Microwave-Shielded Cooking Cavity for Conduction-Based Food Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microwave cooking devices often degrade the quality of food due to direct exposure to microwaves, leading to unsatisfactory organoleptic characteristics, and are limited in cooking techniques and cost-effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A microwave-compatible cooking device with a containing body made of microwave-susceptible materials and an autonomous microwave screen that blocks microwave radiation from reaching the food, allowing for cooking by conduction and convection, enabling techniques like griddling and Maillard reactions while preserving food quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If food is directly exposed to microwave radiation for cooking, then cooking speed is improved, but food quality and organoleptic characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a microwave susceptor material as an intermediary between the microwave radiation and the food. This susceptor absorbs the microwave energy and converts it to heat, which then transfers to the food through conduction. The food itself does not directly absorb microwaves, thus avoiding the quality degradation while still achieving rapid cooking through the heated susceptor medium.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct microwave heating (electromagnetic heating) with thermal conduction heating. By using a susceptor that converts microwave energy to thermal energy, the cooking mechanism shifts from direct electromagnetic interaction with food to thermal conduction through the susceptor, thereby preserving food quality while maintaining cooking efficiency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If microwave susceptor materials are used to heat the containing body, then cooking techniques like griddling and Maillard reactions can be achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the containing body multi-functional by incorporating microwave susceptor materials into its structure. The same containing body can now perform both traditional microwave heating and contact-based cooking techniques (griddling, roasting, Maillard reactions) by simply changing the cooking method, eliminating the need for separate devices for different cooking techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials for the containing body, combining microwave susceptor materials with other suitable materials. This composite structure enables the body to absorb microwave radiation effectively while maintaining structural integrity and enabling contact heating, thus achieving multiple cooking functions without significantly increasing device complexity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a microwave screen is added to block microwaves from reaching the food, then food quality is preserved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the microwave screen function with the containing body structure. Instead of adding a separate screen component, the microwave susceptor materials are integrated directly into the containing body, which already serves as the food container. This integration eliminates the need for additional screen components while achieving the same microwave blocking effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The containing body is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it contains the food, blocks microwave radiation from directly reaching the food, and provides a heated surface for contact cooking. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components for each function, thereby reducing device 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 device effectively cooks food using heat conduction and convection, preserving organoleptic properties and allowing for various cooking techniques, resulting in quality comparable to traditional methods while being cost-effective and easy to use.
Implementation Method 1
the containing body is able to absorb a microwave radiation, using it to increase its own temperature
Implementation Method 2
the microwave radiation is blocked by the at least one screen, at least partly preventing access to the cooking cavity present in the containing body
Implementation Method 3
the food located in the cooking cavity is cooked by conduction, taking heat from the heated containing body
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
Device for cooking food comprising a containing body (12) defining a cooking cavity (13) to contain and cook the food. The containing body (12) is made of a material which comprises one or more compounds susceptible to microwaves, and comprises at leas a screen (18, 28) configured to screen the most part of said cooking cavity from microwaves.