Oven Sensor Passage Design to Reduce Complexity and Heat Exposure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ovens with cooking condition sensors face issues of increased complexity and material costs due to separate sensor accommodating pipes, which limit their application and durability, especially during high-temperature cleaning modes.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a sensor placed within a first passage part outside the cooking chamber, connected to a second passage part for external air suction, allowing air from the cooking chamber to flow through the sensor, with an inlet and outlet configuration that adjusts airflow to protect the sensor from high temperatures during cleaning modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate sensor accommodating pipe is provided in the oven, then the sensor can sense air discharged from the cooking chamber, but the structure becomes complicated and material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor accommodating function is merged with the existing exhaust passage structure. The sensor is installed within the exhaust passage that already connects the cooking chamber to the external environment, eliminating the need for a separate sensor accommodating pipe while maintaining the sensor's ability to sense discharged air.
Solution Approach 2:
The exhaust passage is given multiple functions: it serves both as the air discharge pathway and as the sensor accommodating structure. This multi-functional design reduces the total number of components needed in the system.
2Reliability
If a separate sensor accommodating pipe is provided in the oven, then the sensor can sense air discharged from the cooking chamber, but material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor accommodating function is merged with the existing exhaust passage structure. The sensor is installed within the exhaust passage that already connects the cooking chamber to the external environment, eliminating the need for a separate sensor accommodating pipe while maintaining the sensor's ability to sense discharged air.
Solution Approach 2:
The exhaust passage is given multiple functions: it serves both as the air discharge pathway and as the sensor accommodating structure. This multi-functional design reduces the total number of components needed in the system.
3Reliability
If the sensor accommodating pipe is fixed to the cooking chamber by die casting, then the sensor is positioned to sense air discharged from the cooking chamber, but heat of high temperature is continuously transmitted to the sensor which shortens its life
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust passage acts as an intermediary structure between the high-temperature cooking chamber and the sensor. It allows the sensor to be positioned where it can sense discharged air, while the passage structure itself provides thermal isolation, preventing direct heat transmission to the sensor.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor is extracted from the direct high-temperature environment of the cooking chamber and positioned within the exhaust passage where the air has already been discharged and cooled, reducing thermal exposure while maintaining sensing capability.
4Extent of automation
If the sensor accommodating pipe is used in pyrolytic cleaning at high temperatures (400-500 degrees), then the sensor can detect cooking conditions, but the high temperature heat makes the sensor accommodating pipe inapplicable to the oven
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts its airflow configuration based on the operating mode. During pyrolytic cleaning, the inlet is opened to allow cold external air to flow through the exhaust passage, cooling it and enabling the sensor to withstand the high-temperature cleaning process while maintaining automatic cooking capability during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The temperature parameter of the exhaust passage is changed by controlling the airflow configuration. During cleaning mode, cold air intake changes the passage temperature from high (cooking mode) to low (cleaning mode), making the sensor applicable to both high-temperature cleaning and normal cooking operations.
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 configuration simplifies the oven structure, reduces material costs, and extends sensor durability by minimizing direct heat exposure during high-temperature cleaning, enabling effective automatic cooking and cleaning operations.
Implementation Method 1
air in the cooking chamber flows into the first passage part, and then passes through the sensor to be discharged through the outlet
Implementation Method 2
a second passage part separated from the first passage part, and through which forcibly suctioned external air is transferred
Implementation Method 3
based on the inlet being opened, air flowing from the second passage part into the first passage part through the inlet passes through the sensor to be discharged through the outlet together with the air in the cooking chamber
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an oven having a sensor for sensing the air inside a cooking chamber so as to enable the cooked state of food materials to be recognized. The disclosed oven comprises: the cooking chamber; a first passage part disposed outside the cooking chamber so as to communicate with the cooking chamber; the sensor disposed inside the first passage part; a second passage part isolated from the first passage part, and through which forcibly suctioned external air is transferred; and an inlet and an outlet, which allow the first and second passage parts to communicate with each other, wherein, when the inlet is closed, the air inside the cooking chamber flows into the first passage part, and then passes through the sensor so as to be discharged through the outlet, and when the inlet is opened, the air flowing from the second passage part to the first passage part through the inlet passes through the sensor together with the air flowing into the first passage part from the inside of the cooking chamber so as to be discharged through the outlet.