Movable Grill Heat Plates for Multi-Mode Cooking Zones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current grills lack versatility, as they are limited to single cooking methods such as direct convective heating, indirect radiative heating, broiling, or smoking, preventing users from easily switching between or combining these methods on a single grill.
Innovation Solution
A cooking grill with a movable heat plate system that can be positioned above or below the grid, allowing for direct convective heating, indirect radiative heating, broiling, and smoking capabilities, along with dividers to create separate cooking zones, enabling the use of multiple cooking methods simultaneously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a grill is configured for direct heating cooking with a heat source directly under the grid, then steaks and burgers can be cooked effectively, but the grill cannot be transformed to indirect heating or broiling modes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a movable heat plate that can be dynamically repositioned between different locations (directly under the grid for direct heating, above the grid for broiling, or removed for indirect heating). This dynamic reconfiguration allows a single grill to perform multiple cooking functions without requiring multiple fixed heating zones, thus improving versatility while maintaining relatively simple device structure
Solution Approach 2:
The grill is designed with a universal heating system where a single heat source and single heat plate can serve multiple cooking purposes. By moving the heat plate to different positions, the same physical components enable direct heating, indirect heating, and broiling modes, making the grill multi-functional without adding separate heating elements for each mode
2Adaptability or versatility
If an indirect heating system with an oven is added to a grill, then radiative heating cooking is enabled, but the system becomes cumbersome and single-purpose
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the indirect heating capability universal by using the same movable heat plate system that enables direct heating and broiling. The heat plate can be positioned to create indirect heating conditions, and the same component is used for all cooking modes, eliminating the need for separate oven structures and simplifying operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential heating function from complex oven structures and concentrates it into a single movable heat plate. This heat plate can be positioned to provide indirect heating when needed, but can also be moved or removed to enable direct heating and broiling modes, avoiding the cumbersome fixed oven structure while maintaining indirect heating capability
3Adaptability or versatility
If a heat plate is positioned above the grid for broiling, then intense heat can be directed at food from above, but the grill cannot simultaneously perform other cooking methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a single movable heat plate that can be dynamically repositioned to enable different cooking methods. The same heat plate that provides intense heat from above for broiling can be moved to directly under the grid for direct heating or positioned to enable indirect heating, allowing variety in cooking methods without requiring multiple heat plates
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 grill provides the flexibility to cook a variety of foods using different methods on the same unit, enhancing cooking options and versatility, allowing for direct convective heating, indirect radiative heating, broiling, and smoking, while maintaining ease of use and efficient heat distribution.
Implementation Method 1
indirect radiative heating cooking by installing the heat plate underneath the grid and above the heat source, so that the direct heat from the heat source is transformed into indirect radiative heat
Implementation Method 2
the direct heat from the heat source is transformed into indirect radiative heat by the positioning of the heat plate
Implementation Method 3
charcoal, electric, or gas heat source
Implementation Method 4
electric, or gas heat source
Data Source
AI summary
A cooking grill with apparatus by which food may be cooked using direct convective heat, indirect radiative heat, broiling (direct radiative heat), and smoking features as well as the method for transforming the grill to use any one of these cooking features, or combinations of these cooking pictures, at any given time is disclosed. The method of heating employed depends on the placement of one or more movable and removable heat plates of the present invention with respect to the grid or grids of the grill. The grill of the present invention provides versatility in introducing a grill with a plurality of cooking systems as well as grill cooking methods.