Electric Cooker Hinge Height Adjustment for Consistent Die Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electric cookers for baking bread and snack cakes face issues due to a fixed hinge height, leading to gaps between dies and inconsistent baking, requiring multiple cookers for different products, which is costly and complicated.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable hinge-shaft height mechanism allows for varying the height of the upper housing, enabling proper contact between dies of different thicknesses without replacing the hinge or housing, using an eccentric cam and operating rod system to adjust the hinge shaft's height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a fixed-height hinge or hinge shaft is used to pivotally mount the upper housing to the lower housing, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the height of the upper housing cannot be changed, causing gaps between dies of different thicknesses and inconsistent baking results
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge shaft height is made adjustable through a mechanism involving an operating rod, eccentric cam, and guide rod that allows the hinge shaft to be positioned at different heights. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the upper housing height to match different die thicknesses, ensuring tight contact between dies and consistent baking results while maintaining operational simplicity.
2Manufacturing precision
If another upper or lower die with different height is attached to match die thickness, then the contact between dies is improved, but a gap is produced without tightly contacting the surfaces of the upper and lower dies, causing dough to seep out and inconsistent baking
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple fixed-height hinges for different die thicknesses, the invention employs a single hinge shaft with adjustable height capability. The adjustment mechanism (operating rod, eccentric cam, guide rod) allows the hinge shaft position to be dynamically changed to match any die thickness, ensuring tight die contact without requiring multiple specialized components or complex replacement procedures.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple electric cookers are manufactured in exclusive use for each baked product, then the baking precision for each product is optimized, but the manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a universal electric cooker design where a single unit can accommodate different die thicknesses through the adjustable hinge shaft mechanism. This multi-functionality eliminates the need to manufacture separate dedicated cookers for different baked products, significantly reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining baking precision through proper die contact.
4Manufacturing precision
If the hinge or hinge shaft is replaced to match die thickness, then the die contact is improved, but the process becomes complicated and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The invention integrates height adjustability directly into the hinge shaft through a built-in mechanism (operating rod, eccentric cam, guide rod) rather than requiring replacement of the entire hinge assembly. This allows the hinge shaft height to be dynamically adjusted to match different die thicknesses, maintaining precision while simplifying the overall process compared to replacing components.
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
Enables the use of a single electric cooker for various baked products by ensuring tight contact between dies, reducing manufacturing costs and simplifying the process by allowing adjustment of the hinge shaft and upper housing height, thus ensuring consistent baking results.
Implementation Method 1
an adjustable hinge-shaft height mechanism allows for varying the height of the upper housing, enabling proper contact between dies of different thicknesses without replacing the hinge or housing, using an eccentric cam and operating rod system to adjust the hinge shaft's height
Data Source
AI summary
An electric cooker comprising a lower housing; a lower die mounted on the lower housing; a hinge shaft; an upper housing pivotally mounted at a rear end via the hinge shaft to the lower housing to turn upward from the lower housing; an upper die mounted on the upper housing, a lower surface of the upper die being capable of being disposed on an upper surface of the lower die; an electric heater disposed in at least one of the lower housing and the upper housing and heating at least one of the lower die and the upper die from back to heat dough between the lower die and the upper die; and a hinge-shaft height adjusting unit changing a vertical position of the upper housing pivotally mounted via a hinge shaft by adjusting height of the hinge shaft.