Cooking device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cooking devices with grill heaters face challenges in maintaining the functionality of camera and lighting modules due to heat interference, which affects the quality of image capture and food recognition within the cooking chamber.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a grill heater with detour sections that bypass the photographing and light irradiation areas of the camera and lighting modules, ensuring the grill heater does not interfere with their operation, and uses a triple glass structure to block heat from the cooking chamber, maintaining the camera's temperature below 100°C.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If the grill heater is positioned in the upper portion of the cooking chamber to heat food effectively, then heating performance is improved, but the camera module and lighting module are exposed to excessive heat which degrades image capture quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating performanceVSAvoidheat interference with camera and lighting modules

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The grill heater is segmented into multiple straight sections and curved sections arranged in a specific pattern. This segmentation allows the heater to cover a larger area for better heating while creating gaps that prevent direct heat exposure to the camera and lighting modules positioned above

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The heater structure is designed with different sections having different spatial relationships to the camera module. Some sections (straight sections) are positioned to provide heating, while curved sections and detour portions are specifically arranged to bypass the camera area, creating local variations in heat distribution that protect sensitive components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If the camera module is positioned above the grill heater to photograph the cooking chamber, then image capture capability is improved, but the camera module overheats due to proximity to the heat source

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage capture qualityVSAvoidcamera module temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

A glass plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the grill heater and the camera module. This glass plate acts as a thermal barrier that blocks heat transmission to the camera while allowing the camera to maintain its positioning for optimal image capture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The heater design incorporates detour sections that extend in the horizontal direction rather than directly upward toward the camera. This dimensional change in the heater's path allows it to bypass the vertical space occupied by the camera module, reducing thermal exposure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Area of stationary object

If the grill heater covers the entire upper area for maximum heating efficiency, then heating coverage is improved, but the lighting modules are blocked from radiating light into the cooking chamber

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating coverage areaVSAvoidlight irradiation to cooking chamber

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The grill heater is divided into multiple straight sections with gaps between them, rather than forming a continuous solid structure. This segmentation allows light to pass through the gaps while maintaining sufficient heating surface area

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The heater structure employs asymmetric arrangement with curved sections and detour portions that strategically navigate around the lighting module positions. This asymmetric design allows the heater to maximize coverage in certain areas while creating clear pathways for light radiation in critical zones

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

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

This configuration improves the quality of captured images by preventing overheating of the camera and ensuring adequate lighting, thereby enhancing food recognition and monitoring within the cooking chamber.

Implementation Method 1

uses a triple glass structure to block heat from the cooking chamber, maintaining the camera's temperature below 100°C

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 2

a grill heater in an upper portion of the cooking chamber to heat an inside of the cooking chamber

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Data Source

PatentUS20240093874A1Cooking device

Publication Date: 2024.03.21 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

A cooking device including a main body; a cooking chamber inside the main body; a grill heater in an upper portion of the cooking chamber and including a plurality of straight sections arranged in parallel, and a plurality of curved sections connecting the plurality of straight sections; a camera module above the grill heater to photograph the inside of the cooking chamber; first and second lighting modules at opposite sides of the camera module above the grill heater to radiate light toward the inside of the cooking chamber, wherein portions of at least some of the straight sections and at least some of the curved sections are configured as detour sections bypassing a photographing area of the camera module and light irradiation areas of the first and the second lighting modules so that the grill heater does not interfere with the photographing area and the light irradiation areas.