Food cooking device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cooking devices in kitchen furniture face challenges in improving heating behavior and ease of cleaning, particularly in maintaining effective distance between heating plates and preventing contamination of heating elements.

Innovation Solution

A device with upper and lower heating plates that can move to adjust distance, featuring an induction heater and a detachable intermediate plate made of glass ceramic for easy cleaning, with the upper heating plate being vertically flexible and mounted for adjustable positioning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the heating plates are fixed in position, then the device structure is simple, but the heating behavior and cooking versatility are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooking versatilityVSAvoiddevice structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The upper heating plate is made movable relative to the lower heating plate, allowing dynamic adjustment of the distance between them. This enables versatile cooking modes (grilling, toasting, warming) by varying the plate separation, while the movement mechanism remains integrated within the housing to avoid excessive complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the heating plates are fixed together, then the device structure is stable, but the cleaning process becomes difficult and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of cleaningVSAvoidattachment mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The heating assembly is segmented into separable components: the upper heating plate can be detached from the lower heating plate and removed independently. This allows the upper plate to be taken out for easy cleaning in the dishwasher, while the lower plate remains in the device. The detachable connection simplifies cleaning access without requiring complex disassembly mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Length of stationary object

If the heating plates are positioned close together, then the device compactness is improved, but the heating effectiveness and food cooking quality deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice heightVSAvoidheating effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The upper heating plate can be dynamically positioned at different distances from the lower heating plate. During cooking operations, sufficient distance can be maintained for effective heat transfer and food processing. When not in use, the plate can be retracted or positioned closer to minimize the device's overall height profile, balancing compactness with heating effectiveness

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

Enhances cooking versatility by allowing adjustable heating distances and easy cleaning through reversible attachment mechanisms, maintaining efficient heating performance while preventing contamination and facilitating dishwasher use.

Implementation Method 1

A heater and preferably an induction heater is arranged behind the upper and/or the lower heating plate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

The induction heating is preferably a current-carrying coil. Induction-based heating plates are advantageous, among other things, because of their quick response behavior and good energy yield.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInduction heating: Induction Heating

Implementation Method 3

Glass-ceramic plates have a high transmittance to thermal radiation or the electric field of induction heating

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal radiation transmission: Thermal Radiation

Implementation Method 4

It is preferred that the upper heating plate touches foodstuffs of different thicknesses. This can be achieved by a vertically flexible, for example vertically guided and/or spring-loaded mounting of one and preferably the upper heating plate.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic force: Spring

Data Source

PatentEP2853820B1Food cooking device
Publication Date: 2017.11.29 GRONBACH FORSCHUNGS UND ENTWICKLUNGS GMBH & CO
  • EP2853820B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2853820B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2853820B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a device (3) for cooking foodstuffs, having a housing (1) and an upper and a lower heating plate (101, 201), with at least one heating plate, preferably the upper heating plate (201), being positioned in the receptacle (1) is fixed so that it can be moved from a first position to a second position, the two heating plates (101, 201) being arranged parallel to one another in the first position and the vertical spacing of the heating plates (101, 201) in the second position being at least is larger in sections than in the first position, with a heater (102, 202) and preferably an induction heater being arranged behind the upper heating plate (201) and/or the lower heating plate (101) which, together with the associated heating plate (101, 201 ) forms or forms part of an upper or lower heating unit (100, 200). The invention also relates to kitchen furniture with a receptacle and a device (3) according to the invention arranged therein for cooking food, the receptacle of the kitchen furniture being connected to the housing (1) of the device or representing the housing (1).