Infrared Sensor Mirror Layout for Low-Leakage Heating Cookers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Infrared ray detecting apparatuses in heating cookers face contamination from oil and steam, and interference from microwave radiation, making it difficult to accurately detect food temperature.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus is positioned outside the cooking compartment with a reflecting mirror having multiple reflection surfaces to redirect infrared rays, minimizing the detection hole size and enhancing temperature detection accuracy by ensuring uniform unit detection domains.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the infrared ray sensor is disposed inside the cooking compartment, then the light receiving unit can directly receive infrared rays from food, but the light receiving unit is contaminated by oil and steam and receives microwave interference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature detection accuracyVSAvoidcontamination and microwave interference
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The infrared ray sensor is extracted from the cooking compartment and disposed outside. A light guide is used to transfer infrared rays from the cooking compartment to the sensor outside, thereby separating the sensor from harmful environmental factors (oil, steam, microwave) while maintaining detection capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

A light guide acts as an intermediary element between the food (infrared source) and the sensor. The light guide transmits infrared rays from inside the cooking compartment to the sensor outside, enabling indirect detection while protecting the sensor from direct exposure to harmful factors

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If a large detection hole is provided in the cooking compartment for the infrared ray sensor, then infrared rays can be received, but microwave leakage increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinfrared ray reception capabilityVSAvoidmicrowave leakage
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor is extracted from the cooking compartment and placed outside, eliminating the need for a large detection hole. The light guide transfers infrared rays through a small opening, significantly reducing microwave leakage while maintaining infrared detection capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The detection path is changed from direct line-of-sight through a large hole to an indirect path using a light guide. This dimensional change in the optical path allows for a much smaller opening, reducing microwave leakage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 prevents contamination, reduces microwave interference, and improves temperature detection accuracy by allowing the infrared ray detecting apparatus to receive infrared rays without being exposed to the cooking compartment, while minimizing the size of the detection hole and ensuring uniform temperature detection across the cooking compartment.

Implementation Method 1

a reflecting mirror having a plurality of reflection surfaces to change a path of an incident infrared ray

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

a method of detecting the intensity of an infrared ray generated from the food, and then calculating the temperature of the food using the detected intensity of the infrared ray

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInfrared radiation detection: Infrared Radiation

Data Source

PatentEP2642822B1Infrared ray detecting apparatus and heating cooker having the same
Publication Date: 2016.04.06 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP2642822B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2642822B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2642822B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A cooking apparatus includes a body, an inner case disposed inside the body in a cooking compartment where food is being cooked, a detection hole formed at a wall of one side of the inner case, so that an infrared ray generated at the cooking compartment is released to the outside of the cooking compartment, and an infrared ray detecting apparatus 220 including a reflecting mirror 230, which has a plurality of reflection surfaces 232, 234 and configured to change a path of an incident infrared ray, and an infrared ray sensor configured to receive the infrared ray having the path thereof changed to detect an intensity of the infrared ray, thereby reducing the size of a detection hole configured to pass the infrared ray that is generated inside the cooking compartment, so that the adverse effect caused by the leakage of a microwave is minimized.