Cooking Appliance Enamel Composition for Single-Firing Durability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing enamel compositions for cooking appliances lack sufficient heat resistance, chemical resistance, and cleaning performance, requiring high energy consumption and multiple glass frits for preparation, which increases costs and complexity.

Innovation Solution

A novel enamel composition using a glass frit with specific components such as P2O5, SiO2, B2O3, Al2O3, Li2O, Na2O, K2O, ZrO2, TiO2, CoO, NiO, MnO2, and Fe2O3, which provides improved heat resistance, chemical resistance, and cleaning performance, allowing for a single-coat, single-firing process that reduces energy consumption and process complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple glass frits are used to achieve required heat resistance and chemical resistance, then the enamel performance is improved, but the process complexity and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat resistance and chemical resistanceVSAvoidprocess complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple glass frits (borosilicate glass frit and phosphate glass frit) into a single composite glass frit composition. This merging approach integrates the heat resistance properties of borosilicate glass (through SiO2 and B2O3) with the chemical resistance properties of phosphate glass (through P2O5), achieving both required performance characteristics in one material system rather than requiring separate application steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite glass frit material by combining borosilicate glass components (SiO2, B2O3, Na2O, CaO) with phosphate glass components (P2O5, Al2O3, Na2O). This composite structure allows the single glass frit to exhibit both high heat resistance (glass deformation temperature 520-700°C) and high chemical resistance, eliminating the need for multiple separate glass frit applications

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If multiple glass frits are used to achieve required heat resistance and chemical resistance, then the enamel performance is improved, but the energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat resistance and chemical resistanceVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple glass frit formulations into a single composite glass frit that can be applied in one coating step followed by a single firing process. This eliminates the need for multiple sequential firing operations that would be required if separate glass frits were applied individually, thereby reducing total energy consumption while maintaining both heat resistance and chemical resistance properties

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional enamel composition is used, then the coating process is simple, but the cleaning performance and surface hardness are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoating process simplicityVSAvoidcleaning performance and surface hardness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent develops a composite glass frit containing specific ratios of borosilicate glass (providing surface hardness through SiO2 and B2O3) and phosphate glass (providing cleaning performance through P2O5 and Al2O3). This composite material achieves both high surface hardness (preventing scratching and damage) and excellent cleaning performance (resistance to contamination and ease of cleaning) while maintaining a simple single-coat application process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the chemical composition parameters of the glass frit, specifically controlling the ratios of SiO2 (20-40 wt%), B2O3 (10-30 wt%), P2O5 (10-30 wt%), and Al2O3 (5-20 wt%), along with adjusting the glass deformation temperature to 520-700°C. These parameter changes enable the enamel to achieve both high surface hardness and excellent cleaning performance characteristics

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 enamel composition achieves high heat resistance, chemical resistance, and enhanced cleaning performance, with a glass deformation temperature of 520°C to 700°C, and improved surface hardness, facilitating easy cleaning and durability, while simplifying the coating process with a single glass frit.

Implementation Method 1

enamel composition includes: a glass frit including P2O5, SiO2, B2O3, Al2O3, Li2O, Na2O, K2O

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Implementation Method 2

DE 41 24 801 A1 relates to opacified enamel frits which recrystallize during firing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRecrystallization: Crystallisation

Implementation Method 3

the enamels should have heat resistance, chemical resistance, wear resistance, and contamination resistance

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Implementation Method 4

the adhesion enhancement component includes at least one of CoO, NiO, MnO2 and Fe2O3

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP2662340B1Enamel composition and cooking appliance including the same
Publication Date: 2019.04.24 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP2662340B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2662340B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are an enamel composition, a preparation method thereof, and a cooking appliance. The enamel composition includes a glass frit comprising P2O5, SiO2, B2O3, Al2O3, R2O (where R is an alkali metal), a chemical property enhancement component, and an adhesion enhancement component. The chemical property enhancement component includes at least one of ZrO2 and TiO2, and the adhesion enhancement component includes at least one of CoO, NiO, MnO2 and Fe2O3.