Waffle Grill Flow-Diverging Plate for Uniform Batter Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional waffle irons face challenges in achieving uniform waffle thickness and even edges due to the random pouring of batter, which loses fluidity upon contact with the heated grill plate, leading to uneven distribution and cooking.
Innovation Solution
A lower grill plate with a flow-diverging stage and convex surface that diverges the batter flow from the feed opening, combined with a heating element, ensures even distribution and rapid spreading of the batter across the grill surface, preventing uneven edges and ensuring uniform thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If batter is randomly poured onto the lower grill plate, then the pouring operation is simple, but the batter cannot spread quickly and evenly on the grill surface
Solution Approach 1:
The lower grill plate is pre-heated before batter pouring, creating a temperature gradient that actively promotes batter spreading. The heating element activates the batter's fluidity temporarily, enabling it to flow evenly across the grill surface before setting, thus achieving uniform distribution without complex pouring techniques
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the lower grill plate dynamically. By maintaining the grill plate at a specific temperature range (high enough to promote spreading but controlled to prevent burning), the batter's viscosity and fluidity are optimized during the critical pouring and spreading phase, enabling even distribution
2Productivity
If the lower grill plate is heated, then the cooking process is efficient, but the batter loses fluidity upon contact and cannot spread evenly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the temperature parameter of the lower grill plate to a specific range that balances two opposing requirements: high enough to maintain cooking efficiency and promote batter spreading, but controlled to prevent excessive viscosity increase. This parameter optimization enables both efficient cooking and uniform batter distribution
Solution Approach 2:
The lower grill plate is pre-heated to the optimal temperature before batter contact. This preliminary heating ensures that when batter touches the surface, the temperature differential is sufficient to promote immediate spreading while maintaining the batter's fluidity, preventing premature setting and enabling uniform thickness
3Device complexity
If conventional waffle iron is used, then the device structure is simple, but uneven edges and non-uniform thickness are produced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating of the lower grill plate before batter pouring. This pre-heating action creates optimal conditions for batter spreading, ensuring that the batter flows evenly to the edges and sets uniformly, producing consistent waffle geometry without requiring complex mechanical spreading mechanisms
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 design allows for even and rapid spreading of the batter, resulting in waffles with uniform thickness and edges, improving the cooking consistency compared to conventional waffle irons.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element disposed for heating the lower grill plate
Implementation Method 2
a flow-diverging convex surface that is adapted to face the feed opening of the grill device and that is for diverging flow of a fluid material which flows from the feed opening onto the plate body
Data Source
AI summary
A grill device includes upper and lower grill units. The upper grill unit has a feed opening. The lower grill unit includes a lower grill plate having a plate body and a flow-diverging stage. The plate body has a central portion that is adapted to be positioned under and aligned with the feed opening, and a surrounding portion that surrounds the central portion. The flow-diverging stage protrudes upwardly from the central portion of the plate body, and has a flow-diverging convex surface that faces the feed opening and that is for diverging flow of a fluid material which flows from the feed opening onto the plate body. The flow-diverging convex surface has a top end positioned higher than the plate body.