great-warnovel Chapter 36 Air Fryer
Chapter 36 Air Fryer
In later generations, air fryers became an essential kitchen appliance in almost every household. They were small, easy to operate, and could make crispy fried chicken, fries, and chicken wings with little or no oil—healthy and convenient. Lin Zhou's eyes lit up. He squatted down, carefully observing the air fryer's appearance, and then opened the lid to examine its internal structure.
The core principle of an air fryer is actually quite simple: it generates heat through a heating element at the top, and then a high-speed fan blows hot air into the fryer, creating a circulating airflow. This rapid circulation of hot air heats the food, making its surface crispy, achieving a similar effect to deep-frying. The principle itself is not complicated; the heating element, fan, thermostat, outer shell, and timer are all components that can be easily manufactured with current industrial capabilities.
Lin Zhou became increasingly excited as he looked at the air fryer. He picked it up, placed it on the dining table, and carefully examined each component. The heating element was just a regular heating wire, readily available on the market; the fan was also a standard small DC fan, a mature technology; although the temperature controller required a certain level of precision, electronic component factories in Hong Kong could already produce products that met the requirements; the outer casing could be made of high-temperature resistant plastic or metal, and the mold was not difficult to make; the timer could be a mechanical spring-loaded one, allowing for settings from five minutes to ten minutes to half an hour.
Most importantly, this product is absolutely novel in this day and age! Nowadays, when people want to eat fried food, they either have to fry it at home in a large oil pan, which is troublesome, wastes oil, and makes a mess of the kitchen; moreover, excessive oil intake is unhealthy. Or they have to eat out at restaurants, which are expensive and have inconsistent hygiene standards. Air fryers solve these problems perfectly. They are easy to operate, save oil, are healthy, and are compact and space-saving, making them highly sought after by both ordinary families and single individuals.
"That's it!" Lin Zhou clapped his hands, finally relieved. The air fryer has a simple structure, low technical threshold, is not difficult to produce, and has a broad market prospect, which perfectly meets his current needs.
More importantly, this product doesn't even exist yet, so he can apply for a global patent! Once he gets the patent, he'll have the upper hand. He can not only manufacture and sell it himself, but also license the patent to other manufacturers, making money passively from patent fees alone. Moreover, as technology advances, he can upgrade and improve the air fryer, launching models with larger capacities and more functions, maintaining his market advantage.
Lin Zhou grew increasingly excited. He put the air fryer back in its place, quickly left the kitchen, and returned to the living room. He picked up a pen and paper and began to meticulously record the air fryer's core structure, working principle, and technical parameters. Although he wasn't a professional engineer, he was very familiar with the air fryer's construction and principles, and there was a complete instruction manual in the room, which he could use to organize the technical information.
Over the next two days, Lin Zhou immersed himself in the technical research and development preparations for the air fryer. He first consulted a large amount of relevant information to confirm that the current industrial level was capable of producing the required core components. Then he went out to inquire and contact several electronic component factories and plastic mold factories to consult on the feasibility and cost of producing the components.
After confirming that all components could be manufactured, Lin Zhou began preparing the materials for the patent application. He knew that the patent application was of paramount importance and had to be carried out as soon as possible. Moreover, he wanted to apply for global patents, especially in developed countries and regions such as Europe, the United States, Japan, and South Korea, where the market potential was huge and patent protection was even more important.
He spent another two days compiling a detailed patent application, including a structural diagram of the product, a description of its working principle, and claims.
To ensure the smooth progress of the patent application, Lin Zhou even made a special phone call to Attorney Zhou at the law firm.
"Hello, Attorney Zhou, this is Lin Zhou from Zhonghua Daily."
"Hello Mr. Lin, is there anything I can help you with?" Attorney Zhou asked, puzzled.
"Um, Attorney Zhou, does your law firm handle global patent registration? I've invented a new product and would like you to help me register a patent." Attorney Zhou was completely bewildered. What was going on? A newspaper owner was inventing something and wanted to apply for a global patent?
He then realized this had nothing to do with him and quickly said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Lin, we're just a small law firm and we don't offer this kind of service right now. However, a classmate of mine can handle this kind of business. Would you like me to introduce you?"
"Okay, thank you, Attorney Zhou. I really need it." Lin Zhou was overjoyed and quickly expressed his gratitude. Then Attorney Zhou gave Lin Zhou his classmate's contact information.
Lin Zhou contacted Zhou's classmate, who worked at a professional patent firm in Hong Kong. His name was David (his English name). Lin Zhou invited him to meet at a coffee shop. After the waiter brought the coffee and left, Lin Zhou...
"David, how long would it take to apply for a patent for this type of home appliance worldwide?"
David didn't answer Lin Zhou's question. Instead, after reviewing Lin Zhou's materials, he said, "Mr. Lin, your product is absolutely perfect! With this air fryer, we can eat less fried food. It's a godsend for Westerners!"
He added, "If this product were launched in Europe and America, it would definitely sell like hotcakes. It's an invention with tremendous market potential. However, applying for patents worldwide will take a long time. But we have connections in many countries in Europe and America, so it should take at least three to six months."
Lin Zhou had no better solution after hearing this. Even professionals need three to five months to do it themselves, and who knows how long it would take. So, he decided to leave it to David, who didn't stand on ceremony and offered 50,000 yuan, promising to submit a global patent application for him as soon as possible.
Lin Zhou gave him 30,000 yuan first, and promised to give him the rest after the patent was granted, which David readily agreed to.
After finishing the patent application, Lin Zhou returned home and remembered something important—a product trade show. Participating in trade shows is one of the best ways for a new product to enter the market, allowing it to showcase the product and connect with potential distributors and partners.
He searched for keywords on the computer in the space, scanning folder by folder in the computer's memory, and actually found relevant information: the first CES (International Consumer Electronics Show) would be held in York City, USA, in the middle of this year. Although the first exhibition might not be large in scale, it was the first major exhibition in the global consumer electronics industry, bringing together electronics manufacturers and distributors from all over the world, making it an excellent platform for showcasing products. If he could showcase his air fryer at the first CES, it would definitely cause a sensation and lay a solid foundation for the product's global promotion.
"There's still time." Lin Zhou looked at the calendar and calculated the time. It was mid-January now, and the CES exhibition would be held in June. There were still six months, enough time for him to complete the product sample development, production, and all the preparations for the exhibition.