Grease trap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional grill plates lack an effective mechanism for managing grease and oil runoff during cooking, leading to inefficiencies and potential flare-ups due to uneven heat distribution and lack of dedicated grease management systems.
Innovation Solution
A grill plate design incorporating a grease trap with a cavity and opening on the top surface, integrated with a heat-conductive body and ribs, along with a cover system to capture and manage grease, ensuring it receives less intense heat and preventing flare-ups, while maintaining efficient food cooking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a grease trap is integrated into the grill plate, then grease management effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The grease trap is integrated directly into the grill plate body, merging the grease management function with the cooking surface structure. This eliminates the need for separate grease collection systems while maintaining effective grease capture through the cavity and opening configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The grill plate serves multiple functions: cooking food on its top surface and simultaneously managing grease runoff through the integrated trap. The trap cavity acts as both a structural element of the grill plate and a functional grease collection chamber, reducing overall system complexity.
2Productivity
If heat is directed more intensely to the food surface, then cooking efficiency is improved, but flare-ups from grease increase
Solution Approach 1:
The grease trap opening is positioned to extract grease away from the high-heat cooking zone before it can accumulate and ignite. The cavity structure removes grease from the direct path of intense heat while allowing continued cooking efficiency on the food surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The trap cavity acts as an intermediary chamber that intercepts grease runoff between the cooking surface and the heat source below. This intermediate structure allows grease to be collected and managed separately from the food cooking process, preventing direct contact between concentrated grease and high-temperature zones.
3Ease of operation
If the top surface is angled towards the opening, then grease flow to the trap is improved, but food placement area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The top surface features localized angling only in specific regions to guide grease flow toward the opening, while maintaining a relatively flat cooking surface in the central food placement area. This selective angling ensures effective grease drainage without significantly compromising the usable cooking space.
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 solution effectively captures and manages grease, reducing flare-ups and enhancing cooking efficiency by directing heat more intensely to the food surface while minimizing heat exposure to the grease trap, facilitating easy cleanup and maintaining a smoke-free cooking environment.
Implementation Method 1
a grease trap associated with said body, a cavity defined by said grease trap, and an opening to said cavity disposed proximate said top surface
Implementation Method 2
a heating element associated configured to heat said grill plate
Implementation Method 3
a cover system to capture and manage grease, ensuring it receives less intense heat and preventing flare-ups
Data Source
AI summary
A grill plate includes a body having a top surface for supporting food, a grease trap associated with said body, a cavity defined by said grease trap, and an opening to said cavity disposed proximate said top surface.