Grill appliance provided with a non-stick cooking plate and manufacturing method thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing non-stick coatings on grill plates, such as PTFE and chromium, face issues like degradation, high maintenance costs, limited temperature tolerance, and inadequate non-sticking performance, especially at high temperatures and under abrasive cleaning conditions.
Innovation Solution
A micro-nodular chromium coating with a roughness of 0.5-5.0 µm is applied to a hardened and annealed steel support plate, providing a micro-corrugated surface that reduces food adhesion, enhances scratch resistance, and allows for higher temperature use without degrading, combined with a manufacturing process involving surface roughening and chromium plating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If PTFE coating is applied to provide non-stick capacity, then non-stick performance is improved, but the coating degrades progressively due to abrasive cleaning and releases toxic fumes above 280°C
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameter from PTFE to chromium coating, which has fundamentally different thermal stability (withstands temperatures above 280°C without releasing toxic fumes) and abrasion resistance. The chromium coating maintains non-stick capacity while being durable under abrasive cleaning conditions, resolving both the reliability and duration issues simultaneously.
2Reliability
If PTFE sheet is stretched to cover plate surface, then non-stick capacity is improved, but the sheet becomes rapidly dirty and requires frequent replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the disposable PTFE sheet with a permanent chromium coating that is integral to the cooking plate. The chromium coating does not become rapidly dirty like PTFE sheets and maintains its non-stick properties over extended periods, eliminating the need for frequent replacement and reducing maintenance time significantly.
3Reliability
If chromium coating with mirror finish is applied, then non-stick capacity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases and performance margins are limited
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of applying a smooth mirror-finish chromium coating, the invention inverts the surface morphology by creating a micro-roughened surface with controlled roughness (Ra 0.5-5.0 μm). This inverted approach, where surface irregularities rather than smoothness provide non-stick properties, simplifies manufacturing by eliminating the need for complex polishing operations while achieving superior non-stick performance.
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 offers superior non-stick performance, high abrasion resistance, efficient heat transfer, easy cleaning, and reduced maintenance costs, with the ability to operate at higher temperatures than traditional PTFE coatings, while maintaining non-stick properties over time.
Implementation Method 1
the coating is made of nodular chromium, i.e. the coating (12) has a micro-nodular structure/morphology
Implementation Method 2
at least the surface (13) of the support plate (11) has been subjected to a heat treatment to enhance non-stick properties and abrasion and scratch resistance of the surface (13)
Implementation Method 3
efficient heat transfer
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~5D
AI summary
A grill appliance (1) comprising at least a non-stick cooking plate (2) comprising a support plate (11) and a non-stick coating (12) on at least one surface (13) of the support plate (11), the non-stick coating (12) being a nodular chromium coating (12) made of nodular chromium having a micro-nodular structure/morphology.