Self-Cleaning Deadweight Holder to Prevent Fryer Pressure Seizing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing deadweight assemblies in fryer apparatuses require daily cleaning to prevent seizing, which is costly and inefficient, and can lead to impaired pressure regulation and food quality issues due to buildup of oil and grease.
Innovation Solution
A self-cleaning deadweight holder design with reduced surface contact area, utilizing a configuration of support and guide plates that allows for movement and clearance between the deadweight and holder, preventing adhesion and facilitating easy cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a large surface area contact design is used between deadweight holder and deadweight, then the deadweight can maintain stable position, but it requires daily cleaning to prevent seizing and operational impairment
Solution Approach 1:
The holder is divided into multiple plates (first holder plate, second holder plate, etc.) arranged vertically with spacing between them. This segmentation reduces the continuous contact surface area between the deadweight and holder while maintaining positional stability through the distributed plate structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder transitions from a single large contact surface to multiple smaller contact surfaces distributed across the vertical dimension. The spaced arrangement of multiple plates creates clearance zones that prevent adhesion while maintaining overall structural stability.
2Reliability
If daily cleaning is performed to prevent seizing, then operational impairment is avoided, but it increases cost and reduces efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The holder design enables self-cleaning functionality where the movement of the deadweight during normal operation naturally prevents oil and grease buildup. The spaced plate configuration allows condensation and vapor to flow through, automatically clearing contaminants without requiring manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The design converts the potentially harmful effect of oil and grease accumulation into a beneficial self-cleaning mechanism. Vapor and condensation that would normally contribute to buildup instead flow through the spaced plates to clear contaminants, turning a problem into a solution.
3Ease of operation
If reduced surface contact area is used in holder design, then cleaning frequency is reduced, but it may affect the deadweight's ability to maintain pressure regulation
Solution Approach 1:
The holder is segmented into multiple plates that collectively provide sufficient support surface area for pressure regulation while reducing continuous contact zones. The distributed arrangement maintains mechanical stability without creating large adhesion surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the holder have different contact characteristics - the plates provide localized support points that are sufficient for pressure regulation, while the spaces between plates prevent adhesion. This local differentiation achieves both pressure control and reduced cleaning needs.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a self-cleaning deadweight holder configured to hold a deadweight within a cooking apparatus. In some embodiments, the holder may comprise a top plate, an exhaust cylinder, a bottom plate, a plurality of support plates, and a plurality of guide plates. The top plate may include a through hole disposed at substantially a center of the top plate and configured to allow at least one of liquid and steam to pass therethrough. An outer diameter of the bottom plate may be less than an outer diameter of the top plate and an outer diameter of each of the plurality of guide plates, and the plurality of guide plates may be configured to permit movement of the deadweight therethrough. In some embodiments, the cooking apparatus may comprise a cooking chamber, a steam box, a vent tube, an exhaust tube, a drain tube, and a pressure relief tube.