Barbecue
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vertical grilling devices lack the ability to observe food during cooking, leading to potential burns and require pre- and post-cooking, which complicates achieving a perfect crust on both sides without heat loss.
Innovation Solution
A vertical grill with a housing featuring radiant heaters and a grill basket that allows for even grilling on both sides, incorporating a viewing opening for monitoring and a chimney effect for air circulation, eliminating the need for pre-treatment and reducing heat loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the top wall is closed to maintain high temperature, then temperature stability is improved, but the ability to observe food during grilling deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The top wall is segmented into a removable lid portion and a fixed housing portion. The lid can be removed or opened to allow direct observation of the food during grilling, while the fixed housing maintains thermal insulation and temperature stability. This segmentation allows the system to switch between closed (temperature maintenance) and open (observation) states.
Solution Approach 2:
A transparent viewing window or panel is introduced as an intermediary element in the top wall. This allows visual observation of the food through the closed top wall, maintaining both temperature stability (closed structure) and observation capability (transparent medium). The intermediary enables information transfer without compromising the thermal envelope.
2Manufacturing precision
If lateral heat sources are used for grilling, then even cooking on both sides is achieved, but pre- and post-cooking equipment is required
Solution Approach 1:
The vertical grill is designed to perform multiple functions within a single device. The lateral radiant heaters provide both the high-heat grilling function (for crust formation) and the ambient heat function (for through-cooking). The enclosed housing with air circulation system enables the device to simultaneously grill and roast, eliminating the need for separate pre-cooking and post-cooking equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The grilling function and roasting function are merged into a single vertical grill system. The lateral radiant heaters and air circulation work together to achieve both surface searing and internal cooking in one device, combining what would traditionally require separate equipment into a unified system.
3Adaptability or versatility
If open housing is used for vertical grilling, then flexibility and portability are improved, but heat loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing provides localized thermal insulation and enclosure exactly where needed - around the grilling chamber and food area. The housing can be open or removable in non-critical areas for portability, while maintaining closed, insulated structure in critical heat-retention zones. This selective enclosure approach balances heat retention with flexibility.
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 even cooking on both sides with high heat, prevents burning through visual temperature regulation, and allows for continuous grilling without pre-treatment, maintaining a consistent high temperature while circulating hot air penetrates the food, keeping the outer layer intact.
Implementation Method 1
at least two radiant heaters, which are located opposite one another on the first and second side wall in the interior of the grill, the radiant heaters preferably being gas burners
Implementation Method 2
there is a chimney effect in the interior of the grill, which causes hot air to circulate around the food to be grilled
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a grilling appliance for cooking and grilling food, comprising a housing that defines the grilling interior and has a first side wall (6), a second side wall (7) opposite the first side wall, a ceiling wall (4), a rear wall (9) and a base plate (3), wherein the grilling interior has a vertical grilling area, at least two heating elements (1, 2) which are positioned opposite each other on the first and second side walls (6, 7) in the grilling interior, wherein the heating elements (1, 2) are preferably gas burners and a grill basket (5) which can be inserted vertically between the two heating elements (1, 2), wherein the ceiling wall (4) has an opening (4') through which the grill basket (5) can be inserted into the grilling interior, and wherein the front (8) of the grilling appliance includes a viewing opening.