Cooking appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking appliance door opening/closing detection systems protrude outward, compromising aesthetics and requiring complex disassembly for maintenance, as the micro-switch is located inside the oven cavity.
Innovation Solution
A sensor module is integrated into the cooking appliance body, positioned to come into contact with the hinge mechanism upon door opening and closing, preventing protrusion and allowing for easy detachment and maintenance by being installed on the lateral wall of the body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the micro-switch is located inside the oven cavity with the rod protruding forward, then the door opening/closing detection function is achieved, but the aesthetic appearance deteriorates and the risk of damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The micro-switch is extracted from its original position inside the oven cavity and relocated to the lateral wall of the body. This extraction removes the protruding rod that compromised aesthetics and increased damage risk, while the micro-switch continues to perform its detection function through contact with the hinge mechanism's operating portion.
2Reliability
If the micro-switch is located inside the oven cavity, then the detection function works, but the maintenance complexity increases due to necessary disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The micro-switch is extracted from the internal oven cavity location and repositioned on the lateral wall of the body. This extraction makes the micro-switch externally accessible, allowing maintenance personnel to service or replace it without disassembling the oven, thereby significantly improving ease of repair while preserving the detection function.
3Ease of operation
If the rod protrudes outward to contact the micro-switch, then the door opening/closing detection is enabled, but the device complexity and vulnerability increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of having the rod protrude outward to contact the micro-switch, the configuration is inverted: the micro-switch is positioned on the lateral wall and contacts the hinge mechanism's operating portion. This inversion eliminates the need for a protruding rod, simplifying the structure and reducing vulnerability while maintaining the door detection operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A cooking appliance includes a body having a cooking chamber, a door connected to the body by a hinge mechanism to open or close the cooking chamber, and a sensor module inserted into or withdrawn from the body through a wall of the body and configured to come into contact with or be spaced apart from the hinge mechanism according to opening and closing of the door.