Gravity-Fed Hot Food Dispensing for Clean Bun Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food product dispensing devices in convenience stores are inefficient and unsafe, often resulting in food breakage or burns, as they require manual handling with tongs or fingers, which is unsanitary and potentially hazardous.
Innovation Solution
A food dispensing device with a frame, angled heating and slant boards, and a flange with openings to catch juices, combined with a rotatable dispensing mechanism and actuation system that allows food to fall into a bun without direct handling, minimizing contact with heated surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual handling with tongs is used to remove food from heating surface, then food can be transferred to bun or wrapper, but food may break or be dropped leading to waste and tongs are awkward to use
Solution Approach 1:
The heating board is designed with an inclined surface that allows food to automatically slide from the cooking area to the serving area under gravity, eliminating the need for manual handling with tongs. The food serves itself by moving along the inclined plane, which prevents breaking and dropping while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The inclined heating board creates a continuous slope that equalizes the effort required for food transfer. By designing the board with a gradual angle, the system allows food to move smoothly from high to low points without requiring additional force or complex mechanical assistance, thereby preventing food damage.
2Ease of operation
If fingers are used to retrieve food from heating surface, then tongs can be avoided, but this is unsanitary and potentially unsafe as one might burn their fingers
Solution Approach 1:
The inclined heating board acts as an intermediary mechanism between the heated cooking surface and the user's hand. Food slides down the inclined board into a serving area or bun holder, allowing users to retrieve food without directly contacting either the hot surface or requiring finger manipulation near heat sources, thus eliminating burn risks and sanitation issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The design extracts the food retrieval function from direct human interaction with the heating surface. By separating the cooking zone from the serving zone with an inclined board, the system removes the need for users to reach into hot areas, eliminating the harmful factors of burns and contamination while maintaining simple operation.
3Productivity
If heating board allows juice to flow freely, then cooking function is maintained, but juice creates mess and requires additional cleanup
Solution Approach 1:
The heating board incorporates grooves or channels that redirect juice flow from a random two-dimensional spill pattern into a controlled one-dimensional path. This dimensional organization of fluid flow guides juices along the incline into designated collection areas, maintaining cooking efficiency while preventing messy spillage across the device surface.
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 device provides a sanitary and safe method for dispensing food products by preventing breakage and burns, ensuring food is handled hygienically and efficiently without the need for tongs, while maintaining product integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a cooking area where the food product is cooked and heated
Implementation Method 2
heating board is angled downward from a first end to a second end... slant board is angled downwardly from a first end to a second end for receiving the juices
Data Source
AI summary
A food dispensing device having a frame with first and second sidewalls in spaced parallel relation that house a heating board and a slant board. The slant board is positioned below the heating board and both slope downwardly. Specifically, the heating board has a plurality of slots therein such that juice from a food product flows through the slots and onto the slant board. Adjacent and below the heating board and slant board is a flange that is positioned such that when a food product is placed on the heating board the food product rolls toward the flange and simultaneously juice flows from off the slant board into a juice tray disposed below the flange.