Matchbox Oven Slider Stoppers Minimize Heat Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor ovens are inefficient in cooking a variety of food items with different cooking times and heat transfer profiles due to significant heat loss through their openings, leading to high energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A matchbox oven design featuring a housing with a cavity and movable slider platforms, equipped with stoppers to minimize heat loss by blocking the openings during cooking, and a heat source for efficient heating, allowing for different cooking times and profiles without excessive heat escape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conveyor ovens are used for continuous cooking, then productivity is improved, but heat loss through openings increases energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the stoppers movable rather than fixed. The stoppers can dynamically adjust their position - covering the openings during heating to minimize heat loss, and retracting to allow food insertion and removal. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by enabling continuous cooking capability while minimizing energy loss through the openings.
2Ease of operation
If conveyor ovens have fixed openings for food insertion, then ease of operation is improved, but heat loss increases energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The stoppers are designed to move between a closed position that covers the openings and an open position that allows food insertion and removal. This dynamic mechanism maintains ease of operation while minimizing heat loss, as the stoppers can be opened only when needed for loading or unloading food items.
3Productivity
If conveyor ovens operate continuously, then productivity is improved, but heat replacement requirements increase energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
By implementing movable stoppers that cover the openings during the heating phase, the system maintains continuous operation capability while significantly reducing heat loss. This reduces the energy required for heat replacement, as the heated cavity retains heat more effectively when the stoppers are in the closed position.
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 matchbox oven enables continuous and efficient cooking of diverse food items while minimizing heat loss and energy consumption, improving energy efficiency compared to conventional conveyor ovens.
Implementation Method 1
The heat source provides heat to the cavity to heat up any food item placed on a portion of the slider located within the cavity
Implementation Method 2
a first, second and third stoppers that serve as oven covers to prevent heat within the cavity from escaping through the first and second openings
Data Source
AI summary
A matchbox oven is disclosed. The matchbox oven includes a housing having a cavity and first and second openings. A surface is movable only in a single axis and a single plane, a first portion of the surface is located substantially within the cavity when a second portion of the surface is located substantially outside the cavity, and the first portion of the surface is located substantially outside the cavity when the second portion of the surface is located substantially within the cavity. A plurality of stoppers are attached onto the surface, wherein two of the stoppers substantially block the first and second openings when one of the first and second portions of the surface is located within the cavity.