Bread Box Sliding Tray Mechanism for Hygienic Buffet Service
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the catering sector, particularly in hotels and restaurants offering buffets, there is a challenge in presenting sliced baked goods in a hygienic and appetizing manner without them drying out, as existing methods fail to ensure constant hygiene and often result in unsightly and unappetizing products due to improper cutting and crumb formation.
Innovation Solution
A shelf device designed for sliced baked goods, featuring a base surface, wall elements, a rear element, a ceiling element, an opening, and a closure plate, with a pusher element connected via a lever system or cable system that allows the baked goods to be easily pushed out for removal, ensuring hygiene and protection from drying out by controlling air circulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If baked goods are displayed on a cutting board with a knife for self-service cutting, then guests can access the baked goods, but hygiene cannot be guaranteed and the baked goods dry out quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The device separates the storage function (enclosed space) from the serving function (sliding tray), allowing the baked goods to remain protected while enabling controlled access. The sliding tray acts as an intermediate element that brings the goods out without requiring the main enclosure to be opened.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding tray serves as an intermediary element between the enclosed storage space and the external environment. It allows guests to access and take baked goods without direct access to the main storage compartment, thereby maintaining hygiene while enabling service.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If napkins are provided to wrap or cover the bread, then hand contact is prevented, but the napkin can easily be omitted or turned over and there is no sneeze guard
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding tray acts as a physical barrier and intermediary that prevents direct hand contact with the baked goods. Guests interact with the tray rather than the goods themselves, providing reliable protection without relying on user compliance with napkin usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The device pre-establishes a protective barrier (the sliding tray with closing plate) before any contact occurs. This preliminary protective measure is built into the system structure rather than relying on subsequent user actions like wrapping with napkins.
3Illumination intensity
If the closing plate is made of transparent material, then the contents are visible, but the structural strength may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The closing plate uses transparent material specifically in the regions where visibility is needed, while maintaining adequate structural strength through appropriate material selection and thickness. The transparency is applied locally to achieve the marketing benefit without compromising overall structural integrity.
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 shelf device effectively maintains the freshness and hygiene of sliced baked goods by allowing easy removal without direct hand contact, preventing drying out and crumb formation, while ensuring one-handed operation and efficient spit protection.
Implementation Method 1
The sliding element is connected to the closing plate by the connecting element and the motion conversion element, so that by pivoting the closing plate in the pivoting direction the connecting element and the motion conversion element can be actuated and with these the rotational movement of the closing plate in the pivoting direction can be converted into a sliding movement of the sliding element
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a shelving device for baked goods, in particular sliced bread, for providing baked goods, especially in the catering sector. The shelving device comprises a base, at least two wall elements, at least one rear element, at least one ceiling element, at least one opening, and at least one closing plate for closing the opening. The wall elements, together with the base element, the ceiling element, and the rear element, define a space in which the baked goods can be stored.The invention is characterized in that the shelf device comprises at least one sliding element on which the baked goods can be arranged, and at least one connecting element and a motion conversion element, wherein the sliding element is connected to the closing plate by the connecting element and the motion conversion element, so that by pivoting the closing plate in the pivoting direction the connecting element and the motion conversion element can be actuated and with these the rotational movement of the closing plate in the pivoting direction can be converted into a sliding movement of the sliding element through the opening of the shelf device from the space of the shelf device in a displacement direction.