Multi-Heat Cooking Chamber Control for Oil-Free Fry Texture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Microwave ovens are inadequate for fry-cooking as they do not effectively supply thermal energy to oil, making it difficult to replicate the frying process using these appliances.

Innovation Solution

A cooking apparatus with a microwave-heating unit, a convection-heating unit, and a grill-heating unit that performs a microwave-heating stage and a slim fry stage to achieve fry-cooking by activating the grill and convection units without the microwave, mimicking the effects of frying without oil.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If microwave-heating unit is used alone for cooking, then cooking speed is improved, but ability to achieve fry-cooking texture and color deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooking speedVSAvoidfry-cooking texture and color quality

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines microwave-heating unit, convection-heating unit, and grill-heating unit to operate simultaneously or sequentially. The microwave unit provides rapid heating while the convection and grill units supply the radiant and convective heat necessary for browning and crispy texture formation, thus merging different heating mechanisms to achieve both speed and quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit adjusts multiple parameters including power levels of each heating unit, cooking time, and temperature settings to optimize the cooking process. By dynamically changing these parameters during different cooking stages, the system achieves both fast cooking and desirable fry-like texture and color.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If convection-heating unit and grill-heating unit are activated continuously to achieve fry-cooking effect, then texture and color quality is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefry-cooking texture and color qualityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit implements periodic activation patterns where the convection and grill heating units are turned on and off in cycles rather than continuously. This allows the microwave unit to handle portions of the heating load during high-power phases while the convection and grill units provide browning and texture during lower-power phases, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The microwave-heating unit is activated first to rapidly heat the food interior and bring it close to the target temperature before the convection and grill units are fully engaged. This preliminary heating action reduces the duration and intensity needed for the energy-intensive convection and grill phases, thereby lowering total energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Speed

If microwave-heating unit is used for heating oil, then heating speed is improved, but ability to maintain stable oil temperature deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoil heating speedVSAvoidoil temperature stability

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit acts as an intermediary that coordinates multiple heating units to compensate for the microwave unit's inability to maintain stable oil temperature. When oil temperature fluctuates, the control unit adjusts the power levels of convection and grill units to stabilize the temperature, using these units as corrective mechanisms to the microwave unit's rapid but unstable heating.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 fry-cooking by replicating the texture and color of fried food using radiant heat and convection heat, allowing for crispy textures and browning similar to traditional frying methods without the need for oil.

Implementation Method 1

a microwave-heating unit to radiate microwaves to the cooking chamber

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMicrowave heating: Dielectric Heating

Implementation Method 2

a convection-heating unit to supply hot air to the cooking chamber

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection heating: Convection

Implementation Method 3

a grill-heating unit to supply radiant heat to the cooking chamber

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRadiant heating: Thermal Radiation

Data Source

PatentUS9035224B2Cooking apparatus and control method thereof

Publication Date: 2015.05.19 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

Disclosed is a cooking apparatus including a cooking chamber to receive materials to be cooked therein, a microwave-heating unit to radiate microwaves to the cooking chamber, a convection-heating unit to supply hot air to the cooking chamber, a grill-heating unit to supply radiant heat to the cooking chamber, a crusty plate configured to be heated by the microwaves, an input unit to receive a user fry-cooking command, and a control unit. When the user fry-cooking command is input, the control unit performs a microwave-heating stage of activating at least one of the convection-heating unit and the grill-heating unit and activating the microwave-heating unit, and performs a slim fry stage of activating the grill-heating unit and the convection-heating unit without activating the microwave-heating unit. Accordingly, the cooking apparatus achieves the fry-cooking process using the microwaves, radiant heat and convection heat without dipping the materials to be cooked in oil.