Three-Phase Cooking Chamber Heating for Even Browning and Core Temperature

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cooking methods and devices, even with precise core temperature control, often result in unsatisfactory cooking outcomes due to temperature inconsistencies between the food's surface and core, leading to overcooking or undercooking.

Innovation Solution

A cooking method and appliance that utilize three distinct phases: an initial high heat phase for browning, an equalization phase with reduced heat to balance surface and core temperatures, and a subsequent phase for achieving the desired core temperature, using a combination of thermal, steam, and microwave heat sources, with active heat dissipation and moisture management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a high overall heat output is introduced into the cooking chamber in the initial phase to brown the surface of the food, then the surface browning is improved, but the core temperature may not reach the desired level or may be overcooked due to temperature inconsistency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface temperatureVSAvoidcooking uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The cooking process is divided into three distinct phases: initial phase with high heat output for surface browning, intermediate phase with reduced heat output to prevent core overheating, and final phase to achieve desired core temperature. This temporal segmentation allows different heat treatments at different times, resolving the contradiction between surface browning and core temperature control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cooking process uses periodic modulation of heat output with high heat applied in the initial phase, followed by reduced heat in the intermediate phase, and then adjusted heat in the final phase. This periodic action pattern enables precise control over temperature distribution, achieving both surface browning and core temperature uniformity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Measurement precision

If the core temperature is precisely maintained using a core skewer, then the core temperature control is improved, but the cooking result may still deviate from the desired result due to surface-core temperature differences

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecore temperature measurementVSAvoidcooking result consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from core temperature measurement to dynamically adjust the overall heat output introduced into the cooking chamber. The control device modulates heating elements based on real-time core temperature data, and combines this with the three-phase heat output strategy to maintain both core and surface temperatures within desired ranges, ensuring consistent cooking results.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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 approach ensures tender and evenly cooked food without overheating, allowing for precise control of cooking parameters and improved cooking results, potentially eliminating the need for core skewers and providing consistent outcomes across varying food sizes.

Implementation Method 1

a high overall heat output is introduced into the cooking chamber in an initial phase of the cooking process... The high total heat output in the initial phase comes at least essentially from at least one thermal heat source

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Implementation Method 2

Thermal heat sources that supply heat output to the food via convection or heat radiation must supply the heat output via the surface of the food to be cooked

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

or a microwave source is present

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMicrowave radiation: Microwave Radiation

Implementation Method 4

In the connection phase or in a later cooking phase, an average overall heat output is introduced into the cooking chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDielectric heating: Dielectric Heating

Implementation Method 5

EP 1 975 517 A2 discloses a method with temporal phases of different steam application

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Implementation Method 6

Hot steam is applied to the item to be cooked for a predetermined time in order to activate the cooking process

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLatent heat: Latent Heat

Data Source

PatentEP2662630B1Method for preparing a cooked good and cooking device
Publication Date: 2016.09.14 MIELE & CO KG
  • EP2662630B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2662630B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP2662630B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

The method involves introducing a high total heat output from a heat source (5) into a cooking chamber (2) of a cooking device (1) during an initial phase of a cooking process. A low total heat output is introduced into the cooking chamber during a balancing phase of the cooking process, where the low total heat output is a fraction of the high total heat output. An average total heating power is introduced into the cooking chamber during a terminal phase of the cooking process, where the total heating power is higher than in the balancing phase and lower than in the terminal phase. An independent claim is also included for a cooking device.