Cooking appliance

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cooking appliances with rotating turntables often limit versatility, making it difficult to accommodate multiple dishes or larger items without disrupting heat distribution or causing contents to shift during cooking.

Innovation Solution

A cooking appliance design featuring a flush-mounted turntable and bottom plate, both made of ceramic or non-metallic materials, with a rotary hub transmitting rotational motion from a motor, providing a continuous and level cooking surface that allows for side-by-side placement of dishes and efficient heat distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a rotating turntable is installed in a cooking appliance, then heat distribution is improved, but versatility is limited due to disruption of continuous cooking surface

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat distributionVSAvoidversatility

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The cooking surface is segmented into two separate but flush-mounted components: a bottom plate and a turntable. This segmentation allows the turntable to rotate for heat distribution while the bottom plate remains stationary, providing a continuous cooking surface when the turntable is not in use. The aperture in the bottom plate accommodates the turntable, creating a seamless transition between the two surfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The turntable is designed to be dynamically configurable - it can rotate when cooking items that benefit from heat distribution, and it can be removed or positioned to the side to accommodate larger items that require the full cooking surface. The rotary hub mechanism enables smooth transitions between rotational and stationary states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Temperature

If a rotating turntable is used, then heat distribution is enhanced, but cooking continuity is disrupted by the rotating mechanism

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat distributionVSAvoidcooking surface continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The cooking surface is segmented into two separate but flush-mounted components: a bottom plate and a turntable. This segmentation allows the turntable to rotate for heat distribution while the bottom plate remains stationary, providing a continuous cooking surface when the turntable is not in use. The aperture in the bottom plate accommodates the turntable, creating a seamless transition between the two surfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The turntable is designed to be dynamically configurable - it can rotate when cooking items that benefit from heat distribution, and it can be removed or positioned to the side to accommodate larger items that require the full cooking surface. The rotary hub mechanism enables smooth transitions between rotational and stationary states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #12Equipotentiality

3Adaptability or versatility

If a flush-mounted turntable design is used, then versatility is improved by providing continuous cooking surface, but heat distribution may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveversatilityVSAvoidheat distribution

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The turntable is designed to be dynamically configurable - it can rotate when cooking items that benefit from heat distribution, and it can be removed or positioned to the side to accommodate larger items that require the full cooking surface. The rotary hub mechanism enables smooth transitions between rotational and stationary states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 design enhances versatility by enabling the placement of multiple dishes without heat disruption and prevents contents from shifting, ensuring even cooking and easy cleaning with a continuous, level floor.

Implementation Method 1

A rotary hub engages with an underside of the turntable to transmit rotational motion to the turntable from a motor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRotational motion transmission: Gear

Data Source

PatentUS10912160B2Cooking appliance

Publication Date: 2021.02.02 WHIRLPOOL CORP

AI summary

A cooking appliance includes a bottom plate and a turntable. The bottom plate defines an aperture that receives the turntable such that the turntable is flush-mounted with the bottom plate to provide a floor of a cooking cavity as substantially continuous. A rotary hub engages with an underside of the turntable to transmit rotational motion to the turntable from a motor. The turntable includes a first material and the bottom plate includes a second material.