Movable Door for Vertical Grill to Separate Grease from Cooked Food
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vertical cooking grills face challenges in separating oil and grease from cooked food during the delivery process, as these byproducts fall directly onto the food product delivery tray, contaminating the cooked food and adding unwanted calories and visual imperfections.
Innovation Solution
A movable door system with a flexible, food-grade material door is positioned between the cooking slots and the food product delivery area, redirecting oil, grease, and debris to a separate grease pan, using a movable rod and tensioner mechanism to change the path of falling debris from vertical to angled, allowing clean food to be delivered onto the tray.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a movable door system is introduced to separate oil and grease from cooked food, then food purity and appearance are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door system transitions from a static barrier to a dynamic movable structure that can shift between blocked and open positions. The door assembly includes a movable door support that travels along a track, allowing the door to dynamically adjust its position to either block the direct path of falling debris or allow food to pass through, thereby resolving the contradiction between contamination prevention and operational efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The movable door acts as an intermediary element between the cooking slots and food delivery tray. By introducing this intermediate component, the system can control the flow path of both food and debris, separating their trajectories to prevent contamination while maintaining the ability to efficiently deliver cooked food when needed
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the door blocks the direct path to prevent grease contamination, then food quality is improved, but food delivery time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door system operates periodically, alternating between blocked and open states. During the blocked state, the door prevents grease and debris from contaminating the food delivery area. When cooking is complete, the door transitions to an open state to allow rapid food delivery. This periodic action resolves the contradiction by providing contamination protection during cooking while enabling quick food discharge when ready
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic movability of the door allows it to quickly transition between blocked and open positions. The door support travels along a track to change the door's position, enabling rapid state changes that minimize food delivery time while maintaining effective contamination barriers during the cooking phase
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides a movable door that directs debris, such as oil, grease, and food particles, that falls from a plurality of cooking slots in a vertical cooking grill to an area separate from a food product delivery tray, providing a cooked food product with reduced calories that is potentially more visually appealing.