Spring-Loaded Adjustable Grate Clamping for Variable Food Item Sizes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking devices struggle to accommodate and evenly cook food items of varying sizes due to the difficulty in adjusting grates to hold differently sized items without burning or losing moisture.
Innovation Solution
A clamping and grate system with a spring assembly and adjustable features that allow for customizable spacing between grates, enabling secure holding of various-sized food items while promoting self-basting and reducing liquid loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fixed spacing grates are used, then the structure is simple, but the adaptability to different food item sizes is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements adjustable grate spacing through a spring-loaded mechanism with movable support arms that can be positioned at multiple locations along the grate assembly. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the grate spacing to be changed according to different food item sizes, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of grate spacing by providing multiple adjustment positions for the support arms. The spring mechanism enables the grate assembly to be positioned at different distances from the heat source, allowing optimization of cooking parameters for various food items while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
2Productivity
If grates are held close to heat source, then cooking efficiency is improved, but food items may burn due to direct contact
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable grate positioning mechanism allows dynamic adjustment of the distance between the grates and the heat source. Users can optimize this distance based on the specific cooking requirements and food item size, enabling efficient heat transfer while preventing direct contact burning through proper spacing control.
3Loss of substance
If fixed grate spacing is used, then manufacturing is simple, but liquid loss during cooking increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides adjustable grate spacing through movable support arms with multiple positioning options. This allows optimization of the grate configuration to minimize liquid loss by positioning grates at appropriate heights, while the modular spring mechanism keeps manufacturing complexity manageable.
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 system effectively secures food items of different sizes, ensures even cooking, and minimizes liquid loss by allowing for adjustable grate spacing and promoting self-basting, which can be easily retrofitted to existing cooking devices.
Implementation Method 1
a spring assembly including a spring configured to exert a biasing force on the second grate towards the first grate
Data Source
AI summary
A cooking device includes a clamping and grate system including: a clamp with a lever movable between an open position and a closed position and a clamp body having a clamp mounting feature and configured to move responsively to the lever moving between the positions; a first grate; a second grate adjustably spaced from the first grate; and a spring assembly including a spring configured to exert a biasing force on the second grate towards the first grate and an adjustment block including adjustment features. One of the adjustment features is coupled to the clamp mounting feature and the plurality of adjustment features are each configured to reversibly couple with the clamp mounting feature such that a distance between the spring and the first grate is controlled by which one of the adjustment features is coupled with the clamp mounting feature when the lever is in the closed position.