Appliance used for slow cooking or temperature maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing slow cooking and temperature maintenance appliances are often bulky, single-function, and lack portability and versatility, requiring multiple power sources and limited countertop space, making them inefficient and inconvenient for social gatherings and events.
Innovation Solution
A stackable and connectable slow cooker design with a housing featuring a heating element, power outlet, and interchangeable skins, allowing for efficient space use and easy setup, with telescoping stands and a removable lid that doubles as a utensil holder, enabling multiple appliances to be linked and elevated for buffet or serving stations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple individual slow cooker appliances are used to cook diverse quantities of food, then cooking versatility is improved, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple slow cooker units into a single integrated appliance with multiple independent cooking chambers. Each chamber can be controlled separately to cook different foods simultaneously, providing the versatility of multiple appliances while reducing the total number of devices needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The appliance is designed with multi-functional capabilities where a single device can handle diverse cooking tasks across multiple chambers. The universal design allows each chamber to accommodate different pot sizes and cooking requirements, making one appliance serve the function of several.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple individual slow cooker appliances are used for social gatherings, then food variety is improved, but countertop space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple cooking chambers into one appliance footprint, the device provides diverse food preparation capabilities while occupying significantly less countertop space than multiple separate units would require.
Solution Approach 2:
The appliance utilizes vertical space by stacking multiple cooking chambers one above another, transitioning from a horizontal space-consuming arrangement to a vertical configuration that preserves countertop real estate while maintaining food variety capabilities.
3Adaptability or versatility
If individual slow cooker appliances are transported to venues, then portability is improved, but setup complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated design with shared base, power supply, and control systems reduces the number of components to transport and set up. Instead of handling multiple separate appliances, users only need to move and configure one unified device for venue events.
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 design enhances meal preparation efficiency, reduces space requirements, and allows for customizable and organized food presentation, suitable for various settings from households to commercial kitchens, while minimizing cross-contamination and optimizing space and time during food preparation.
Implementation Method 1
The housing can preferably be equipped with a heating element for heating the insert
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal appliance includes a housing having an insert operably contained therein for receiving product for human consumption, the housing having an upper a stacking mating surface, a bottom mating surface complementary configured to be mated to an upper stacking mating surface of another like formed appliance, and a stand operably connected to the housing of the upwardly disposed appliance and to enable disposal on a surface below when the appliance is mated with another like appliance to maintain the upwardly disposed appliance in an elevated normal position relative to the stand.