Steam Cooker Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking devices for steam cooking tamales lack efficient steam distribution and fluid replenishment mechanisms, requiring frequent lid removal and inadequate support for food items during cooking.
Innovation Solution
A cooking device with a thermally conductive pot having a fluid reservoir and cooking chamber, a fill pipe for fluid replenishment without lid removal, a foraminous basket with steam tubes, and disks to support food items, ensuring even steam distribution and continuous cooking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a traditional steamer pot is used, then the structure is simple, but the steam distribution is inefficient and requires frequent lid removal for fluid replenishment
Solution Approach 1:
The steamer basket is segmented into multiple sections with individual steam tubes in each section. Each steam tube has foraminous walls that distribute steam locally to food items, ensuring efficient steam distribution throughout the entire basket while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The steam tubes are nested within the steamer basket, and the basket is nested within the cooking pot. The lid contains a fill pipe that nests through the lid structure, allowing fluid replenishment without removing the lid. This nested arrangement achieves efficient steam distribution while minimizing structural complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the lid is removed for fluid replenishment, then the fluid reservoir can be filled, but the cooking process is interrupted and temperature consistency is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The fill pipe is pre-installed through the lid structure during manufacturing. The pipe extends from the exterior of the lid down to the fluid reservoir, allowing users to replenish fluid by simply pouring through the pipe without removing the lid, thus maintaining temperature consistency throughout the cooking process.
Solution Approach 2:
The fill pipe acts as an intermediary structure that connects the exterior environment to the interior fluid reservoir. It mediates the fluid replenishment process by providing a dedicated pathway that allows liquid to be added without disrupting the sealed cooking environment, thereby maintaining reliable temperature consistency.
3Productivity
If food items are placed directly on the steamer basket, then the structure is simple, but the steam circulation is inadequate and cooking is uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The steamer basket is divided into multiple compartments or sections, each containing individual steam tubes. The foraminous walls of these tubes create multiple steam distribution points, ensuring uniform steam circulation to all food items while maintaining a relatively simple segmented structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The steam tubes have foraminous (porous) walls that allow steam to pass through uniformly. This porous structure ensures even steam distribution to food items placed on the basket while keeping the tube walls thin and the overall structure simple.
4Ease of operation
If a fill pipe is added to the lid, then fluid replenishment can occur without lid removal, but the lid structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The fill pipe serves multiple functions: it allows fluid replenishment, acts as a structural reinforcement for the lid, and provides a pathway for steam escape during filling operations. By combining multiple functions into a single component, the added complexity is minimized while maximizing operational convenience and cooking continuity.
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
Facilitates efficient steam cooking by maintaining steam circulation and allowing for fluid replenishment without interrupting the cooking process, ensuring consistent internal temperature and even cooking of food items.
Implementation Method 1
a cooking pot that has a cooking chamber positioned above a fluid reservoir thereby facilitating steam from a boiling fluid in the fluid reservoir
Implementation Method 2
steam from a boiling fluid in the fluid reservoir to pass upwardly through the cooking chamber
Implementation Method 3
A plurality of foraminous steam tubes is positionable in the foraminous basket thereby facilitating the steam from the boiling fluid to rise upwardly through the steam tubes
Data Source
AI summary
A steam cooker assembly includes a cooking pot having a cooking chamber positioned above a fluid reservoir facilitating steam from a boiling fluid in the fluid reservoir to pass upwardly through the cooking chamber. A lid is positionable on the cooking pot to retain the steam within the cooking pot. A fill pipe is attached to the cooking pot thereby facilitating fluid to be added to the fluid reservoir without removing the lid from the cooking pot. A basket is positionable within the cooking pot and a plurality of steam tubes is each positionable in the basket thereby facilitating the steam from the boiling fluid to rise upwardly through the steam tubes. A plurality of disks is provided and each of the steam tubes is extendable through the disks facilitating each of the disks to support a food item to cook the food item with the steam.