Multi-meal cold storage and cooking appliance and system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current smart kitchen appliances require human intervention for cooking multiple items and lack automation in transferring meals from cold storage to hot cooking areas, necessitating users to manually prepare and cook meals.
Innovation Solution
A smart appliance with an enclosed structure featuring a cold storage portion and a hot cooking portion connected by a transfer mechanism, allowing automatic transfer and cooking of meal cartridges based on predefined cooking instructions, including temperature and duration, via Internet of Things connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual preparation and cooking of meals is performed, then cooking flexibility and meal variety are improved, but time consumption and labor intensity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Meals are pre-prepared and stored in cartridges in the cold storage portion before needed. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for manual cooking preparation at the time of use, reducing time consumption while maintaining meal variety through different cartridge options
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically transfers meal cartridges from cold storage to the cooking portion and executes cooking without human intervention. The appliance serves itself by monitoring stored meals, scheduling transfers based on user profiles and traffic conditions, and automatically cooking meals, thereby reducing labor intensity
2Productivity
If automated meal transfer and cooking is implemented, then time efficiency and labor reduction are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines cold storage, automated transfer mechanism, and cooking functions into a single integrated appliance. By merging these functions, the patent achieves automated meal preparation (improving productivity) while avoiding the complexity of coordinating multiple separate devices (mitigating device complexity)
Solution Approach 2:
The appliance performs multiple functions: storing meals in cold storage, automatically transferring selected cartridges to the cooking area, and executing cooking processes. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate devices, improving cooking efficiency while managing overall system complexity through integration
3Manufacturing precision
If constant monitoring and manual intervention is required, then cooking precision and meal quality are improved, but user burden and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors and controllers to monitor cooking processes automatically, receiving feedback from temperature sensors and timing mechanisms to maintain precise cooking conditions without user intervention. This automated feedback loop preserves cooking precision while eliminating the need for constant user monitoring
Solution Approach 2:
The appliance autonomously manages the entire cooking process including transferring meal cartridges, setting cooking parameters based on stored meal information, monitoring cooking progress, and notifying users when meals are ready. This self-service capability maintains cooking precision through automated control while dramatically reducing user burden and operational complexity
4Quantity of substance
If multiple meals are stored and managed manually, then meal availability and selection options are improved, but organization complexity and retrieval time increase
Solution Approach 1:
Meals are divided into individual portable cartridges with unique identifiers, allowing multiple meals to be stored in an organized manner. This segmentation enables the system to track and manage each meal separately, improving meal availability and selection while simplifying organization compared to storing multiple meals in a single undifferentiated space
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses an automated transfer mechanism as an intermediary between cold storage and the cooking portion. This intermediary component manages the complexity of transferring specific cartridges by automatically locating, retrieving, and transporting selected meals, thereby simplifying the user interaction while maintaining efficient storage organization
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 hands-free cooking of multiple meals, optimizing cooking time and temperature, and providing real-time adjustments based on user schedules and traffic conditions, ensuring meals are ready when needed without constant user intervention.
Implementation Method 1
a first portion configured to receive one or more meal cartridges, and store and preserve the meal cartridges at a selected temperature range
Implementation Method 2
The second portion may be configured to heat up to about 1000 degrees Fahrenheit
Implementation Method 3
a transfer mechanism configured to transfer at least one meal cartridge from the first portion to the second portion within the enclosed structure
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an appliance. In one embodiment, the appliance has an enclosed structure which includes a first portion configured to receive one or more meal cartridges, and store and preserve the meal cartridges at a selected temperature range; a second portion; and transfer mechanism configured to transfer at least one meal cartridge in the first portion to the second portion within the enclosed structure in response to a command input for cooking the at least one meal cartridge. The second portion is configured to accept the at least one meal cartridge, receive a cooking instruction command including a cooking duration and temperature determined for the at least one meal cartridge, and cook the at least one meal cartridge based upon the cooking duration and temperature.