Pouch-Driven Container Rotation for Uniform Microwave Heating

Solution Overview

Problem

Microwave ovens often cause local overheating and non-heating phenomena due to the concentric rotation of turntables or stirrers, leading to irregular heating, especially in thick or cylindrical-shaped food items, which cannot be effectively prevented by existing technologies.

Innovation Solution

A rotating structure where a pouch is wound around a container and filled with a raw material that sublimates or evaporates upon heating, causing the pouch to expand and rotate the container, allowing for uniform heating by adjusting the expansion points of multiple pouches based on the raw material's properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a turntable or stirrer rotates concentrically based on a vertical shaft, then the product can be heated, but local overheating and non-heating phenomena occur in upward and downward directions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating uniformityVSAvoidlocal overheating and non-heating phenomena

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs asymmetric rotation by tilting the rotation shaft relative to the horizontal plane. The pouch is configured to rotate asymmetrically rather than concentrically, which changes the heating pattern and prevents localized overheating or non-heating phenomena that occur with symmetric concentric rotation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces a new rotational dimension by tilting the rotation shaft at a specific angle relative to the horizontal plane. This dimensional change in rotation trajectory allows the pouch to sweep through different spatial positions, improving heat distribution throughout the product volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Temperature

If a turntable rotates based on the rotation center, then heating is performed in a concentric shape, but irregular heating occurs according to the distance from the rotation center

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating distributionVSAvoidheating uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs asymmetric rotation by tilting the rotation shaft relative to the horizontal plane. The pouch is configured to rotate asymmetrically rather than concentrically, which changes the heating pattern and prevents localized overheating or non-heating phenomena that occur with symmetric concentric rotation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces a new rotational dimension by tilting the rotation shaft at a specific angle relative to the horizontal plane. This dimensional change in rotation trajectory allows the pouch to sweep through different spatial positions, improving heat distribution throughout the product volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Temperature

If a turntable or stirrer is used for heating, then the product can be heated, but the rotation mechanism increases device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating capabilityVSAvoidrotation mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The heating system utilizes the microwave field's own energy to heat the raw material inside the pouch, which in turn generates gas pressure for expansion and rotation. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for external motors or complex drive systems, reducing device complexity while maintaining heating capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical rotation systems (motors, gears, shafts) with a gas-pressure-driven rotation mechanism. The heated raw material generates gas that inflates the pouch, causing it to expand and rotate passively, thereby substituting complex mechanical systems with a simpler thermally-driven mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 uniform heating of cylindrical-shaped contents by rotating the container according to the expansion of the pouch, preventing overheating and non-heating issues, and allows for customizable rotation based on the type and amount of raw material used.

Implementation Method 1

a raw material provided inside the pouch, characterized in that the raw material expands the pouch by being sublimated or evaporated while being heated

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSublimation: Sublimation

Implementation Method 2

a raw material provided inside the pouch, characterized in that the raw material expands the pouch by being sublimated or evaporated while being heated

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 3

the microwave oven heats the food by using dielectric-based heating as a technical basis

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDielectric heating: Dielectric Heating

Data Source

PatentEP4018890B1Rotating structure and container using rotating structure

Publication Date: 2024.09.18 CJ CHEILJEDANG CORP

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Figure 3~3(b)

AI summary

Provided are a rotating structure and a container using the rotating structure, the rotating structure including: a pouch coupled to a container while being wounded around a circumference of the container; and a raw material provided inside the pouch, wherein the raw material expands the pouch by being sublimated or evaporated while being heated, and the container is rotated according to expansion of the pouch, wherein the container using the rotating structure couples the rotating structure to the container storing content therein and having a container shape.