System and method for managing grease from foodstuff during preparation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking utensils are ineffective in managing excess grease and oil during food preparation, leading to unhealthy diets and messy cleanup, with conventional methods being either inefficient or requiring additional care in manufacturing and handling.
Innovation Solution
A frying pan system with an integrally-formed extension and angled supporting structure, combined with an optional splatter shield, directs grease and oil away from food using gravity, minimizing puddle size and splatter while enhancing thermal and stability performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional frying pans are used, then cooking is simple and straightforward, but excess grease and oil accumulate in the pan leading to unhealthy food and messy cleanup
Solution Approach 1:
The pan is segmented into distinct functional zones: a cooking surface area and a grease collection area. The angled bottom creates a gravitational flow that separates grease from food, directing grease to a specific collection zone where it can be easily removed without affecting the cooking process
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a dimensional change by angling the pan bottom at approximately 15 degrees. This angular geometry creates a three-dimensional grease collection channel that directs excess grease toward a designated collection area, transforming the traditional flat pan surface into a functional gradient structure
2Object-generated harmful factors
If cooking grills are used to allow oil and fat to run off, then less grease remains on food, but the grill surface is difficult to clean and requires additional manufacturing care
Solution Approach 1:
The grease collection function is extracted from the cooking surface and consolidated into a separate, dedicated collection zone at the angled bottom of the pan. This extracted grease collection area can be easily removed or cleaned separately, while the main cooking surface remains simple and easy to maintain
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of creating a grill structure that requires food to pass through complex grates, the invention inverts the approach by creating a smooth angled surface that naturally guides grease flow. The solution simplifies the structure by removing complex grill elements while achieving the same grease reduction effect
3Object-generated harmful factors
If pan covers are tilted to drain grease, then excess oil and grease can be removed, but the process is cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The pan is pre-configured with an angled bottom and designated grease collection zone before cooking begins. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that grease naturally flows to the collection area during cooking, eliminating the need for post-cooking tilting or draining operations
Solution Approach 2:
The angled pan design enables self-draining functionality where grease automatically flows to the collection zone under its own weight during the cooking process. The system serves itself by continuously separating and collecting grease without requiring user intervention, tilting, or additional draining steps
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 system reduces fat and calorie content in cooked food, simplifies cleanup, and allows for cost-effective cooking of high-fat content meats, providing a healthier and more efficient cooking experience.
Implementation Method 1
directs grease and oil away from food using gravity
Data Source
AI summary
A system for managing grease from foodstuff during preparation in a frying pan is disclosed. The system includes a frying pan, a frying pan supporting structure, and an optional but preferred shield. The frying pan includes an underside having an extension integrally formed therewith. The frying pan supporting structure includes a bottom side for placement on a heating element and a top side upon which the frying pan rests. The frying pan extension nests within the top side of the supporting structure. The bottom side and the top side of the supporting structure are angled with respect to each other. The liquid, typically in the form of oil or grease in flowing form, substantially collects under the optional shield which prevents the splattering and splashing of oil and hot grease not only on the user but on nearby surfaces such as the stovetop, the adjacent wall, and the floor.