Grilling machine
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing grilling machines are limited for use in indoor environments due to the dispersion of greasy fumes and odors, and their fume evacuation systems are prone to fires and require costly maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A grilling machine with a bridge-shaped hood and a filtering unit comprising impact filters, activated charcoal, and an electrostatic filtering module to recirculate purified air, combined with a lenticular cooking plate and a recirculation circuit for self-cleaning and efficient fume treatment, allowing for indoor use without external ventilation systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a chimney flue evacuation system is used to remove cooking fumes, then the grilling machine can be used in indoor environments, but the system requires costly installation, maintenance, and creates fire hazards from fat impregnation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes harmful components (greasy fumes and odors) from the cooking atmosphere through a filtering unit with multiple filtering modules, separating them from the air that will be recirculated. This eliminates the need for complex evacuation systems while still addressing the harmful factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system discards harmful fumes and odors through filtration while recovering and recirculating the purified air back into the cooking environment. This creates a closed-loop system that eliminates waste and reduces the need for external ventilation infrastructure.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If external fumes evacuation systems are installed, then cooking fumes can be removed, but the systems require costly maintenance and cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The filtering unit is designed to be self-contained and self-maintaining, with the recirculation system continuously processing air through the filters. The system serves itself by constantly cycling air through the filtration process, eliminating the need for external maintenance infrastructure and reducing operational costs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If air recirculation with filtering is implemented, then fumes can be treated without external ventilation, but the filtering system adds device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The filtering unit is segmented into multiple independent filtering modules, each handling specific aspects of fume treatment (grease filtration, odor removal). This modular segmentation allows the system to achieve comprehensive fume treatment while maintaining manageable complexity through functional decomposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The filtering unit performs multiple functions simultaneously: filtering greasy fluids, absorbing odors, purifying air, and enabling indoor use capability. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems into a single integrated unit, reducing overall complexity.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If chimney flues are used for fume evacuation, then cooking fumes can be removed, but fire hazards increase due to fat impregnation
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the harmful greasy fumes that would otherwise accumulate in chimney flues and create fire hazards into a controlled filtration process. The grease is captured and removed in a controlled environment rather than being deposited in hard-to-reach chimney areas, transforming a fire hazard into a manageable waste stream.
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 reduces energy consumption and maintenance by recirculating purified air and liquids, preventing fires, and enabling safe indoor use while maintaining efficient cooking performance.
Implementation Method 1
said electrostatic filtering cell block is equipped with a ionization section and a collector cell, for filtering said cooking fumes in a continuous and fine manner
Implementation Method 2
a centrifugal aspirator associated with said filtering unit sucks in said cooking fumes and then recirculates said purified flow downstream of said filtering unit
Implementation Method 3
The lenticular shape will allow the greasy substances generated as food is cooked to drain towards an outer edge of the plate
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A grilling machine is described, which comprises a base body, a plate, arranged on the base body and defining a cooking surface whereon foods to be cooked are laid, and heating means operationally associated with the plate for heating the cooking surface. There is also a circuit, associated with the plate, for treating the fumes produced during the food cooking process. The fumes treatment circuit comprises: a hood arranged above the plate, which comprises at least one suction mouth, a filtering unit fluidically connected to the hood, and at least one recirculation outlet fluidically connected downstream of the filtering unit and located near the plate. In this manner, the cooking fumes sucked in through the suction mouth of the hood are treated by the filtering unit in order to obtain a purified flow with a given percentage of humidity. The purified flow is then recirculated towards the cooking surface through the recirculation outlet in order to exert a humidifying action on the foods.