Multi-Stage Food Steaming Conveyors for Compact Uniform Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food steaming and freezing processes face challenges in producing uniform quality food products efficiently in limited space and time, with increased demand for frozen foods like dumplings, and installing additional facilities is economically and spatially constrained.
Innovation Solution
A food steaming apparatus and system with multi-stage conveying parts and a steaming chamber that allows for continuous food conveyance in forward and backward directions, using steaming and freezing parts to ensure uniform processing and quality control through independent temperature and steam management in divided steaming spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple identical facilities are installed to increase production, then productivity increases, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The steaming chamber is divided into multiple steaming division spaces by conveying covers, allowing independent processing in each division. This segmentation enables the system to handle multiple food items simultaneously with different processing requirements, effectively increasing productivity without adding separate facilities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by arranging multi-stage conveying parts at different heights and using conveying covers to divide the steaming space vertically. This three-dimensional arrangement allows multiple processing paths within a single facility, increasing production capacity without expanding horizontal space
2Productivity
If multiple identical facilities are installed to increase production, then productivity increases, but installation cost and space constraints worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system arranges multi-stage conveying parts vertically at different heights within the steaming chamber, utilizing the vertical dimension to maximize space utilization. Multiple food items are processed simultaneously at different vertical levels, increasing production capacity without requiring additional horizontal space
Solution Approach 2:
The conveying covers are positioned inside the steaming chamber, nesting the division structures within the existing facility boundaries. This nested arrangement allows multiple processing zones to coexist within the original facility footprint, maintaining compact space utilization while increasing productivity
3Productivity
If more paths are created to increase food processing throughput, then productivity increases, but manufacturing precision and quality uniformity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The steaming chamber is segmented into multiple independent steaming division spaces by conveying covers, with each division having independent steam supply control. This allows precise control of steaming conditions in each division, ensuring uniform quality across different food items processed simultaneously on multiple conveying paths
Solution Approach 2:
Each steaming division space can have independently adjusted steam supply and processing parameters tailored to the specific food items being processed in that division. This localized quality control ensures optimal steaming conditions for different food types and positions, maintaining quality uniformity despite increased throughput
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
Enables high-volume food production in limited space with consistent quality by ensuring individualized processing based on food location and type, reducing temperature fluctuations and optimizing steaming and freezing conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a steaming part including a steaming chamber that forms a steaming space through which the multi-stage conveying parts pass, so as to steam the food conveyed by the multi-stage conveying parts
Implementation Method 2
a freezing part provided to freeze the food that is steamed in the steaming part and is conveyed by the multi-stage conveying parts
Data Source
AI summary
A food steaming apparatus, according to the present invention, comprises multi-stage conveying parts provided to continuously convey food in the forward and backward directions and spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction; and a steaming part comprising a steaming chamber forming a steaming space through which the multi-stage conveying parts pass, so as to steam the food conveyed by the multi-stage conveying parts, and a plurality of conveying covers provided to respectively cover the multi-stage conveying parts at the top of the multi-stage conveying parts passing through the inside of the steaming space so as to divide the steaming space into a plurality of steaming division spaces that are a plurality of spaces.