Kitchen Appliance Pressure Control Using Wall Temperature Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing kitchen appliances face technical complexity, error susceptibility, and increased cleaning difficulty due to the use of pressure sensors for controlling pressure in food preparation vessels, which are prone to errors and require complex signal transmission.
Innovation Solution
A kitchen appliance that uses a temperature sensor to measure the temperature of the vessel's wall to control pressure, eliminating the need for pressure sensors inside the cooking chamber and simplifying the design by leveraging the correlation between pressure and temperature in a pressurized system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a pressure sensor is arranged inside the food preparation vessel to measure and control pressure, then pressure control accuracy is improved, but device complexity and susceptibility to errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pressure measurement function from inside the food preparation vessel and relocates it to the lid. The pressure sensor is now positioned in the lid rather than extending into the steam chamber, eliminating the need for complex sealing and signal transmission through the vessel wall while maintaining pressure measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a communication interface as an intermediary between the lid (containing the pressure sensor) and the control device. This mediator handles the signal transmission and data communication, simplifying the overall system architecture by providing a dedicated communication pathway rather than requiring complex direct integration.
2Measurement precision
If a pressure sensor is arranged inside the food preparation vessel to measure pressure, then pressure measurement accuracy is improved, but ease of cleaning deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure sensor is extracted from the interior of the food preparation vessel and relocated to the lid. This physical relocation removes the sensor from areas that require frequent cleaning and disassembly, making the food preparation vessel easier to clean while the sensor remains accessible for maintenance.
3Extent of automation
If a pressure sensor with electronic data communication is used to automatically regulate energy supply, then automation level is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is designed with universal functionality to handle both pressure regulation and energy supply control through a single integrated system. The control device receives pressure data from the sensor and automatically adjusts energy supply accordingly, combining multiple functions into one unit to reduce overall system complexity.
4Reliability
If communication between the kitchen appliance and lid is implemented for pressure sensing, then pressure control capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A communication interface serves as an intermediary that simplifies the interaction between the lid and the control device. This interface handles all signal transmission and data communication protocols, providing a standardized and reliable connection without requiring complex point-to-point wiring or communication logic in each component.
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 reduces technical complexity, error susceptibility, and manufacturing effort while effectively controlling pressure for efficient food preparation, allowing for precise setting and monitoring of target pressures without the need for additional sensors inside the vessel.
Implementation Method 1
The invention is based on the finding that a correlation exists between pressure and temperature within a pressurized system
Data Source
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Figure 6~7
AI summary
The invention relates to a kitchen appliance and a method for heating food under increased pressure in a food preparation vessel, as well as the use of a temperature sensor reading. A kitchen appliance (7) for heating food under increased pressure in a food preparation vessel (8) comprises a wall (16), a temperature sensor (5) for measuring the temperature of the wall (16), and a control unit (17). The control unit (17) is configured to set a target pressure in the food preparation vessel (8) using a temperature sensor reading (5). The kitchen appliance is thus able to control pressure using a temperature sensor. In this way, a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor in the cooking chamber can be omitted. This reduces the technical complexity, the susceptibility to errors, and the manufacturing costs of the kitchen appliance.