Dual-Conveyor Cooking of Cut Food Pieces for Flat Shape Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems lack a method to maintain a layer of food substance, such as pork rinds, flat during the cooking process, which can expand, twist, or puff up, leading to inconsistent shape and size.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a primary conveying subsystem, a cooker, a secondary conveying subsystem, and pressurized fluid outlets that work together to convey, cut, and cook the food substance while maintaining it flat using a dual substrate setup and pressurized fluid forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a layer of food substance is cooked without support, then the cooking process is simple, but the food substance expands, twists, and puffs up during cooking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flexible conveying substrates (belts or plates) to support the food substance layer during cooking. These substrates can conform to the food layer and maintain it in a flat state, preventing expansion and twisting while allowing the cooking process to proceed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dual-substrate configuration where food substance is conveyed between an upper substrate and a lower substrate. This adds a vertical dimension of control,夹持ing the food layer flat between two surfaces during the cooking process, thereby maintaining shape consistency
2Shape
If pressurized fluid is applied to hold food pieces flat, then shape consistency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs pressurized fluid outlets that direct pressurized fluid onto the food pieces to hold them flat against the conveying substrate. This pneumatic/hydraulic approach provides effective shape control without requiring complex mechanical pressing mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The pressurized fluid acts as an intermediary between the control system and the food pieces. Instead of direct mechanical contact to maintain flatness, the pressurized fluid mediates the force application, simplifying the overall control mechanism while achieving the desired shape consistency
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 system effectively cuts and cooks food substances into uniform pieces by holding them flat during the cooking process, preventing expansion and maintaining a consistent shape and size.
Implementation Method 1
The system may be configured to apply, via secondary pressurize fluid outlet, secondary pressurized fluid. The second pressurized fluid outlet may be positioned such that pressurized fluid exiting the pressurized fluid outlet applies a force to the food pieces so that the secondary pressurized fluid exiting the secondary pressurized fluid outlet applies force to the food pieces to hold the food pieces flat to the primary conveying substrate.
Implementation Method 2
The system may be configured to heat, via the heating mechanism, the chamber.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for cutting and cooking a substance are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: convey, via a primary conveying subsystem, a layer of food substance along a conveyance path along which the layer of food substance is conveyed; cut, via a cutter, the layer of food substance into food pieces; apply, via a primary pressurized fluid outlet, primary pressurized fluid such that the food pieces are released from the cutter; heat, via the heating mechanism, a chamber; apply, via a secondary pressurized fluid outlet, secondary pressurized fluid so that the food pieces are held flat to the primary conveying substrate, and hold, via a secondary conveying subsystem, the layer of food substance flat between the primary conveying substrate and a secondary conveying substrate for at least a portion of the chamber.