Rice cooking appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rice cooking appliances with stainless steel inner containers face issues of non-stick performance due to water film disappearance on heated bottom walls and excess moisture on side walls leading to rice lumps and sticking, respectively.
Innovation Solution
A rice cooking appliance with a non-coated inner container featuring hydrophilic patterns, including independent rice slurry recesses on the bottom and side walls, where the side wall recesses have transformed dimensions to balance water retention and transport, maintaining a water film and preventing rice from becoming overly wet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a stainless steel inner container without coating is used, then the container can maintain structural integrity and durability, but the non-stick performance deteriorates due to water film disappearance on heated surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating hydrophilic patterns with different properties at different locations on the inner container surface. The bottom wall has high hydrophilicity to maintain water film under heat, while side walls have moderate hydrophilicity to prevent excessive moisture accumulation. This spatial variation in surface properties resolves the contradiction between maintaining structural integrity and ensuring non-stick performance across different heating zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface parameter (hydrophilicity) of the stainless steel container through hydrophilic patterns formed by rice slurry recesses. By controlling the depth, area, and distribution of these recesses, the surface hydrophilicity is adjusted to maintain water film stability without compromising the underlying stainless steel structural integrity.
2Reliability
If the bottom wall has high hydrophilicity to maintain water film, then non-stick performance improves during heating, but the side walls accumulate excess moisture leading to rice lumps and sticking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by differentiating the hydrophilic pattern characteristics between the bottom wall and side walls. The bottom wall features deeper or more densely distributed rice slurry recesses to enhance water film stability under direct heating, while side walls have shallower or sparser recesses to allow适度 moisture retention without excessive accumulation. This localized differentiation resolves the contradiction between water film stability and moisture control.
3Ease of manufacture
If the inner container surface is made hydrophobic to prevent water adhesion, then cleaning becomes easier, but the water film formation is inhibited leading to rice sticking during cooking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the hydrophilic parameter of the inner container surface through controlled formation of rice slurry recesses. The surface is made hydrophilic rather than hydrophobic, with specific surface energy characteristics that promote water film formation during cooking. The recess depth and distribution are precisely controlled to achieve optimal water retention without creating excessive adhesion that would hinder cleaning.
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
The hydrophilic patterns enhance non-stick performance by retaining a water film on the heated bottom wall and reducing moisture on the side walls, preventing rice from sticking and making cleaning easier.
Implementation Method 1
the inner wall of the coating-free inner container can collect some of the rice slurry between the cooked rice and the inner wall after cooking, thereby enhancing hydrophilicity
Implementation Method 2
A heated part of the bottom wall of the inner container tends to cause the water film to disappear
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4-2
Figure 5-1~6-3
AI summary
A rice cooking appliance, comprising a pot body (10), a pot lid (20), and a liner (30). The liner (30) is removably arranged in the pot body (10); the inner side of the liner (30) is in contact with rice by means of a metal layer; the liner (30) comprises a bottom wall (31) and a side wall (32); hydrophilic patterns are provided in an array on the inner surface of the liner (30); the hydrophilic patterns comprise independent rice slurry recesses; the bottom wall (31) is provided with first hydrophilic patterns, the side wall (32) is provided with second hydrophilic patterns, and the hydrophilic capability of the second hydrophilic patterns is less than the hydrophilic capability of the first hydrophilic patterns. The inner wall of the coating-free liner (30) can collect part of rice slurry between the rice and the inner wall after cooking is completed, so as to increase the hydrophilicity; the first hydrophilic patterns located at the bottom wall (31) mainly function to maintain a water film so as to prevent the water film of a heated portion of the liner (30) from disappearing too quickly, such that a non-stick state can be maintained in a long-term heat preservation process; the hydrophilic capability of the second hydrophilic patterns is less than the hydrophilic capability of the first hydrophilic patterns, so that the side wall (32) has less capability of maintaining a water film than the bottom wall (31), thereby avoiding that the rice on the side wall (32) has high stickiness and is easy to remain due to excessive moisture.