Method of steam cooking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household ovens with steam cooking capabilities face challenges in manual steam cooking cycles, where users may inadvertently cook food that is either dry, insufficiently moist, or soggy due to incorrect inputs, and automatic cycles are complex and inflexible, lacking user-adjustability.
Innovation Solution
A method for steam cooking in an automatic household oven that allows users to input cooking temperature and steam level, with a preprogrammed cycle that includes controlled heating rates and steam generation, enabling flexible and adjustable cooking parameters while eliminating guesswork.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a manual cooking cycle is used, then the oven controller implementation is simpler, but the user may enter inappropriate inputs resulting in dry, insufficiently moist, or soggy food
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores optimal steam generation rates corresponding to various cooking temperatures in a lookup table before operation. During cooking, the controller simply retrieves the appropriate steam rate based on the user-selected temperature, eliminating the need for complex real-time calculations while ensuring reliable, consistent results.
2Reliability
If automatic cooking cycles are used, then the cooking results are more reliable and eliminate user guesswork, but the oven controller implementation becomes more complex and the user cannot adjust parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides a dynamic cooking mode where the steam generation rate automatically adjusts based on the user-selected cooking temperature. The controller dynamically retrieves appropriate steam rates from stored data and applies them throughout the cooking cycle, combining the reliability of automated control with the flexibility of user-adjustable parameters.
3Reliability
If food-specific automatic cycles are implemented, then the cooking results are optimized for specific foods, but the oven requires multiple programs and reduces user flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a universal cooking approach where a single cooking cycle type can be used for various foods by simply adjusting the cooking temperature parameter. The controller stores multiple steam generation rates corresponding to different temperatures, allowing users to cook different food types with one versatile mode rather than requiring separate programmed cycles for each food type.
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 method ensures food is cooked to a desired temperature and moisture level, offering a simple yet adjustable manual cooking cycle with automated aspects, reducing the risk of overcooking or undercooking and eliminating the need for multiple food-specific programs.
Implementation Method 1
a heating system for heating the cooking cavity
Implementation Method 2
a steam system for introducing steam into the cooking cavity
Implementation Method 3
Method of steam cooking in an automated household oven with a cooking cavity, a heating system for heating the cooking cavity, and a steam system for introducing steam into the cooking cavity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method of cooking food with steam in an automatic household oven comprises receiving a user inputted cooking temperature, receiving a user inputted steam level, and implementing a preprogrammed steam cooking cycle based on the user inputted cooking temperature and the user inputted steam level.