Fryer Drain Lever Control for Shared Oil Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking fryer systems require complex and space-consuming manual filtering processes, leading to inefficiencies and food quality issues due to cross-contamination of cooking mediums between different food products, especially when using expensive zero trans fats media.
Innovation Solution
A system with a lever for opening a drain valve and an indicator light to manage the filtering process, reducing complexity and space requirements, and incorporating a controller to monitor valve states and prevent simultaneous filtering of different food products, ensuring efficient and controlled medium handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple drain containers are used for each frypot, then filtering can be performed independently for each food product, but the space requirement and system complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple drain containers into a single shared drain container that serves multiple frypots. The system uses a drain valve assembly with individual valves for each frypot, allowing selective connection to the shared drain container. This merging approach eliminates the need for separate drain containers for each frypot, reducing space requirements while maintaining the ability to filter different food products independently through controlled valve operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared drain container is designed to handle cooking medium from multiple frypots simultaneously or sequentially. The drain valve assembly provides multi-functionality by allowing the single drain container to serve multiple purposes: receiving waste oil from different frypots, enabling simultaneous filtering operations, and preventing cross-contamination through selective valve control. This universal design optimizes space utilization while maintaining food product separation.
2Area of stationary object
If a single shared drain container is used for multiple frypots, then space is reduced, but simultaneous filtering may cause cross-contamination between different food products
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates indicators that provide visual feedback to operators about the operational status of each frypot and the filtering process. These indicators help operators monitor which frypots are actively filtering and prevent inappropriate operations that could lead to cross-contamination. The feedback mechanism ensures reliable operation of the shared drain container system by guiding proper sequence of operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain valve assembly is designed with automatic or semi-automatic control capabilities that manage the connection between frypots and the shared drain container. The system can automatically control the opening and closing of drain valves based on operational conditions, reducing reliance on manual operator intervention and minimizing the risk of human error that could cause cross-contamination. This self-service approach enhances the reliability of the space-efficient configuration.
3Ease of manufacture
If manual operation of multiple valves is required for filtering, then filtering can be performed, but the operation complexity and time required increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drain valve assembly incorporates automatic or semi-automatic control mechanisms that reduce the need for manual valve operation. The system can automatically open and close drain valves based on sensor input or pre-programmed sequences, eliminating the need for operators to manually manipulate multiple valves during filtering operations. This self-service capability significantly reduces operational complexity while maintaining full filtering functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses indicators and sensors to provide real-time feedback about the filtering status of each frypot. This feedback information is used to automatically control valve operations, allowing the system to manage complex multi-frypot filtering sequences without requiring complex manual valve manipulation. The feedback mechanism simplifies operator interaction while maintaining precise control over the filtering process.
4Productivity
If multiple frypots are filtered simultaneously to save time, then productivity increases, but the risk of mixing cooking mediums and wasting expensive zero trans fats media increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates indicators that provide real-time feedback about which frypots are actively filtering and the status of the shared drain container. This feedback allows operators to monitor and control simultaneous filtering operations, ensuring that cooking mediums from different frypots do not mix in the drain container. The feedback mechanism enables safe parallel operation that maximizes productivity while preventing costly waste of zero trans fats cooking medium.
Data Source
AI summary
A cooking apparatus includes a first and second cooking vessel, a drain manifold connecting the first and second cooking vessel to a drain container for storing cooking medium, a first drain valve and second drain valve configured to connect the first and second cooking vessel with the drain container. A first drain lever selectively opens and closes the first drain valve, and a second drain lever selectively opens and closes the second drain valve. A first and second drain lever indicator indicate an operational status of the first and second drain valves, respectively. A controller monitors the first and second drain valve. When the first drain valve is open, the second drain lever indicator indicates a warning when the second drain lever is operated. When the second drain valve is open, the first drain lever indicator indicates a warning when the first drain lever is operated.