Cooking Vessel Strainer Insert With Foam Brake Overflow Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sieve inserts for cooking vessels are ineffective in preventing overflow during the cooking of foaming food products like noodles or pasta, as they do not adequately manage the foam that forms and rises, leading to soiling of the stove.

Innovation Solution

A sieve insert with a foam brake that creates an intermediate space with a different volume, arranged transversely to the direction of foam rise, to hold back the foam, combined with a draining aid and a seal to prevent overflow, and a water-impermeable area to catch any foam that bypasses the brake.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a peripheral impermeable area is added to the sieve insert to prevent foam overflow, then the overflow prevention capability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoverflow prevention capabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A foam brake element is introduced as an intermediary component between the cooking vessel wall and the food. This foam brake acts as a mediator that intercepts rising foam before it can overflow, while maintaining the simplicity of the basic sieve insert structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The foam brake is segmented into multiple radial elements that can be arranged in different patterns. This segmentation allows the foam brake to effectively intercept foam rising in different locations while using simpler individual components rather than a single complex structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the foam brake is arranged inside the sieve body, then the obstacle effect is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to hindered filling and emptying

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefoam interception effectivenessVSAvoidease of filling and emptying
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The foam brake is repositioned from a vertical arrangement within the sieve body to a horizontal radial arrangement extending from the sieve wall toward the center. This dimensional change allows the foam brake to intercept foam in the horizontal plane without interfering with the vertical insertion and removal operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The foam brake function is extracted from the sieve body interior and repositioned to the sieve body periphery, where it can perform its foam interception function without interfering with the core operation of filling and emptying the sieve insert.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Volume of stationary object

If the sieve insert is positioned close to the cooking vessel wall, then the space utilization is improved, but the seal complexity increases to prevent foam bypass

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespace utilizationVSAvoidseal complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A flexible sealing element is used at the interface between the sieve insert and cooking vessel wall. This flexible seal can adapt to slight variations in positioning and maintains the seal without requiring complex rigid sealing mechanisms, allowing the sieve insert to be positioned close to the wall for optimal space utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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

Effectively prevents foam overflow by utilizing a foam brake to contain the foam within the cooking vessel, ensuring the cooking process is contained and clean, while allowing for easy filling and emptying and efficient drainage.

Implementation Method 1

the foam produced during cooking is held back in the cooking vessel, so that the annoying overflow no longer occurs

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFoam: Foam

Implementation Method 2

the foam bursts and is held back

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSurface tension: Surface Tension

Implementation Method 3

a seal being provided at this point, which prevents foam that may have bypassed the foam brake from overflowing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydrophobe: Hydrophobe

Implementation Method 4

the food to be cooked can drip off unhindered

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravitation: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP2665398B1Strainer insert
Publication Date: 2018.10.17 SILIT WERKE
  • EP2665398B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2665398B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2665398B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a strainer insert for a cooking vessel, the insert being particularly suitable for cooking foaming goods to be cooked and preventing boiling over of the foam. For this purpose, the strainer insert is provided with a strainer body and a foam limiter.