Vortex Suction Hood for Better Cooktop Fume Capture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional suction hoods have relatively low efficiency in capturing fumes from cooktops as they suck air from the surrounding environment, leading to ineffective removal of airborne grease, combustion products, smoke, odors, heat, and steam.

Innovation Solution

A suction hood with a vortex generator that creates a circular, cyclone, or helix movement using tangentially arranged channels and fans, enhancing suction characteristics while reducing material and cost by minimizing the number of parts, and allowing for easy assembly and operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional suction hoods suck air from the surrounding environment, then the suction hood can operate with simple structure, but the efficiency in capturing fumes from cooktop is relatively low

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefume capture efficiencyVSAvoidsuction system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The suction system is segmented into multiple tangential channels arranged around the central exhaust, with each channel equipped with its own fan. This segmentation allows targeted suction at multiple locations simultaneously, improving overall fume capture efficiency while maintaining modular simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from traditional vertical suction to a three-dimensional vortex flow pattern by arranging channels tangentially around the exhaust. This dimensional change creates rotational motion that enhances fume capture from all directions around the cooktop

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If traditional suction hoods use simple fan arrangements, then the device is easy to manufacture, but the suction characteristics are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuction characteristicVSAvoidmanufacturing simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The suction system is divided into multiple independent tangential channels, each with its own fan. This segmentation allows for improved suction characteristics through distributed airflow while maintaining manufacturing simplicity via modular assembly of identical channel-fan units

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tangential channels are arranged in a circular pattern around the central exhaust, creating a rotational vortex flow. This curved arrangement improves suction characteristics by generating centrifugal forces that enhance fume capture, while the modular channel design keeps manufacturing straightforward

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Productivity

If vortex generation uses multiple separate components, then the suction efficiency is improved, but the number of parts and material usage increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevortex generation efficiencyVSAvoidmaterial and part quantity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple tangential channels and their associated fans are merged into a single integrated housing structure. This combining approach maintains the vortex generation efficiency of multiple components while reducing the total number of separate parts and minimizing material usage through shared structural elements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 vortex generator improves suction efficiency by creating a rotating column of air that effectively captures fumes from the cooktop, enhancing the hood's ability to remove airborne contaminants while being cost-effective and easy to assemble.

Implementation Method 1

a sucking means, preferably vortex generator or tornado suction means for a suction hood, which pulls the air into the suction hood by generating an at least substantially circular, cyclone, vortex or helix movement

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVortex flow: Vortex Generator

Implementation Method 2

a, preferably ring shaped, area with at least substantially tangential channels and/or channels with a tangential component which are separated from each other by separating elements, preferably blades, for generating the at least substantially circular, cyclone, vortex or helix movement

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTangential flow:

Implementation Method 3

The airborne grease, combustion products, smoke, odours, heat and steam generated by the cooking of food on the cooktop rise naturally in a vertical motion due to gravity effect

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Implementation Method 4

The fans or blowers create, when activated, an area of low pressure which takes effect spherically around the hood

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP2196737B1Suction Hood
Publication Date: 2013.07.03 ELECTROLUX HOME PROD CORP NV
  • EP2196737B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP2196737B1 patent drawingFigure 1c~1d
  • EP2196737B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3a

AI summary

The invention relates to a suction hood with sucking means (10,20,30,40,50), preferably vortex generator or tornado suction means, a) wherein the sucking means pulls the air into the suction hood (1,2,3,4,5) by generating an at least substantially circular, cyclone, vortex or helix movement, b) wherein the sucking means (10,20,30,40,50) comprises a, preferably ring shaped, area (17,27,37,47,57) with at least substantially tangential channels (172,272,372,472) which are separated from each other by separating elements (171) for generating the at least substantially circular, cyclone, vortex or helix movement. The invention further relates to a method for generating an air suction by means of a suction hood.