Flexible Baking Nets and Movable Soles for Artisan Bread Shape

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current baking technologies face challenges in combining the visual and taste qualities of sole-baked products with the productivity and profitability of convection ovens, as existing solutions either require excessive labor, result in a grid-marked bread, or struggle with heat regulation and dough shape retention.

Innovation Solution

A device comprising an oven with vertically movable baking soles and flexible, heat-resistant nets that deform upon contact with the soles for conduction baking, allowing for efficient handling and high productivity while maintaining artisan-quality bread appearance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a convection oven with rigid nets is used for baking, then productivity and ease of operation are improved, but the bread develops an industrial grid appearance that reduces consumer demand

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebaking productivityVSAvoidbread appearance

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies this principle by replacing rigid nets with flexible nets made of heat-resistant material. The flexible nets can deform under the dough pieces during baking, allowing the bottom of the bread to maintain its natural round shape rather than imprinted with a rigid grid pattern. This resolves the contradiction by preserving artisanal appearance while maintaining the productivity benefits of convection oven baking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Shape

If a sole oven is used for baking, then artisanal quality and consumer demand are improved, but labor requirements and handling complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebread appearanceVSAvoidoperational simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the advantages of both sole ovens and convection ovens into a hybrid system. The oven includes both heating elements for convection baking and movable soles that can be positioned to contact the flexible nets. This allows the system to achieve artisanal quality through conduction baking when needed, while maintaining the ease of operation and productivity of convection ovens, thus resolving the contradiction between quality and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies dynamics by making the soles movable rather than fixed. The soles can be dynamically positioned to contact the flexible nets during baking to provide conduction heating for artisanal quality, and can be retracted to allow easy insertion and removal of the flexible nets. This dynamic capability resolves the contradiction by providing both high quality baking and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If rigid pastry sheets are used in sole ovens, then handling is simplified, but the sheets have high thermal inertia that complicates the baking process

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandling easeVSAvoidthermal efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses flexible nets instead of rigid pastry sheets. The flexible nature of the nets allows them to conform to the sole surface and maintain good thermal contact, reducing thermal inertia issues. The flexibility enables easier handling and positioning while improving thermal efficiency compared to rigid sheets that may not maintain consistent contact with the heating surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 solution enables baking by conduction with the ease and productivity of a convection oven, retaining the artisanal appearance and taste of sole-baked products while reducing labor and equipment complexity.

Implementation Method 1

the bottom of the cells of a net touches the baking sole above which it is located and deforms upon contact with this baking sole so that the said food products are baked by conduction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

this flexible material, which is capable of deformation... the bottom of the cells of a net touches the baking sole above which it is located and deforms upon contact with this baking sole

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDeformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentUS20120321770A1Device for baking dough-based food products, net and method for baking such products

Publication Date: 2012.12.20 REVENT INT AB

AI summary

A device includes a carriage and an oven including a baking chamber, a plurality of stacked baking soles and elements for heating the soles. The device includes a plurality of nets made of a heat-resistant flexible material and at least one cell for receiving the food products. The carriage is arranged for inserting the nets into the oven, for withdrawing same and for positioning same opposite a sole. The device includes elements for vertically moving the soles and/or the nets relative to each other to place the soles and nets in an active position in which the bottom of the cells of a net is in contact with the baking sole located opposite and is capable of deformation upon contact with the sole so as to bake the products by induction, and in a passive position, in which the bottom of the cells is separated from the sole located opposite.