Cooking hob

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cooking hobs with traditional grids lack aesthetic appeal and design flexibility, making it difficult to change the appearance while maintaining functional stability, as users prefer to replace damaged grids with identical ones to maintain the original look.

Innovation Solution

The introduction of non-homogeneous support elements with varying shapes and orientations on the grid, allowing for a unique aesthetic appearance while maintaining a stable support plane, enabling greater personalization and freedom in design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If traditional symmetrical and linear grid design is used, then functional stability is ensured, but aesthetic appeal and design flexibility are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaesthetic appearanceVSAvoidgrid structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry by configuring support elements with different shapes, sizes, and orientations rather than using identical symmetrical elements. This creates visually appealing asymmetric patterns while maintaining structural stability through careful positioning and support plane formation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local quality by giving different support elements distinct characteristics (different shapes, orientations, and configurations) rather than uniformity throughout. This allows aesthetic variation in specific locations while maintaining overall functional integrity through the collective support plane.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If non-homogeneous support elements with varying shapes are introduced, then aesthetic appearance and design flexibility improve, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign customizationVSAvoidgrid production complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the grid into multiple independent support elements that can be manufactured separately and then assembled. This modular approach allows customization of individual elements while simplifying manufacturing through standardized production processes for each segment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements universality by designing support elements that serve dual functions: they provide structural support while simultaneously creating aesthetic patterns. The same basic element type can be oriented and positioned differently to achieve multiple design variations, reducing the need for completely unique components.

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

Data Source

PatentEP3126747B1Cooking hob
Publication Date: 2020.12.02 SMEG
  • EP3126747B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3126747B1 patent drawingFigure 4a~4b
  • EP3126747B1 patent drawingFigure 5a~5b

AI summary

The present invention relates to a grid (10) for a cooking hob (100) and a cooking hob (100) using at least one of such grids (10). The cooking hob (100) is provided with gas burners (110). The grid (10) according to the invention comprises a base element (11) which defines a resting plane for resting on the cooking hob (100) and to which at least three support elements (12a, 12b, 12c) are constrained, the support elements (12a, 12b, 12c) being configured so as to define a support plane which is raised and parallel with respect to the resting plane. The base element (11) encloses an internal space (11a) which is configured to house a single gas burner (110) of said cooking hob (100). At least one of said at least three support elements (12a) has a different shape than the other support elements (12b, 12c) and/or it has a relative orientation with respect to the base element (11) different than the relative orientation of the other support elements (12b, 12c). Said at least three support elements (12a, 12b, 12c; 15a, 15b) extend from said base element (11) toward the outside with respect to said internal space (11a).