Collapsible Base Tableware for Stable Water Bath Heating and Serving
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tableware articles, such as plates and bowls, often lack a base with sufficient height to stabilize them in shallow water baths, and trapped air further destabilizes them, making it difficult to heat contents effectively.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible base system with a foot portion and hinge lines allows the base to pivot between extended and retracted positions, adjusting the height of the tableware article for stable placement in a liquid bath and easy serving.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the base height is increased to stabilize tableware in water baths, then stability is improved, but the tableware becomes harder to serve and handle
Solution Approach 1:
The base is designed with a collapsible structure that can dynamically change height between an extended position (for stability during heating) and a retracted position (for ease of serving). The hinge mechanism enables this dynamic transformation, allowing the base to adapt to different operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The base is divided into multiple segments connected by hinges, allowing independent movement of each segment. This segmentation enables the base to collapse into a compact configuration for serving while maintaining structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between extended height for stability and reduced height for handling.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the base height is increased to prevent air trapping, then stability in water is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The base utilizes flexible hinge connections that allow the structure to adapt its shape while maintaining simplicity. The hinge mechanism enables the base to extend vertically to prevent air trapping during water heating, yet collapses to a compact form when not in use, avoiding the need for complex mechanical systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The collapsible base employs a dynamic hinge mechanism that allows simple transformation between extended and retracted states. This dynamic design provides the necessary height adjustment for stability without requiring complex locking mechanisms or multiple components, thus maintaining structural simplicity.
3Temperature
If a fixed extended base is used for stable heating, then heating effectiveness is improved, but adaptability for different uses is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The base is designed as a dynamic structure that can change between extended and retracted positions through hinge mechanisms. During heating operations, the base extends to provide stability and effective heat transfer from water baths. For serving and storage, the base collapses to a compact configuration, enabling the tableware to adapt to different functional requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The collapsible base structure provides multi-functionality by serving dual purposes: an extended base for stable heating in water baths and a retracted base for easy serving and compact storage. This universal design allows a single tableware piece to effectively perform multiple functions without requiring separate specialized items.
Data Source
AI summary
An article of tableware has a container portion defining a well, and a base portion coupled to the container portion. The base portion includes a foot portion and a hinge portion. The hinge portion includes a first hinge line and a second hinge line, and the foot portion is coupled to the hinge portion at the first hinge line. The hinge portion is pivotable about the first and second hinge lines such that the foot portion is movable between an extended position and a retracted position to adjust a height of the tableware article.