Steam Cooker Lid Expansion Chamber for Fast, Low-Leaching Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steam cooking appliances often result in the washing out of nutrients and loss of flavor in food due to direct steam contact, and they are not designed for quick cooking or easy preparation of sauces and multiple dishes.
Innovation Solution
A steam cooking appliance with a movable confinement wall in the lid that allows steam to heat food through conduction, reducing the enclosure volume to enhance cooking speed and prevent nutrient leaching, along with features like a steam expansion chamber, removable perforated support, and juice recovery space for efficient cooking and sauce preparation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If steam is injected directly into the enclosure, then cooking is simple and effective, but nutrients are washed out and flavor is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The confinement wall acts as an intermediary between the steam and the food. It is heated by steam in the expansion chamber and then transfers heat to the food through conduction, preventing direct contact between steam and food while maintaining effective cooking. This resolves the contradiction by eliminating nutrient loss while preserving cooking effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the thermal transfer parameter from direct steam contact (convection) to indirect heat transfer through the confinement wall (conduction). This parameter change allows heat to be transferred effectively to cook the food while preventing the washing out of nutrients and loss of flavor.
2Productivity
If the enclosure volume is reduced to favor the steam expansion chamber, then cooking speed increases, but the enclosure size decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The confinement wall is made movable rather than fixed, allowing the enclosure volume to be dynamically adjusted. When the lid closes, the confinement wall moves to reduce the enclosure volume, creating a more compact cooking space that heats up faster. This dynamic adjustment enables quick cooking while maintaining a compact overall appliance size.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the volume parameter of the enclosure by moving the confinement wall. This volume reduction increases the ratio of heating surface to volume, improving heat transfer efficiency and cooking speed while keeping the appliance compact.
3Productivity
If the confinement wall is made movable to reduce enclosure volume, then cooking efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The confinement wall is made of elastically deformable flexible material that can be moved by steam pressure itself. This eliminates the need for complex mechanical actuators, motors, or control systems. The steam pressure naturally drives the flexible wall to the desired position, achieving movable functionality with minimal added complexity while maintaining high cooking efficiency.
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 appliance effectively conserves nutrients and flavors, allows for quick cooking, and facilitates the preparation of sauces and multiple dishes without the need for disposable bags, while maintaining a compact and simple construction.
Implementation Method 1
The movable containment wall in contact with the steam present in the steam expansion chamber can come into contact with the food and heat it by conduction
Implementation Method 2
a device for producing steam
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a food cooking and/or heating appliance comprising an enclosure (2) including a reservoir (40) and a cover (20), and a steam production device. According to the invention, the cover (20) is equipped with a steam expansion chamber (3) supplied with steam by the steam production device (1). The steam expansion chamber (3) comprises a containment wall (4) delimiting part of the enclosure (2) and said containment wall (4) can move in relation to the reservoir (40) when the cover (20) closes the enclosure (2).