Heat Cooker Sensing Control for Uniform Heating of Viscous Foods
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heating cookers with temperature sensors on the bottom side of containers often fail to evenly heat cooking objects with high viscosity, leading to incomplete cooking and potential scorching, especially in deep-bottom containers.
Innovation Solution
A heating cooker with a camera on the upper side to image the container and a temperature sensor on the bottom side to detect temperatures, a controller estimates the cooking object's state and adjusts the heating output to ensure even heating across the container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If heating is controlled based on temperature sensor detecting bottom side temperature, then lower side portion is heated, but upper side portion cannot be sufficiently heated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional temperature monitoring (bottom side only) to three-dimensional temperature monitoring by adding temperature sensors on the side surface and upper side of the container. This multi-dimensional temperature detection enables comprehensive monitoring of temperature distribution throughout the cooking object, allowing the control unit to adjust heating to achieve uniform cooking throughout the entire object.
2Ease of operation
If heating is controlled based on bottom side temperature, then heating control is simple, but lower side portion may be scorched
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where multiple temperature sensors (bottom side, side surface, upper side) continuously monitor temperature distribution. The control unit receives temperature information from all sensors and dynamically adjusts the heating output based on real-time temperature differences. This feedback mechanism prevents scorching by reducing heating when the bottom temperature becomes too high relative to other regions, while maintaining simple automated operation.
3Ease of manufacture
If temperature sensor is placed on bottom side of container, then heating control is easy to implement, but cannot detect temperature of entire cooking object
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the temperature monitoring function into multiple segments by placing temperature sensors at different locations: bottom side temperature sensor, side surface temperature sensor, and upper side temperature sensor. Each sensor monitors a specific region, and the control unit integrates information from all segments to achieve comprehensive temperature measurement coverage of the entire cooking object, while maintaining relatively simple implementation at each location.
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 allows for comprehensive cooking of the cooking object while preventing scorching by adjusting the heating based on temperature differences between the top and bottom sides, ensuring the entire object is heated uniformly.
Implementation Method 1
a heating coil which is disposed on a lower side of a top plate on which a container such as a pot containing a cooking object is mounted and inductively heats the container on the top plate
Implementation Method 2
a camera which is disposed on an upper side of the top plate and images the top plate from above
Implementation Method 3
a temperature sensor which is disposed on a lower side of the top plate and detects a temperature of the container mounted on the top plate
Data Source
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AI summary
Heating cooker (10) includes top plate (14) on which container (C) containing cooking object (T) is mounted. In addition, the heating cooker is provided with heaters (16A to 16C) which are provided in a lower side of top plate (14) and heat container (C) which is mounted on top plate (14) and camera (30) which is disposed on an upper side of top plate (14) and images top plate (14) from above. In addition, the heating cooker is provided with temperature sensors (26A to 26C) which are disposed on the lower side of top plate (14) and detect temperature of container (C) which is mounted on top plate (14). Further, the heating cooker is provided with controller (50) which estimates a state of cooking object (T) in the inside of container (C) based on a captured image of camera (30) and a detecting temperature of temperature sensors (26A to 26C) and controls output of heaters(16A to 16C) based on the estimation result.