Door for a cooking appliance with a separate frame comprising a recessed grip, and cooking appliance with a door

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cooking appliance doors lack variability and flexibility in design, leading to limited functionality and potential issues such as unwanted smearing, fingerprinting, and wear on the front window, as well as instability and complexity in the grip mechanism.

Innovation Solution

A door design featuring a separate functional frame with a recessed grip in the upper area, accessible from above, which serves as both a handle and a spacer for the panes, and includes a funnel-like backdrop for enhanced lighting effects, using a light guide for specific illumination patterns.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the front pane forms the grip recess boundary, then the door structure is simple, but the front pane suffers from smearing, fingerprinting, and wear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor structureVSAvoidsmearing and wear on front pane
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A separate functional frame is introduced as an intermediary component between the user's hand and the front pane. The frame's upper frame part forms the grip recess boundary instead of the front pane itself, mediating the mechanical contact and preventing direct interaction between the user's hand and the front pane surface, thereby eliminating smearing and fingerprinting issues

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If a separate functional frame is added, then grip functionality and pane protection are improved, but the number of components increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegrip functionalityVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The functional frame is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support for the panes, creates the grip recess for user interaction, protects the front pane from direct contact, and serves as a mounting structure for lighting elements. This multi-functionality justifies the additional component by delivering several benefits from a single addition

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If the upper frame part forms the grip recess, then the front pane is protected from wear, but the frame structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefront pane durabilityVSAvoidframe structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The frame structure is segmented into distinct functional parts: the main frame body providing structural support, and the upper frame part specifically formed to create the grip recess. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall structural integrity, with the upper frame part extending upward to form the recess boundary

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3841329B1Door for a cooking appliance with a separate frame comprising a recessed grip, and cooking appliance with a door
Publication Date: 2024.11.20 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP3841329B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3841329B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3841329B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

One aspect of the invention relates to a door (5) for a cooking device (1), comprising a front panel (6), an additional panel (9) arranged at a distance thereto, and a recessed grip (22) which is formed in the upper region of the door (5) and which can be gripped from the top, wherein a separate functional frame (7) is arranged in an intermediate space (20) between the front panel (6) and the additional panel (9) when viewed in the depth direction (z) of the door (5), and the functional frame (7) has a delimiting web (23) which protrudes upwards on an upper frame part (21) such that the recessed grip (22) is formed in the upper frame part (22).