Microwave Cooking Vessel With Mesh Insert for Fat Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking appliances, particularly sealed cooking appliances, face challenges in efficiently separating and removing large amounts of foreign substances like fats and oils produced during cooking, which can contaminate the cooking space and are not optimized for microwave oven mode operation, leading to inefficiencies in cooking time and space usage.
Innovation Solution
A cooking appliance with a storage vessel featuring a net-like first piece with removing holes and a second piece with a closed bottom, where the first piece can be easily detached and washed, and an insulating member to prevent sparks, allowing for efficient separation and removal of foreign substances while maintaining compatibility with both heating and microwave oven modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a circular supporter is used in a cuboid microwave oven, then the structure is simple, but the space efficiency is poor and large amounts of food items cannot be accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the supporter shape from circular to rectangular to match the cuboid microwave oven cavity. This asymmetric adaptation maximizes the use of available space, allowing the supporter to accommodate larger amounts of food items while maintaining structural simplicity for easy manufacture.
2Device complexity
If the housing supporting the supporter is disposed at a constant height, then the structure is simple, but the cooking efficiency deteriorates when small volume objects are cooked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an adjustable height mechanism for the housing that supports the supporter. This allows the supporter height to be dynamically adjusted based on the size of the food items being cooked, enabling small volume objects to be positioned near the upper heater for efficient cooking while maintaining relative structural simplicity.
3Device complexity
If a solid bottom vessel is used, then the structure is simple, but foreign substances like fats and oils cannot be efficiently separated and removed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the solid bottom of the vessel with a mesh or porous structure. This allows foreign substances like fats and oils to pass through the vessel bottom during cooking, efficiently separating them from the food items while maintaining relatively simple vessel construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the function of foreign substance collection from the main cooking chamber by providing a separate collection container positioned below the mesh bottom. This allows fats and oils to be collected and removed separately from the cooked food, improving hygiene and cooking efficiency.
4Ease of operation
If a detachable first component and second component structure is used, then the ease of washing is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the vessel into two detachable components: a first component (cooking container) and a second component (support structure or base). This segmentation allows each component to be easily removed and washed separately, significantly improving ease of cleaning while adding only moderate complexity to the overall vessel structure.
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 effectively separates and removes foreign substances, enhances user convenience, reduces cooking time, and improves space efficiency by allowing for adjustable placement and efficient heating of food items, while preventing damage from electromagnetic waves.
Implementation Method 1
an insulating member made of an electrically insulating material, disposed on the edge of the first piece, and disposed between the first piece and the second piece
Implementation Method 2
a first component in which a food item is placed, and a second component supporting the first component... a first piece having a plurality of removing holes formed in a portion, in which a food item is placed
Data Source
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AI summary
A cooking appliance in one embodiment may include a main body provided therein with a cooking space, a rack formed on a lateral wall of the cooking space, a door configured to open and close the cooking space, and a storage vessel which is held in the rack and in which a food item is placed. The storage vessel may include a first piece having a plurality of removing holes in a portion, in which a food item is placed, in transverse and vertical direction, and at least one bent portion on an edge thereof, a second piece onto which the first piece is mounted, and which has a bent portion at a position corresponding to the bent portion of the first piece, and an insulating member made of an electrically insulating material, disposed on an edge of the first piece, and disposed between the first piece and the second piece.