Perforated Aluminum Baking Tray Inlay for Lightweight Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional trough baking trays are heavy, leading to high energy consumption and handling difficulties, and require complex inlay replacement, with risks of abrasion and fastener contamination.
Innovation Solution
A baking tray design featuring a perforated aluminum inlay with strips along its edges, attached to a steel or high-temperature plastic frame using detachable connecting elements, providing rigidity and ease of handling, and allowing for quick inlay replacement without specialized tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional trough baking trays are made with solid construction, then strength and stability are improved, but weight increases leading to high energy consumption and handling difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The baking tray utilizes an expanded metal sheet with micro-openings (130-750 μm) forming a metal mesh, where the open area comprises 17-60% of the total surface area. This porous structure significantly reduces weight while maintaining structural integrity through the interconnected mesh pattern, resolving the contradiction between strength and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines expanded metal sheet (providing structural framework) with fluororesin film coating (providing release properties and surface protection). This composite structure achieves both mechanical strength and functional performance with reduced weight compared to solid metal trays.
2Reliability
If the inlay is attached using permanent fasteners like rivets or screws, then connection reliability is improved, but replacement complexity increases and risk of fastener contamination arises
Solution Approach 1:
The baking tray is divided into separable components: the frame and the inlay. The inlay can be removed and replaced independently from the frame, allowing maintenance and replacement without affecting the entire tray structure. This segmentation enables simple replacement procedures while maintaining connection reliability during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection system transitions from static permanent fasteners to a dynamic system that can switch between secured state (during baking) and released state (for replacement). The detent mechanism with release levers provides this dynamic capability, ensuring reliability during operation while enabling easy replacement when needed.
3Ease of manufacture
If aluminum strips are used for support structure, then ease of manufacture is improved, but abrasion resistance deteriorates causing contamination of baked goods
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure uses expanded metal sheet (aluminum-based for ease of manufacture and thermal conductivity) coated with fluororesin film (providing abrasion resistance and non-stick properties). This composite approach maintains manufacturing simplicity while eliminating abrasion contamination issues.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If stainless steel is used instead of aluminum, then abrasion resistance is improved, but thermal conductivity deteriorates slowing down heating of baked goods
Solution Approach 1:
The expanded metal sheet structure with 17-60% open area provides high surface area to volume ratio, enhancing heat transfer efficiency. When made from aluminum-based material, this porous structure maximizes thermal conductivity to the baked goods while the fluororesin coating provides abrasion resistance, eliminating the need to choose between stainless steel and aluminum.
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 results in a lightweight, easy-to-handle tray with reduced energy consumption, minimal abrasion, and secure inlay replacement, maintaining product quality and safety.
Implementation Method 1
the tray sheet is made of perforated aluminum or aluminum alloy sheet with a thickness of no more than 1.3 mm
Implementation Method 2
the strips are attached to the frame by detachable connecting elements
Data Source
Figure 1a~1c
Figure 2a~2d
Figure 2e~2h
AI summary
The present invention relates to a baking tray for industrially operated baking systems, comprising a frame and an inlay, wherein the inlay is designed as a tray with regularly spaced recesses. The tray is made of perforated aluminum or aluminum alloy sheeting with a thickness of no more than 1.3 mm, or of expanded aluminum or aluminum alloy metal. The frame is formed from a rectangular hollow steel profile, a rectangular hollow profile, or a solid body made of a high-temperature plastic. The inlay has strips along its longitudinal sides or edges, each of which is connected to the tray in the area of each recess, the strips being attached to the frame by detachable connecting elements.