Food, cooking appliance for preparing the food, and method for controlling the cooking appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking appliances struggle to reliably determine the ready time of semi-ready-made or ready-made foods, especially when these products vary in composition or are cooked in appliances with different characteristics, leading to user supervision and potential overcooking or undercooking.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an indicator substance into the food that is insignificant for the cooking process but emits a defined signal detectable by sensors in the cooking appliance, allowing for reliable identification of the food and determination of its ready time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If semi-ready-made products are prepared in different cooking appliances with different characteristics, then the cooking time varies in a wide time window, but the user must continuously supervise the cooking appliance and rely on sensory capabilities to identify the ready time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an indicator substance as an intermediary between the food and the user. This substance emits a detectable signal (optical, acoustic, or electronic) that objectively indicates when the food is ready, replacing the need for user sensory judgment and continuous supervision. The indicator substance mediates the information transfer from the cooking process state to the user, enabling automatic readiness detection regardless of appliance characteristics.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the ready time is represented as a time interval rather than a precise time, then the product can be prepared in a wide range of different cooking appliances, but the ready time cannot be determined in a precise manner
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/time-based measurement system (timers and time intervals) with a sensor-based detection system. Instead of measuring time and inferring readiness, the system directly detects the readiness state through signals emitted by the indicator substance. This substitution enables precise ready time determination independent of the cooking appliance's heating characteristics or the specific time duration.
3Extent of automation
If sensors monitor air humidity to determine pizza readiness, then the cooking appliance can recognize when food is ready, but it is essential that the cooking appliance knows which food is located in the oven cavity
Solution Approach 1:
The indicator substance serves as a universal intermediary that works across different food types and cooking modes. Rather than requiring the system to identify specific food types and adapt to their individual cooking characteristics, the indicator substance provides a standardized signal that indicates readiness for any food containing it. This eliminates the need for complex food identification systems while maintaining automatic readiness recognition.
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 solution enables reliable and precise determination of the ready time for various foods, independent of their type or cooking appliance characteristics, ensuring consistent preparation results and reducing user oversight.
Implementation Method 1
an indicator substance that is insignificant for a cooking process of the food, which emits a defined signal when a defined preparation progress of the food is reached
Data Source
AI summary
A food in a form of a semi-ready-made product or a ready-made product includes an indicator substance which is insignificant for a cooking process of the food and which emits a defined signal when a defined preparation progress of the food is reached or in an initial state. The defined signal is detected by a sensor embodied in or on a cooking appliance.