Cooking Appliance Drawer Closure With Impact Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of cooking appliances with drawer units need to bend to insert or withdraw food, which can be inconvenient and physically burdensome.
Innovation Solution
The cooking appliance is designed with a drawer unit that can be selectively withdrawn or inserted using a simple repetitive force in the same direction, and features a sliding control assembly that automatically closes the drawer with reduced impact and can be configured for automatic closure upon partial insertion, improving user convenience and reducing physical strain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users manually open and close drawer doors, then the drawer can be accessed, but users need to bend which is physically burdensome
Solution Approach 1:
The drawer door is equipped with an automatic opening and closing mechanism that operates without user intervention. When the drawer is pulled out, the door automatically opens; when the drawer is pushed in, the door automatically closes. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for users to manually open and close the door, thereby removing the physical strain of bending while maintaining convenient access to the drawer.
2Ease of operation
If drawer door is left open, then access is convenient, but the drawer may not be fully inserted causing safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates a sensor that detects whether the drawer is fully inserted into the cooking appliance. Based on this feedback, the door opening mechanism is controlled to ensure the door only opens when the drawer is properly positioned. This feedback mechanism prevents the door from opening when the drawer is not fully inserted, eliminating safety hazards while maintaining convenient access during normal operation.
3Ease of operation
If automatic closure mechanism is added, then operation is simplified, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic door opening and closing mechanism utilizes the gravitational potential energy and elastic potential energy already present in the system. A spring-loaded mechanism stores elastic energy that is released to open the door when the drawer is pulled, and gravity assists in closing the door when the drawer is pushed in. By leveraging these existing potential energies, the system achieves automatic operation without requiring complex active control systems, motors, or additional power sources, thus maintaining relative simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, a cooking appliance includes a cabinet forming a cavity configured to provide a food accommodation space; at least one door covering the cavity; a handle rotatably coupled to the door; and a handle supporter disposed inside the door and configured to rotatably support the handle relative to the door. In another aspect, a cooking appliance includes a drawer configured to be withdrawn from or inserted into the cooking appliance; a first rail disposed on the drawer; a second rail disposed on a frame of the cooking appliance and configured to accommodate a sliding motion of the first rail; a link component disposed at the first rail; a sliding control assembly disposed at the second rail and configured to accommodate the link component to automatically insert the drawer into the frame and to mitigate an impact of the drawer being fully inserted into the frame.