the vessel through the basket holes, the system prevents accumulation on the stove top, and the cleaned liquid can be reused in cooking rather than forming stubborn residues.
3Loss of substance
If a lid structure is added to prevent boil over, then liquid loss is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-boilover function is segmented into distinct components: the basket structure with its hierarchical hole pattern (large center hole, medium peripheral holes, small bottom holes). This segmentation allows each zone to handle different aspects of foam and liquid management.
Solution Approach 2:
The basket serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a physical barrier to foam, a drainage system for liquid, a structural support element, and a flow director. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components.
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
Effectively prevents liquid boil-over and foam accumulation, reducing liquid loss and the formation of hard films on the stove top, making cleanup easier.
Implementation Method 1
The profile of the curved bottom surface is such that resulting boil over, foam, and liquids are directed back into the cooking vessel though the smaller holes
Data Source
AI summary
A vessel insert used to substantially prevent liquid boil over. The vessel insert can includes an upper wall extending downward to a transition wall. The transition wall extends towards a center of the vessel insert and extends outwardly at a skirt of the vessel insert. When the vessel insert is positioned in a cooking vessel, the transition wall engages an upper rim of the cooking vessel. A basket is positioned inside the vessel insert, extending downward along the transition wall. The basket includes a center hole and plurality of small holes. The basket has a bottom surface, which curves upwards to form a lower surface and the center hole. The plurality of small holes is positioned in the bottom surface the basket. The structure of the vessel insert is such that resulting boil over, foam, and liquids are directed back into the cooking vessel though the small holes.