Infrared Sensor Mirror Layout for Microwave Cooker Temperature Sensing
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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, especially when the sensor is exposed within the cooking compartment.
Innovation Solution
An infrared ray detecting apparatus is positioned outside the cooking compartment with a reflecting mirror having multiple reflection surfaces to change the path of incident infrared rays, reducing contamination and interference, and minimizing the size of the detection hole, while enhancing temperature detection accuracy by ensuring uniform unit detection domains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the infrared ray sensor is disposed inside the cooking compartment to directly detect food temperature, then the detection response is fast, but the light receiving unit is contaminated by oil and steam and receives microwave interference
Solution Approach 1:
A reflecting mirror is introduced as an intermediary component to redirect infrared rays from the food to the sensor. The mirror allows the sensor to be positioned outside the cooking compartment while still detecting infrared radiation from the food, thus avoiding contamination and microwave interference while maintaining detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The detection approach transitions from direct spatial positioning (sensor inside compartment) to indirect detection via reflected paths (sensor outside compartment with mirror). This dimensional change in the detection path allows the sensor to operate in a cleaner environment while maintaining detection effectiveness
2Reliability
If the infrared ray detecting apparatus is disposed outside the cooking compartment to avoid contamination, then the detection reliability is improved, but the detection hole size must be minimized to prevent microwave leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The reflecting mirror serves as a mediator that enables the sensor to detect infrared rays through a small detection hole without being exposed to the cooking compartment interior. This allows the hole to be kept small to prevent microwave leakage while still allowing sufficient infrared radiation to reach the sensor via reflection
Solution Approach 2:
The detection function is segmented into two separate components: the reflecting mirror that collects and redirects infrared rays, and the sensor that detects the redirected rays. This segmentation allows the sensor to be positioned outside the compartment while the mirror handles the interaction with the cooking environment
3Measurement precision
If a reflecting mirror with multiple reflection surfaces is used to redirect infrared rays, then the unit detection domain becomes uniform and detection accuracy is enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reflecting mirror is designed with multiple reflection surfaces, each optimized to redirect infrared rays from specific regions of the food to corresponding detection elements. This local optimization of each reflection surface ensures uniform detection coverage and accuracy across different detection domains
Solution Approach 2:
The reflecting mirror with multiple surfaces performs multiple functions simultaneously: it redirects infrared rays from different spatial regions, creates uniform detection domains, and focuses energy appropriately. This multi-functionality is achieved within a single integrated component, managing the complexity
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 solution effectively prevents contamination and interference, allowing for accurate temperature detection of food by positioning the apparatus outside the cooking compartment and using a reflecting mirror to redirect infrared rays, thereby improving the reliability and precision of temperature measurement.
Implementation Method 1
a reflecting mirror having a plurality of reflection surfaces to change the path of incident infrared rays
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
Data Source
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 including a reflecting mirror, which has a plurality of reflection surfaces 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.