Motorized Grill Frame Rotation for Safer Food Turning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large grills used for recreational events lack mechanisms for automatically turning food, leading to risks of burns, overheating, and hygiene issues due to proximity to heat sources, and require constant monitoring for cooking completion.
Innovation Solution
A grill system with a rotating grate-holding frame driven by two motors for vertical translation and 180° rotation, along with an electronic control system and remote operation, allowing for controlled cooking and safety distance from heat sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If manual turning of meat is used with traditional grills, then the grill structure remains simple, but the cook is exposed to heat risks and hygiene issues due to close proximity to the heat source
Solution Approach 1:
The grill system performs automatic turning and flipping of meat using motorized mechanisms (first motor for vertical movement, second motor for rotation), eliminating the need for manual intervention. The control system automatically monitors cooking progress and executes turning operations without requiring the cook to approach the heat source, thus resolving the contradiction between safety and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical turning with an automated electromechanical system. Motors and control systems substitute for human hands and tools, allowing the meat to be turned automatically while the cook remains at a safe distance. This substitution resolves the contradiction by introducing controlled complexity to eliminate harmful heat exposure.
2Ease of operation
If the cook stands close to turn the meat manually, then the operation is simple, but hygiene is compromised due to sweat contact with food
Solution Approach 1:
The automated turning system performs the meat turning operation without human contact. The motorized mechanisms handle all manipulation of the food, eliminating sweat contamination while maintaining ease of operation through simple remote control or automatic programming. The cook only needs to load food and start the system, then monitor from a distance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces mechanical intermediaries (motors, arms, grippers) between the cook and the food. These intermediaries perform the turning operation without requiring the cook to physically touch or approach the hot food, thus maintaining hygiene while preserving operational simplicity through automated control.
3Reliability
If constant monitoring of each meat piece is required, then cooking quality can be controlled, but the cook must remain constantly alert and nearby
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates sensors and control systems that continuously monitor cooking parameters (temperature, time, position) and provide feedback to the control unit. This automated feedback mechanism ensures reliable cooking quality control without requiring constant human attention, as the system self-adjusts and alerts the cook only when intervention is needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces constant human monitoring with automated sensing and control systems. Electronic sensors and programmable logic substitute for the cook's continuous visual inspection and manual decision-making, maintaining cooking reliability while dramatically reducing the operator attention required. The system can operate autonomously with minimal human intervention.
4Extent of automation
If the grate-holding frame is translated vertically and rotated automatically, then food turning is automated, but the device complexity increases with multiple motors and control systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the motorized system to perform multiple functions: the first motor handles vertical translation of the grate-holding frame, the second motor handles rotation, and the control system manages both operations along with monitoring cooking progress. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be separate complex systems into an integrated unit, achieving high automation while managing overall device complexity through functional integration.
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention is a piece of equipment for grilling food, provided with a frame that can be translated vertically and rotated by 180°, suited to support several pairs of grates hinged to each other, and wherein a first motor (1b) causes the grate-holding frame to translate vertically and a second motor (1a) is suited to rotate said grate-holding frame (10).