Container including agitator for microwave sous vide function
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sous vide cooking devices are separate appliances that require storage and often necessitate pre-heating water, lacking integration with existing kitchen equipment for efficient temperature control.
Innovation Solution
A microwave oven container with an integrated agitator driven by the turntable assembly, featuring a cage to separate the agitator from sous vide bags and a temperature sensor to maintain constant water temperature during cooking, utilizing the microwave oven's cooking element and controller for sous vide cooking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional sous vide cooking devices are used, then precise temperature control is achieved, but device complexity and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sous vide cooking function with a standard microwave oven by integrating a heating element, temperature sensor, and circulation pump into the microwave's existing structure. This merging eliminates the need for a separate sous vide appliance while maintaining precise temperature control through the microwave's controller that coordinates between the cooking element and temperature sensor.
2Measurement precision
If conventional sous vide devices with built-in water reservoirs are used, then temperature control is maintained, but loss of time for pre-heating water occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating of the water bath using the microwave's high-power cooking element before the actual sous vide cooking begins. The controller monitors temperature continuously and activates the heating element in advance to reach the target temperature, eliminating the need for separate pre-heating steps that would otherwise be required with conventional devices.
3Stability of the object's composition
If an agitator is added to circulate water, then temperature uniformity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation pump is designed to be driven by the microwave's existing turntable motor through a coupling mechanism. The turntable motor, which already exists in the microwave for rotating the plate, is repurposed to drive the pump that circulates water. This self-service approach uses the microwave's own motor to power the circulation function, avoiding the need for a separate dedicated motor and reducing overall 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
Enables precise temperature control and efficient sous vide cooking within a microwave oven, eliminating the need for separate appliances and pre-heating, while ensuring consistent results.
Implementation Method 1
a microwave cooking element located within the housing to generate cooking energy within the cooking cavity
Implementation Method 2
an agitator projecting through a bottom wall of the body and configured to agitate liquid contained in the body, the agitator having a first end located within the body and a second end located external to the body, the second end adapted to couple with a turntable drive of a microwave oven to power movement of the agitator in response to rotation of the turntable drive
Implementation Method 3
a cage located within the body and substantially surrounding the first end of the agitator, where the cage includes a plurality of openings to allow liquid contained in the body to pass through the cage
Data Source
AI summary
A microwave oven container may include a body for containing a liquid, an agitator projecting through a bottom wall of the body to agitate the liquid contained in the body, where the agitator includes a first end located in the body and a second end located exterior to the body. The second end of the agitator is able to couple with a turntable drive of a microwave oven to power movement of the agitator in response to rotation of the turntable drive. The container may also include a cage located within the body that substantially surrounds the first end of the agitator and includes a plurality of openings to allow liquid contained in the body to pass through the cage.