Domestic cooking device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household cooking appliances lack the flexibility to offer a large number of operating modes, particularly automatic programs, at a low cost, limiting their versatility and efficiency in cooking various dishes with different ingredients, consistency, volume, and size.
Innovation Solution
A domestic cooking appliance that combines mechanical and electronic temperature control, allowing for manual, automatic, and hybrid operating modes, where the heating circuit relay can be switched on and off using an electronic circuit, and the mechanical temperature controller covers basic temperature settings, enabling a cost-effective design with increased programmability and safety features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a purely mechanical temperature controller is used, then the device complexity is low and manufacturing cost is reduced, but the adaptability and versatility for different cooking modes is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into distinct functional modules: a mechanical temperature controller for basic temperature regulation, an electronic circuit for clocked operation control, and a relay for switching heating elements. This segmentation allows each module to perform its specific function independently, enabling multiple operating modes (manual, automatic, hybrid) without requiring a completely complex integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is designed to perform multiple functions through a unified architecture that supports different operating modes. The mechanical temperature controller serves both manual temperature setting and provides temperature feedback for automatic modes. The electronic circuit can operate in clocked mode for automatic programs or be bypassed for manual operation. This multi-functionality allows the same hardware to adapt to various cooking requirements without increasing overall device complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If an electronic control system is used to provide multiple automatic programs, then the versatility and cooking precision are improved, but the manufacturing cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges mechanical and electronic control systems into a hybrid architecture. The mechanical temperature controller provides robust, low-cost temperature sensing and basic regulation, while the electronic circuit adds clocked operation capability for automatic programs. By combining these two approaches rather than using a purely expensive electronic system, the invention achieves multiple automatic programs at reduced manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic circuit is designed with minimal components necessary for clocked operation, using simple and inexpensive elements. The system accepts that the electronic portion may be less durable than mechanical components but compensates through the reliability of the mechanical temperature controller. This approach allows provision of automatic programs without requiring expensive, highly durable electronic components throughout the system.
3Productivity
If the heating element operates continuously at full power, then the heating speed and productivity are improved, but the energy consumption increases and temperature control precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element operates in periodic cycles rather than continuously. The electronic circuit implements clocked operation where the heating element is switched on and off at predetermined intervals. During automatic programs, the system heats rapidly initially, then uses periodic heating cycles to maintain temperature, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining heating productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical temperature controller provides continuous temperature feedback to the control system. This feedback mechanism allows the system to monitor the actual temperature and adjust heating cycles accordingly. When the target temperature is approached, the feedback signal triggers reduced heating cycles, maintaining temperature precision while reducing energy consumption compared to continuous full-power operation.
4Loss of energy
If the heating element is switched off frequently to save energy, then the energy efficiency is improved, but the temperature stability and cooking consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous temperature control through the mechanical temperature controller, which operates independently of the clocked heating cycles. Even when the electronic circuit switches off the heating element for energy efficiency, the mechanical controller continues to provide temperature regulation feedback. This ensures temperature stability is maintained throughout the cooking process, preventing deterioration of cooking consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the heating duty cycle parameters based on cooking stage and energy efficiency requirements. During intensive heating phases, the heating element operates at higher duty cycles for rapid temperature achievement. During maintenance phases, the duty cycle is reduced to improve energy efficiency. The mechanical temperature controller compensates for these parameter changes to maintain overall temperature stability.
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 appliance provides a cost-effective solution with enhanced flexibility, allowing for various automatic programs and improved cooking results by automatically adjusting cooking parameters such as temperature and time based on the type and quantity of food, while maintaining user safety and energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of electrically operable heating elements for heating a cooking chamber
Implementation Method 2
a mechanical temperature controller for regulating the switched-on heating elements depending on a temperature of the cooking chamber
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The household cooking appliance (B1) has several heating elements (2-5) for heating a cooking chamber, an operating selector switch (8), a mechanical temperature controller (9) and an electronic circuit (11) with a heating circuit relay (10), which electronic circuit is connected to the mode selector switch (8) in order to recognize an operating mode set by the mode selector switch (8), and which is set up to activate the heating circuit relay or to keep it closed depending on the recognized operating mode, with at least one operating mode in which the heating circuit relay can be controlled, is an automatic operating mode, the electronic circuit is connected to a temperature sensor (20), the electronic circuit is connected to an input device (25), by means of which several automatic programs can be selected when an automatic operating mode is set, the electronic circuit is set up for this , at least one for the selected automatic prog provide ramm associated target cooking chamber temperature from a group of multiple target cooking chamber temperatures and is set up to regulate the sensed by the temperature sensor cooking chamber temperature by driving the heating circuit relay to the provided target cooking chamber temperature.