Baking Pan Insert with Sliding Mechanism to Reduce Food Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Baking poses challenges such as food adhesion to the pan, making removal messy and potentially damaging both the food and the pan, and the appearance of the baked goods can be ruined during serving due to imperfect utensil application.
Innovation Solution
A baking pan insert with a horizontal bottom section and vertical side walls that fits inside a baking pan, allowing for easy sliding and lifting of baked goods, featuring handles, guides, and surface features like beveled edges and removable guides to assist in separation and serving.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a spatula or utensil is used to remove baked goods from the pan, then the baked good can be transferred to a plate, but the baked good may become adhered to the pan requiring excessive force that damages both the baked good and the pan
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a removable insert as an intermediary component between the baked good and the baking pan. This insert has a bottom surface that contacts the baked good during baking, and after baking, the insert can be easily removed from the pan carrying the baked good intact. The insert acts as a mediator that prevents direct adhesion between the baked good and the pan, eliminating the need for excessive force during removal and preventing damage to both the baked good and the pan.
2Productivity
If excessive force is applied to remove adhered baked good, then the baked good can be removed from the pan, but the baked good becomes messy and the pan may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The removable insert serves as a mediator that enables efficient removal without excessive force. The insert's bottom surface is designed to contact the baked good, and when the insert is removed from the pan, the baked good transfers with it intact. This eliminates the need for aggressive scraping or prying actions that would compromise the appearance quality of the baked good while maintaining high removal efficiency.
3Temperature
If a conventional baking pan is used, then the pan can withstand high baking temperatures, but the baked good adheres to the pan bottom making removal difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the baking system into two separate components: a heat-tolerant baking pan and a removable insert. The pan maintains its heat tolerance for withstanding high baking temperatures, while the insert is designed to facilitate easy removal. The insert can be made from materials that release easily from baked goods, and its separate design allows it to be removed from the pan with the baked good intact, solving the adhesion problem without compromising the pan's thermal performance.
4Ease of operation
If the baking pan insert has features extending above the side walls, then the insert can provide handles and guides for easier operation, but the pan cannot accommodate a lid
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs removable features such as handles and guides that can be attached to or removed from the insert depending on the desired function. When lid compatibility is needed, the handles and guides can be removed or stowed, allowing the pan to be closed properly. When handling assistance is needed, the features can be attached. This dynamic configuration allows the system to adapt between different operational requirements, maintaining both ease of operation and lid compatibility as needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A baking pan insert having a bottom surface and two sides, configured to rest abutting the bottom and side interior surfaces of a baking pan, and configured to slide along a length of the baking pan, for aiding in the removal of portions of a baked good from the pan. In some embodiments, a baking pan has interior surface features, such as shelves, configured to guide the baking pan insert and optionally configured to receive a lid; and a baking pan insert may be configured to receive a guide to aid in cutting the baked good along a path corresponding to an edge of the bottom surface of the insert.