Household cooking appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking appliances face complexity in fresh air supply, making it difficult to control humidity levels, especially during steam treatment operations, which affects food treatment results and increases moisture retention.
Innovation Solution
A household cooking appliance design featuring a steam generator outside the cooking chamber connected via a steam supply line and a fresh air line with a common end section that can be shut off, allowing for precise control of humidity through targeted fresh air introduction, using a fanless or fan-assisted fresh air line to manage moisture and temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate fresh air supply and steam supply lines are used, then the appliance can provide independent control of air and steam, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the fresh air supply line and steam supply line into a common end section that opens into the cooking chamber. This merging reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall structure while maintaining the ability to independently control fresh air supply via the shut-off element and steam supply via the steam generator, thus resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and independent control capability
2Device complexity
If fresh air supply is simplified, then the device complexity is reduced, but the controllability of humidity in the cooking chamber deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a shut-off element as an intermediary component in the fresh air supply line that can be controlled independently. This allows precise control of fresh air supply to the cooking chamber, enabling accurate humidity control during food treatment operations. The shut-off element acts as a mediator between the simplified common line structure and the requirement for precise humidity control
3Manufacturing precision
If targeted fresh air supply is implemented, then humidity controllability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements targeted fresh air supply by providing a shut-off element specifically in the fresh air line that leads to the common end section. This allows local control of fresh air supply at the point where it enters the cooking chamber, enabling precise humidity control without requiring complex control systems throughout the entire appliance. The local quality principle is applied by focusing the control mechanism at the critical 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 design enables improved controllability of humidity, enhances drying processes, reduces treatment time, and minimizes corrosion, while allowing for a more compact and cost-effective appliance configuration with flexible steam and air supply options.
Implementation Method 1
a steam generator (5) located outside the cooking chamber (2), which is connected to the cooking chamber (2) via a steam supply line (6)
Implementation Method 2
a fresh air line (7) leading to the cooking chamber (2)
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a household cooking appliance (1) having a cooking compartment (2), a steam generator (5) which is located outside the cooking compartment (2) and is connected to the cooking compartment (2) via a steam feed line (6), and a fresh air line (7) which leads to the cooking compartment (2) and can be shut off by means of a shutoff element, wherein the steam feed line (6) and the fresh air line (7) have a common end portion (8) which opens into the cooking compartment (2). The invention is in particular advantageously applicable to ovens having a steam feed function.