Heating Cooker Single-Port Steam Ejection for Reduced Complexity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heating cookers with steam guides between upper and lower rails result in reduced steam concentration between cooking dishes, requiring increased time and power consumption to achieve desired steam levels, and incur higher manufacturing costs due to complex component designs.
Innovation Solution
A heating cooker design featuring a single steam discharge port on the inner wall surface, positioned to direct steam between the uppermost cooking dish support position and the ceiling, utilizing a single steam passageway to efficiently distribute steam and prevent upward escape, thereby simplifying the steam ejecting portion and reducing manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a steam guide with multiple guide portions is provided between upper and lower rails, then steam can be supplied into the heating chamber, but steam concentration reduces in the space between cooking dishes and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple guide portions into a single integrated steam guide structure. Instead of providing separate guide portions at different heights, a single steam guide with a streamlined body is used, which simplifies the component structure while maintaining effective steam distribution throughout the heating chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The steam guide is extracted from the complex multi-component guide portion configuration and simplified to a single integrated structure. This extraction removes unnecessary complexity while preserving the essential function of directing steam into the heating chamber and maintaining steam concentration between cooking dishes.
2Ease of manufacture
If steam guide with multiple guide portions is used, then steam can reach the heating chamber, but assembling time and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple guide portions are merged into a single integrated steam guide structure, reducing the number of parts that need to be manufactured and assembled. This consolidation directly reduces both manufacturing cost and assembling time while maintaining the same steam distribution functionality.
3Productivity
If steam is ejected into the heating chamber from guide portions, then steam is supplied, but steam flows upward past the upper cooking dish reducing concentration below
Solution Approach 1:
The steam guide structure is designed with local quality variations, including inclined surfaces and specific discharge openings positioned to direct steam flow locally into the space between cooking dishes. This ensures steam is delivered precisely where needed rather than allowing it to escape upward past the upper cooking dish.
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 rapid achievement of required steam concentration within the cooking chamber, reducing power consumption and manufacturing costs while maintaining efficient steam distribution.
Implementation Method 1
a steam generating unit to generate steam that is supplied into a heating chamber
Implementation Method 2
high-speed heating by a condensation heat transfer action of the water vapor on a food surface
Implementation Method 3
a steam passageway provided to guide the steam generated by the steam generating unit to the discharge port
Implementation Method 4
Air inside the heating chamber 101 is inhaled through the suction holes 108 and heated by a heater, and the heated air is discharged into the heating chamber 101 through the upper discharge holes 106 and the lower discharge holes 107
Data Source
AI summary
A heating cooker includes a housing having a heating chamber defined therein, cooking dish support sections respectively provided on mutually opposed inner wall surfaces of the heating chamber to support opposite ends of a cooking dish in one of a plurality of vertically spaced support positions, a steam generating unit, and a steam ejecting portion having a single discharge port formed in an inner wall surface of the heating chamber and a steam passageway provided to guide the steam to the discharge port. The steam ejecting portion ejects the steam into the heating chamber through the discharge port. The single discharge port is provided in the inner wall surface confronting a space between the cooking dish supported in an uppermost support position of the cooking dish support sections and a ceiling surface of the heating chamber.