Cavity connector
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking appliances lack an efficient mechanism for locating and engaging powered accessories with cavity connectors within the cooking cavity, leading to difficulties in establishing reliable electrical communication for accessories like base pans with resistive heating elements.
Innovation Solution
The cooking appliance incorporates a sliding structure with locating assemblies, including a first locating assembly on the powered accessory, a second resilient component between the sliding structure and sidewalls, and a third locating assembly on the rack, which ensures the powered accessory's connection plug can selectively communicate with the cavity connector, facilitating easy engagement and preventing over-insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a connector is disposed within the cooking cavity, then electrical communication with powered accessories is enabled, but the complexity of the appliance structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cavity connector is nested within the interior surface of the heating cavity, integrated into the existing appliance structure rather than adding external components. This allows electrical communication functionality to be embedded without significantly increasing overall structural complexity
2Reliability
If locating assemblies are added to ensure consistent positioning, then reliability of electrical connection is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locating assemblies are pre-configured on the rack and sliding structure to guide the powered accessory into the correct position before electrical connection occurs. This preliminary positioning action ensures reliable electrical contact without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms during operation
Solution Approach 2:
The locating assemblies act as intermediary elements between the rack and the powered accessory, facilitating proper alignment and engagement. These intermediaries simplify the connection process by providing fixed reference points rather than requiring direct complex mating between all components
3Ease of operation
If the connecting plug is made selectively engageable, then ease of operation is improved, but the precision of positioning requirements increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting plug and cavity connector are designed with asymmetric engagement features that allow easy insertion in the correct orientation while preventing incorrect engagement. The locating assemblies provide asymmetric guidance that simplifies user operation while maintaining precise positioning requirements through the asymmetric geometry of the engagement surfaces
Data Source
AI summary
A cooking appliance is provided herein that includes a pair of opposing sidewalls and a rear wall defining a heating cavity. A heat source is in thermal communication with the heating cavity. A cavity connector is disposed within an interior surface of the heating cavity. The cavity connector is in communication with the heating cavity. A rack is coupled with a sliding structure. The sliding structure is disposed proximate the pair of sidewalls. A powered accessory has a connecting plug and is engageable with the rack. The connecting plug is configured to be in selective communication with the cavity connector. A first locating assembly is configured to locate and engage the powered accessory with the rack. A second locating assembly is disposed between the sliding structure and the opposing sidewalls. A third locating assembly is disposed on a rear portion of the rack.