Five-Element Toast Oven Heating Control for Even Cooking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toaster ovens lack versatile and sophisticated power control over heating elements, leading to inadequate performance in tasks like toasting, baking, and broiling, with prior art methods resulting in uneven heating and thermal overshooting.
Innovation Solution
A toaster oven with five quartz heating elements, where at least some elements can be controlled to deliver true intermediate power by varying the AC waveform, using triacs or cycling relays to achieve continuous and even heating, allowing for multiple power settings and configurations to suit different cooking modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional toaster ovens use simple on/off control for heating elements, then the device complexity is low, but the temperature control precision and heating uniformity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from static on/off control to dynamic pulse-width modulation (PWM) control of heating elements. The controller varies the duty cycle of power delivery to heating elements based on feedback from temperature sensors, enabling continuous temperature adjustment and precise thermal control without requiring complex mechanical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical parameter (power delivery) to heating elements from binary on/off states to variable duty cycle percentages. By adjusting the duty cycle parameter, the system achieves continuous temperature control across a wide range, transforming the control characteristic from discrete to continuous while maintaining electronic simplicity.
2Speed
If toaster ovens use high power heating elements for fast heating, then the heating speed improves, but thermal overshooting and uneven heating occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action through PWM control, where power is delivered in pulsed cycles rather than continuously. The controller switches power to heating elements on and off at high frequency, with the duty cycle adjusted to deliver average power corresponding to the desired temperature. This periodic delivery prevents thermal overshooting while maintaining fast heating response.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback control by using temperature sensors to continuously monitor the thermal state of food and oven components, then using this information to adjust the power delivery duty cycle in real-time. This closed-loop feedback ensures accurate temperature maintenance and prevents overshooting while preserving rapid heating capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If toaster ovens provide multiple cooking functions (toasting, baking, broiling), then the versatility improves, but the user interface complexity and ease of operation worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single toaster oven device that can perform multiple cooking functions (toasting, baking, broiling, roasting) through software control of the same heating elements. Different cooking modes are achieved by selectively activating different heating element combinations and adjusting PWM duty cycles, eliminating the need for separate dedicated hardware for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes to differentiate cooking functions by adjusting which heating elements are active and at what power levels. Each cooking mode corresponds to a specific configuration of heating element duty cycles, allowing the system to transform between different cooking functions through electronic parameter adjustment rather than mechanical reconfiguration.
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
Enables precise and consistent heating across various cooking modes, preventing thermal overshooting and ensuring high-quality results in tasks like baking and toasting, while maintaining user safety and regulatory compliance.
Implementation Method 1
five quartz heating elements
Implementation Method 2
controlled in such a way that the power output of the elements can be varied... by varying the AC waveform, using triacs or cycling relays
Data Source
AI summary
A countertop multi-function oven. The oven, comprising: an internal compartment; a door for the compartment; at least five heating elements; the fifth heating element being located between two top heating elements; a controller coupled to the heating elements for providing a variable wattage; a user interface coupled to the controller, wherein upon user operation of the interface an oven mode is selected from one or more predetermined oven modes.