Food Support Embossed Identification for Microwave Mode Assignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional food supports lack clear identification for specific operating modes, leading to potential misuse across different cooking appliances, such as microwave ovens and combi-steam ovens, which can result in local heating or damage.

Innovation Solution

A food support with a grid design featuring a support element and frame element, where the support element is directly or indirectly attached to a frame element, and includes an identification section with embossed markings to uniquely identify the support for specific operating modes like microwave, steam, or pyrolysis, preventing incorrect usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional food supports are used without identification markings, then the device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is simpler, but the reliability decreases due to potential misuse across different cooking appliances

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecorrect assignment to cooking modeVSAvoidstructure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-marking the food support with identification indicators during manufacturing. The embossed markings are created in advance on the support surface, allowing users to correctly identify the appropriate food support for specific cooking modes before actual use, thereby preventing misuse and improving reliability without adding complex operational steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs visual differentiation through embossed markings that create contrasting surface patterns. The raised embossed areas form visible geometric patterns or symbols that differ from the surrounding flat surface, enabling easy visual identification of the food support type and its intended cooking mode application

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

2Reliability

If identification markings are added to food supports, then the reliability of correct usage improves, but the ease of manufacture decreases due to additional processing steps

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprevention of misuseVSAvoidmanufacturing process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the identification marking function with the existing food support manufacturing process. The embossed patterns are integrated into the forming of the food support structure itself, combining the structural creation and identification marking into a single manufacturing operation, thereby avoiding separate additional processing steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The embossed markings serve a dual function: they structurally define the food support geometry while simultaneously providing the identification information. The manufacturing process that creates the food support shape inherently creates the identification patterns, making the structure serve its own identification purpose without requiring separate marking operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If embossed identification sections are created on food supports, then the ease of operation improves by enabling quick visual identification, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual identificationVSAvoidembossing quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating embossed markings only in specific localized areas of the food support surface where identification is needed. The embossed patterns are concentrated in discrete sections rather than requiring precision across the entire food support surface, reducing overall manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining clear visual identification capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses partial action by implementing embossed markings that cover only the necessary area for identification purposes. The embossed patterns are designed to be sufficiently prominent for visual recognition without requiring excessive precision or covering the entire surface, achieving adequate identification with moderate manufacturing precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP2993415B1Cooked product carrier with an identification means
Publication Date: 2020.07.15 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP2993415B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The invention shows a food support, in particular for microwave operation, with at least one support element for food, which support element is fixed directly or indirectly to a frame element, the support element having an identification section.