Stacked Cooking Container Layout for Microwave-Steam Heating
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heating cookers that use microwaves and steam to cook multiple foodstuffs require complex pressure adjusting mechanisms, leading to increased complexity in design and operation.
Innovation Solution
A heating cooker with a simple configuration that uses microwaves and steam to cook multiple foodstuffs by employing a cooking chamber with a microwave generation device, a steam generation device, and a cooking-container mounting part, where one cooking container is heated directly by steam and the other is indirectly heated by transferred steam and microwaves, preventing taste deterioration in sensitive foods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a pressure adjusting mechanism is provided on the upper lid of each heated chamber to heat multiple foodstuffs, then the heating can be performed in accordance with respective foodstuffs, but the configuration becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the pressure adjusting mechanisms into a single shared mechanism located in the cooking chamber body, rather than having separate mechanisms on each chamber lid. This single mechanism controls the pressure for multiple chambers simultaneously, reducing the overall number of components and simplifying the configuration while maintaining the ability to heat multiple different foodstuffs according to their respective requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure adjusting mechanism is designed as a universal component that serves multiple chambers at once. The mechanism can adjust pressure for different chambers independently through a single control system, making it a multi-functional device that replaces multiple separate pressure adjusting mechanisms, thereby reducing configuration complexity while preserving adaptability for various foodstuffs
2Productivity
If steam is introduced directly into all cooking containers to heat multiple foodstuffs quickly, then the heating time is reduced, but the taste of certain foodstuffs deteriorates due to direct steam exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different heating methods to different cooking chambers based on the specific requirements of the foodstuffs being heated. Some chambers receive direct steam injection for rapid heating of foods that benefit from steam (like rice and buns), while other chambers receive indirect heating through heat conduction from adjacent steam-exposed chambers for foods that would deteriorate with direct steam (like grilled or fried items). This localized differentiation of heating quality maintains taste while achieving quick heating
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses chamber walls and mounting structures as thermal intermediaries to transfer heat from steam-exposed chambers to foodstuffs that should not be directly exposed to steam. The heat generated by direct steam injection in one chamber is conducted through the chamber walls and mounting parts to adjacent chambers, providing indirect heating that preserves taste while still achieving rapid heating through the intermediary thermal transfer path
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 configuration allows for quick and efficient cooking of multiple foodstuffs while improving taste, particularly for foods like boiled rice and steamed buns, while maintaining the crispness of grilled or fried foods by avoiding direct steam exposure.
Implementation Method 1
The microwave generation device radiates the first cooking container and the second cooking container with the microwaves
Implementation Method 2
The steam generation device introduces steam into the first cooking container via the opening hole. Then, the steam directly heats the first foodstuff accommodated in the first cooking container
Implementation Method 3
the heat used to warm up the first foodstuff in the first cooking container is transferred to the second foodstuff in the second cooking container
Data Source
AI summary
The heating cooker includes microwave generation devices that transfer microwaves to a cooking chamber, and a steam generation device that generates steam. The generated steam is guided to a first container, and a second container is provided on the first container. Then, a first foodstuff in the first container is heated by microwaves, and is also directly heated by the steam. A second foodstuff in the second container is heated by the microwaves, and is also indirectly heated by the steam. Accordingly, the heating cooker provided with cooking container capable of quickly heating a plurality of foodstuffs while improving the taste can be realized by using the heat of the microwaves and the steam.