Vertical Rotisserie Heating Layout for Even Open-Flame Cooking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vertical rotisserie ovens face challenges in achieving even cooking due to heat rise, cross-contamination of food items, and inefficient heat transfer from open flames, leading to temperature gradients and uneven cooking times.

Innovation Solution

A rotisserie oven design incorporating a central flame post and secondary infrared heaters, with a staggered flame dispersion system and water entrapment to manage humidity, ensures even heat distribution and prevents cross-contamination, while the skewer assembly allows for conduction heat transfer to ensure uniform cooking.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If vertically orientated skewers are used to prevent cross-contamination, then food safety is improved, but heat distribution uniformity becomes more difficult to achieve due to natural convection currents causing warm air to rise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefood safetyVSAvoidheat distribution uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The heating system uses different heating mechanisms for different zones: infrared heaters positioned laterally provide radiant heat to upper portions, while the lower flame post provides convective heat to lower portions. This localized heating approach compensates for natural convection currents and achieves uniform temperature distribution throughout the vertical cooking chamber.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Illumination intensity

If an open flame is used for aesthetic appeal and traditional cooking, then visual appeal is improved, but soot expulsion onto food items and insufficient heat transfer occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisual appealVSAvoidsoot contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Infrared heaters are introduced as intermediary heating elements that work in conjunction with the open flame. These infrared heaters provide clean radiant heat that prevents soot formation and deposition on food items, while the open flame maintains its aesthetic appeal. The infrared heaters act as a mediator between the aesthetic requirement for open flame and the need to prevent soot contamination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Illumination intensity

If a central flame post is used for aesthetic appeal and complete combustion, then visual appeal and combustion efficiency are improved, but heat transfer to food items remains insufficient for cooking within reasonable time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisual appealVSAvoidcooking speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges two heating approaches: the central flame post provides aesthetic appeal and complete combustion, while laterally positioned infrared heaters provide intense radiant heat for rapid cooking. This combination allows the system to achieve both visual appeal and high cooking efficiency, reducing cooking time to reasonable levels while maintaining the desired aesthetic appearance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Reliability

If vertical orientation of food items is used to prevent cross-contamination, then food safety is improved, but temperature gradients from innermost portion to surface become more pronounced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefood safetyVSAvoidtemperature uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The heating system is segmented into multiple independent heating zones: the lower flame post and upper/lateral infrared heaters can be controlled separately. This segmentation allows for precise temperature control at different vertical positions, compensating for temperature gradients and ensuring uniform cooking throughout the food items while maintaining vertical orientation for food safety.

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

The solution achieves uniform cooking of food items, maintaining internal temperatures above 165°F within a reasonable time frame, preventing burnt surfaces and raw interiors, and aesthetically presents a pleasing flame for cooking.

Implementation Method 1

Positioned within the cooking chamber and laterally positioned relative to the skewer axis are at least two infrared heaters

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInfrared radiation: Infrared Radiation

Implementation Method 2

Positioned within the cooking chamber and substantially centrally positioned within the cooking chamber is a flame post adapted to disperse a line of flame

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Implementation Method 3

adapted to disperse a line of flame throughout the cooking chamber

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 4

the skewer assembly allows for conduction heat transfer to ensure uniform cooking

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS8387518B2Vertical rotisserie cooking system

Publication Date: 2013.03.05 WOOD STONE CORP

AI summary

A vertical rotisserie open flame oven having a central flame post dispersing aesthetically pleasing flames and a secondary heater positioned outside the path of rotation of the food items. The oven has a central chamber area where the heat transfer to the food items is executed in a desirable manner to properly cook the food items without burning the surface thereof.