Food processing and cooking machine

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cooking devices for tofu and similar foods face issues with noise, vibration, inefficient heat and carbon powder discharge, and lack of utilization of generated steam, leading to reduced stability and increased inconvenience during cooking.

Innovation Solution

A food processing and cooking apparatus with a detachable container module and power module configuration, utilizing anti-vibration members, exhaust fans, and a steamer to reduce noise and vibration, discharge heat and carbon powder, and enable separate secondary cooking with reused steam.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the electric field unit and power unit are integrally combined in the processing apparatus, then the structure is compact, but inconvenience occurs during discharging the cooked food to the outside and vibrations are severe during cooking

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapparatus structure compactnessVSAvoidfood discharging convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The apparatus is divided into a processing apparatus and a power supply apparatus. The processing apparatus includes a container for holding food materials and a crushing unit with a rotary blade, while the power supply apparatus includes a motor and is detachably connected to the processing apparatus. This segmentation allows the processing apparatus to be easily handled and food to be discharged conveniently, while the power supply apparatus can be separately managed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The power unit (motor) is extracted from the processing apparatus and made detachable. The processing apparatus can be separated into an upper container module and a lower power supply module, allowing the processing part to be easily discharged and cleaned without the motor, while the motor remains in the power supply module.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Volume of moving object

If the electric field unit and power unit are integrally combined in the processing apparatus, then the structure is compact, but forces for crushing during the internal cooking are not transmitted properly and generation of noise is serious

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapparatus structure compactnessVSAvoidcrushing force transmission efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A power transmitting unit including a gear is introduced as an intermediary between the motor and the rotary blade. The gear transmits and amplifies the rotational force from the motor to the rotary blade, ensuring proper force transmission for crushing food materials. This intermediary mechanism compensates for the distance and connection issues between the detached power unit and processing unit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Speed

If universal motors are used for crushing food materials, then the motors can be easily rotated at high speed with constant rotation direction, but the number of no-load revolutions is high, electrical and mechanical noises are large, and life span is short

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotor rotation speedVSAvoidnoise and vibration
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The universal motor is replaced with a direct current motor that uses electromagnetic fields instead of mechanical commutators and carbon brushes. This substitution eliminates the mechanical noise and vibration caused by commutator-brush friction, reduces no-load revolutions, and extends motor lifespan while maintaining high-speed rotation capability through electronic control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Force

If carbon brushes are used to supply electricity to the commutator, then friction with the commutator is minimized, but they are worn out little by little, which causes generation of carbon powder

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefriction minimizationVSAvoidcarbon brush wear and carbon powder generation
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanical commutator and carbon brush system is replaced with a brushless direct current motor design. Electricity is supplied to the motor windings through slip rings or wireless power transmission, eliminating the need for carbon brushes. This substitution prevents carbon brush wear and carbon powder generation entirely while maintaining efficient electromagnetic force generation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

5Power

If the power unit utilizes the rotational force of the driving motor within a limited space, then the motor operates efficiently, but the generation of heat due to the driving of the motor cannot be avoided

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotor operational efficiencyVSAvoidheat generation
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The heat generation issue is extracted and managed separately from the motor operation. The motor is housed in a dedicated power supply module with thermal management features, allowing the motor to operate efficiently in a compact space while heat is dissipated through the module's structure or active cooling systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The heat generated by the motor is converted into a useful function by introducing a steam generation unit. The heat that would otherwise be wasted is utilized to generate steam for cooking food materials, transforming a harmful byproduct into a beneficial cooking resource and improving overall energy efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

6Reliability

If heat and carbon powder generated by the motor fail to discharge to the outside in a timely manner, then there is a possibility that the head and carbon powder may cause frequent failures of the equipment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveequipment stabilityVSAvoidheat and carbon powder accumulation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The heat and carbon powder discharge function is extracted as a separate system component. A discharge unit with exhaust channels is integrated into the power supply module, actively extracting and venting heat and carbon powder to the external environment, preventing accumulation that would cause equipment failures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

7Device complexity

If the apparatus cannot utilize steam generated during food processing, then the cooking process is simple, but the opportunity for secondary cooking and resource utilization is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooking process simplicityVSAvoidsteam utilization efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The steam generated during food cooking is utilized for a second cooking function. A steam cooking unit is integrated into the processing apparatus, allowing the same steam to cook additional food materials or perform steaming operations, thereby adding multi-functionality to the apparatus and improving resource utilization without significantly increasing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 apparatus enhances user convenience, stability, and efficiency by minimizing noise and vibration, effectively discharging heat and carbon powder, and allowing for easy washing and reuse of steam for secondary cooking.

Implementation Method 1

an exhaust fan for discharging the heat to the outside

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForced Convection: Forced Convection

Implementation Method 2

anti-vibration members, exhaust fans, and a steamer to reduce noise and vibration

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration isolation: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP3257412B1Food processing and cooking machine
Publication Date: 2022.07.20 KIM HONG BAE
  • EP3257412B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3257412B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3257412B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a food processing and cooking apparatus and, more particularly, to a food processing and cooking apparatus for facilitating management since a container module for containing food materials during cooking is detachably provided with a housing module, increasing the stability and efficiency of the apparatus since the apparatus is configured to discharge generated heat and carbon powder to the outside, while reducing noise and vibration, and enabling separate secondary cooking by using steam generated during cooking. To this end, the present invention comprises: a container module; a housing module formed by the coupling of an upper housing and a lower housing; and a power module for transmitting power generated from a motor, wherein the container module is mounted so as to be detachable while preventing shaking by a mounting groove of the upper housing.