Method and cooking device for cooking cooked material
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking devices with multiple heating units, such as microwaves, convection, and steam, often go underutilized in households due to a lack of knowledge on how to effectively combine them for optimal food preparation, leading to suboptimal cooking results.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that determine the specific mass of food using a microwave unit, allowing for the optimal combination and adjustment of heating unit parameters to achieve the best cooking results, by varying microwave frequency, phase, and power, and combining with other heating units like surface-heating devices to ensure even cooking and desired outcomes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple heating units (microwave, convection, steam) are combined in a cooking device, then the versatility and cooking capability are improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to lack of knowledge on how to effectively combine them
Solution Approach 1:
The cooking device automatically determines the specific mass of the food item using microwave radiation and autonomously selects and adjusts the appropriate combination of heating units and their parameters, eliminating the need for user knowledge about how to combine different heating methods. The system serves itself by making intelligent cooking decisions based on measured food properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes operating parameters (microwave power, convection temperature, steam injection rate) based on the determined specific mass of the food, allowing optimal performance across different food types and sizes while maintaining ease of operation through automatic adaptation.
2Measurement precision
If the specific mass of food is determined using microwave radiation, then the precision of cooking parameter adjustment is improved, but the complexity of the measuring system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The microwave unit serves dual functions: it acts as both a heating element for cooking and a measuring instrument for determining food specific mass. By utilizing the existing microwave radiation infrastructure for both heating and measurement purposes, the system achieves precise food characterization without adding separate complex measurement devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The microwave radiation acts as an intermediary that enables non-contact measurement of food properties (specific mass) while also serving as the primary heating mechanism. This intermediary approach allows the system to obtain precise measurement data without physical contact or additional complex sensing hardware.
3Manufacturing precision
If heating unit parameters are adjusted based on food specific mass, then the manufacturing precision of cooking results is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional sensors and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement and control functions are merged into the existing microwave heating system. The same microwave unit that heats the food also measures its specific mass, and the control system integrates this measurement data directly into the heating parameter adjustment, eliminating the need for separate measurement and control subsystems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where the microwave unit measures the food's specific mass, the controller processes this information, and then automatically adjusts the heating parameters of all heating units accordingly. This closed-loop feedback ensures precise cooking results while keeping the control architecture relatively simple through direct measurement-to-control coupling.
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
Enables automatic and efficient combination of heating units based on food specific mass, ensuring even cooking, preventing overheating, and allowing for precise control of cooking parameters to achieve desired textures and appearances, such as browning, making the cooking process user-friendly even for those without extensive knowledge.
Implementation Method 1
determining a specific mass of the food to be cooked using the microwave unit
Implementation Method 2
At least one of these heating units is a microwave unit
Implementation Method 3
combining with other heating units like surface-heating devices
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for cooking food using at least one microwave unit (30) and a further heating unit, the parameters of which are set automatically based on a specific mass of the food to be cooked. A specific mass of the item to be cooked (25) is determined using the microwave unit (30) and then a number of parameters of the heating units (30, 40) are determined based on the specific mass. The item to be cooked (25) is then cooked by means of the heating units (30, 40) using the parameters. Furthermore, the invention relates to a cooking device for carrying out such a method.