Waffle sandwich maker and method of preparing a food product with the waffle sandwich maker

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing waffle-making technologies fail to produce portable, easy-to-eat breakfast sandwiches with fillings that do not leak, while also ensuring quick and even heating and ease of cleaning, and compatibility with existing production equipment.

Innovation Solution

A waffle sandwich maker comprising two waffle plates with protrusions and channels that create depressions and ridges, featuring male and female connectors with spacers to maintain a gap for filling containment, allowing for even heating and easy cleaning, and enabling stacking for storage and transport.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional waffle plates are used to make breakfast sandwiches with filling, then the sandwich can be prepared, but the filling leaks out during preparation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefilling containmentVSAvoidpreparation process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The waffle plate surface is segmented into protrusions and channels, creating a pattern that forms ridges and depressions in the food product. The depressions act as containment zones for the filling, preventing leakage while maintaining structural integrity of the sandwich.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The plate design incorporates localized features (protrusions and channels) that create specific micro-environments on the plate surface. These localized depressions provide targeted filling containment exactly where needed, while other areas maintain standard waffle-making functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If waffle plates with complex structures are used to contain filling, then filling leakage is prevented, but the plates become difficult to clean

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefilling containmentVSAvoidcleaning ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of creating complex recesses and cavities that trap food particles, the design uses protrusions that create depressions on the food surface. This inversion approach means the plate surface itself remains relatively smooth and simple, while the food product develops the containment structure, making the plate easier to clean.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Manufacturing precision

If waffle plates are designed for even heating, then cooking quality improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating uniformityVSAvoidplate structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The plate surface is divided into multiple protrusions and channels that segment the heating area. This segmentation creates multiple small contact points with the food, distributing heat more evenly across the cooking surface while maintaining a relatively simple overall plate structure.

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 provides a non-traditional breakfast food product that is portable and easy to eat, with fillings encapsulated by the outer dough, ensuring no leakage, quick and even heating, and ease of cleaning, while being compatible with existing production equipment.

Implementation Method 1

a first spacer extending inward relative to the plurality of protrusions. The first spacer is configured to contact the second waffle plate during preparation of the food product such that the plurality of protrusions of the first waffle plate are spaced from the plurality of protrusions of the second waffle plate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Fastener: Mechanical Fastener

Implementation Method 2

The pluralities of protrusions and channels are configured to create depressions and ridges in the food product

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 3

The protrusion of the male connector of the first waffle plate is configured to mate with the hole of the female connector of the second waffle plate, and the hole of the female connector of the first waffle plate is configured to mate with the protrusion of the male connector of the second waffle plate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Fastener: Mechanical Fastener

Data Source

PatentUS10863861B2Waffle sandwich maker and method of preparing a food product with the waffle sandwich maker

Publication Date: 2020.12.15 GENERAL MILLS INC

AI summary

A waffle sandwich maker includes first and second waffle plates which contact a food product during preparation of the food product. The first waffle plate includes a plurality of protrusions defining a plurality of channels, a female connector having a hole, a male connector having a protrusion and a first spacer extending inward relative to the plurality of protrusions. The pluralities of protrusions and channels create depressions and ridges in the food product. The protrusion of the male connector and the hole of the female connector of the first waffle plate mate with a hole of a female connector and a protrusion of a male connector of the second waffle plate. The first spacer contacts the second waffle plate during preparation of the food product, which includes an outer dough encapsulating a filling, to maintain the first waffle plate spaced at least approximately 0.5 inches from the second waffle plate.