Cooker Upper Plate Snap-Fit Spring Assembly to Prevent Enamel Cracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooker devices face issues with enamel damage during assembly and shipping due to screw coupling, and gaps between the upper and lower plates due to minimal measure deviations, affecting both functionality and appearance.
Innovation Solution
A connecting spring with a V-shaped main extension and detents is used for snap-fit mounting to the lower housing without screws, ensuring secure assembly and damping of forces, while allowing for easy detachment for maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If screws are used to fix the connecting spring to the lower housing, then the assembly is secure, but the enamel on the upper plate cracks during assembly and shipping
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the screws from the assembly process. The connecting spring is designed to be self-retaining through its V-shaped geometry that flexes during assembly and then locks into position without requiring any fastening elements, thereby removing the source of enamel damage while maintaining secure assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting spring utilizes dynamic flexibility in its V-shaped portion to accommodate assembly variations and dampen impact forces. The spring flexes during assembly to absorb shocks and then maintains a secure locked position, providing both security and protection against enamel cracking through controlled deformation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If connecting springs are used to enable detachable assembly without screws, then enamel cracking is reduced, but gaps remain between the upper plate and lower housing due to measure deviations
Solution Approach 1:
The V-shaped connecting spring changes its geometric parameters dynamically during assembly. As the spring flexes and locks into position, it adjusts its angle and position to compensate for manufacturing tolerances, ensuring that the upper plate sits flush against the lower housing without gaps while maintaining the crack-free assembly benefit.
3Ease of repair
If the upper plate is made detachable for maintenance, then ease of repair is improved, but assembly security and gap-free appearance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting spring provides a dynamic locking mechanism that secures the upper plate firmly during normal operation, yet allows for controlled detachment when needed for maintenance. The same flexible V-shaped portion that provides security during assembly also enables easy removal by reversing the assembly process, achieving both strong attachment and ease of repair.
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 solution prevents enamel cracking, ensures a secure and gap-free assembly, and offers cost and automation advantages by eliminating the need for screws, enhancing the durability and appearance of the cooker device.
Implementation Method 1
The connecting spring used in assembling the upper plate, is mounted to the lower housing by means of screws, and the screw coupling causes crackings of enamel during shipping. Furthermore, a gap is left between the upper plate and the lower housing even in minimal measure deviations, negatively effecting the appearance.
Implementation Method 2
the portion flexing when the upper plate is being assembled is shaped by being bent in a V-shape
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The present invention relates to a cooker device (1) comprising an upper plate on which electric heaters and/or gas burners are disposed, at least one skirt (3) shaped by bending the edge portions of the upper plate (2), surrounding the upper plate (2) at least partially, a lower housing (4) on which the upper plate (2) is assembled, and at least one connecting spring (5) enabling the upper plate (2) to be detachably assembled to the lower housing (4), having a seat (6) resting on the lower housing (4), and a resilient main extension (7) extending upwards and in an inclined manner from the seat (6), whose portion between the skirt (3) and the lower housing (4) is shaped by being bent in a V-shape, wherein at least one retainer (8) is provided on the base of the lower housing (4), enabling the connecting spring (5) to be fixed to the lower housing (4) by way of snap-fit method, and wherein at least one detent (9) is provided on the connecting spring (5), extending outwards from the seat (6) and enabling locking by engaging the retainer (8).