Oven Position-Sensing Temperature Control for Uniform Cooking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ovens often result in uneven cooking due to temperature variations across different positions within the oven, leading to improperly cooked food, which can cause health issues and user dissatisfaction.
Innovation Solution
An oven equipped with multiple heating elements and position sensors that adjust temperature output in real-time based on the food item's position, ensuring that the heating elements closest to the food emit higher temperatures and those further away emit lower temperatures to maintain consistent cooking conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional ovens use fixed temperature heating elements, then the heating system is simple to control, but the cooking uniformity deteriorates due to temperature variations across different positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adjusting the temperature of different heating elements based on their spatial position relative to the food item. Each heating element's temperature is individually controlled according to the local heat loss characteristics at its position, ensuring uniform cooking across the entire food surface despite variations in distance and orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the heating element temperatures adjustable in real-time based on detected food position. The system dynamically recalibrates the temperature output of each heating element as the food moves or is placed at different positions, transforming the static temperature control into an adaptive, position-dependent control system.
2Reliability
If the oven uses multiple heating elements with position-based temperature adjustment, then cooking uniformity is improved, but the system complexity and control difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by implementing an automated system that detects the food item's position and automatically adjusts the heating element temperatures without user intervention. The controller autonomously calculates the optimal temperature distribution based on position data, eliminating the need for manual calibration or complex user settings while maintaining high cooking consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by using position sensors to continuously monitor the food item's location and using this information to adjust the heating element temperatures in real-time. This closed-loop control system ensures that the heating configuration always matches the current food position, maintaining reliable and consistent cooking results.
3Manufacturing precision
If the oven delays heating until position information is obtained, then cooking precision is improved, but the cooking time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by detecting the food item's position before initiating the heating process. The system performs position sensing and calculates the optimal heating configuration in advance, allowing heating to start immediately with the correct temperature distribution already configured, thus avoiding both premature heating and excessive delays.
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
This solution ensures consistent and even cooking by dynamically adjusting the temperature output of the heating elements based on the food's position, preventing undercooking or overcooking and enhancing user safety and satisfaction.
Implementation Method 1
the one or more position sensors are constructed and arranged to obtain the position information of the food item by directly sensing a position of the food item
Implementation Method 2
the controller is configured to adjust a temperature output of the two or more heating elements... cause the first heating element to emit heat at a first temperature and to cause the second heating element to emit heat at a second temperature
Data Source
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AI summary
There is disclosed an oven (100) for heating food. The oven comprises a controller (156) and one or more heating elements (112, 114, 116, 118). One or more position sensors (138, 140) are provided that are constructed and arranged to obtain position information of a food item (134) to be heated in the oven by the one or more heating elements (112, 114, 116, 118). The controller (156) is configured to receive the position information from the one or more position sensors (138, 140), and to control a temperature output of the one or more heating elements (112, 114, 116, 118) based at least in part on the position information.