Stackable Cooking Assembly for Simultaneous Multi-Dish Food Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food processors often limit cooking to a single dish at a time, making it difficult to serve multiple guests simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A cooking assembly for a food processor that allows multiple cooking units to be stacked, utilizing rising heat transfer medium to cook multiple dishes simultaneously, with each unit having a food receiving section and a flow section forming a vertical path for the heat transfer medium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single cooking unit is used in the food processor, then the device is simple to operate and clean, but only one dish can be cooked at a time, reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The cooking assembly is divided into multiple independent cooking units (first cooking unit, second cooking unit, etc.), each capable of holding different food items. These units are stacked vertically within the pot, allowing simultaneous cooking of multiple dishes while maintaining individual access to each unit for ease of operation and cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single horizontal cooking surface to a vertical stacking arrangement of multiple cooking units. By utilizing the vertical dimension within the pot height, the system enables multiple dishes to be cooked simultaneously without significantly increasing the horizontal footprint or operational complexity.
2Productivity
If multiple cooking units are stacked vertically, then productivity increases, but the flow path for heat transfer medium becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The flow sections of multiple cooking units are designed to jointly form a single integrated vertical flow path. The heat transfer medium rises through the first cooking unit, continues through the second cooking unit, and so on, creating a unified convection current that simplifies the overall flow path design while enabling multi-level cooking.
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical flow path ensures continuous movement of the heat transfer medium through all cooking units in sequence. This continuous convection current maintains efficient heat distribution across all stacked units without requiring separate heating systems or complex flow control mechanisms for each unit.
3Productivity
If cooking units have both food receiving section and flow section, then cooking efficiency improves, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Each cooking unit is segmented into distinct functional zones: a food receiving section (cooking surface) and a flow section (with through-openings). This segmentation allows for optimized heat transfer through the flow section while maintaining a simple, flat cooking surface, reducing the need for complex precision manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooking units exhibit local quality differentiation where the flow section contains through-openings for heat transfer medium passage, while the food receiving section maintains a smooth, continuous surface for food placement. This localized functional differentiation optimizes both cooking efficiency and manufacturability by assigning different structural requirements to different zones.
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
Enables simultaneous cooking of multiple dishes, particularly dough-based or egg dishes, by effectively using steam as a heat transfer medium, ensuring even heating and safe handling.
Implementation Method 1
The pot is heatable, so that water contained in the pot can be heated to evaporate. The steam can rise in the pot
Implementation Method 2
a heat transfer medium, in particular water vapor, rising from the pot transfers heat energy to the cooking units, so that food placed in the cooking units can be cooked
Implementation Method 3
Water that condenses in the cooking vessel can flow back into the pot through the feed opening
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a cooking assembly (1) for a food processor comprising a pot (2), comprising several cooking units (3) that can be arranged one above the other or are arranged in a single unit. With such a cooking assembly (1), several dishes can be cooked simultaneously.