System for preparing and presenting food

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing food preparation systems lack coordination in the form and quantity of food components, leading to inefficiencies in storage, selection, and preparation, with high packaging and delivery costs, and are not suitable for spontaneous meal preparation.

Innovation Solution

A system of pre-configured food blocks with coordinated sizes and shapes, including through-openings for efficient heating, and multi-layer compositions that can be assembled by users to create desired meals, using specialized heaters and preparation devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If individual food components are offered in separate packages for further processing, then food variety and customization are improved, but storage complexity and packaging waste increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefood variety and customizationVSAvoidstorage complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple individual food components (meat block, vegetable block, starch block, sauce block) into a single integrated food package. Each component remains separately contained within its own compartment but is delivered and stored as one unified package, eliminating the need for users to manage multiple separate packages while maintaining the ability to prepare various dish combinations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Volume of stationary object

If multiple food blocks are kept in a single package, then storage space is improved, but opening and resealing operations become necessary and complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage spaceVSAvoidopening and resealing operations
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The food package is divided into multiple sealed compartments, each containing a different food component. The outer package can be opened once to access all compartments, and each compartment remains independently sealed until use. This eliminates the need to repeatedly open and reseal the package while maintaining organized storage of multiple components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If food is delivered individually packaged for quick delivery, then food freshness is improved, but transport and packaging effort increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefood freshnessVSAvoidpackaging effort
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple individually packaged food components are merged into a single integrated food package with multiple compartments. Each component maintains its own sealed environment for freshness, but the overall packaging structure is reduced from multiple separate packages to one unified package, significantly decreasing total packaging material and transport volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Productivity

If pre-configured food blocks with coordinated sizes are provided, then meal preparation time is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeal preparation timeVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The manufacturing process produces food components in standardized, pre-configured blocks with coordinated sizes and shapes. Each block type (meat, vegetable, starch, sauce) is manufactured to specific dimensional specifications that ensure proper fitting and cooking uniformity. This standardization simplifies the assembly process and reduces preparation time while the manufacturing complexity is managed through modular production techniques.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 system simplifies storage, selection, and preparation of meals with minimal time and cost, ensuring freshness and variety, while providing a unique culinary experience by allowing users to easily combine and cook food components.

Implementation Method 1

a heating appliance, which allow the food blocks equipped according to the invention to be cooked particularly easily and gently

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

the food block has at least one opening that can be used for preparation purposes... optimized for cooking in the heating appliance

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3833229B1System for preparing and presenting food
Publication Date: 2022.01.05 IP IDEAS PRODN GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3833229B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3833229B1 patent drawingFigure 2~7
  • EP3833229B1 patent drawingFigure 8~10

AI summary

The invention relates to a system for presenting food according to the preamble of the claim and to a system for preparing food according to the preamble of claim 33.