Cooking Appliance Timer with Short Default Heating Shutdown

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for preventing unintentional heating of electric stoves often require special attention or knowledge from users and pose safety risks due to long predetermined safety times, which can lead to careless operation.

Innovation Solution

A method where the timer device is set to a short standard heating period of 30 minutes, which can be manually changed, ensuring automatic shutdown without user oversight, and is consistent across all operating modes and power levels, with clear display and operating elements for manipulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a long predetermined safety heating duration (1-10 hours) is set, then the safety shutdown function can cover various cooking scenarios, but the safety risk increases significantly due to careless operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoverage of cooking scenariosVSAvoidsafety risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-setting a short standard heating duration (30 minutes) that automatically activates when the heating source is turned on. This preliminary time limit is established before the user completes all operations, ensuring immediate safety protection. The timer starts counting down as soon as the heating source is activated, without waiting for additional user input or confirmation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements parameter changes by allowing the heating duration to be dynamically adjusted between a short standard mode (30 minutes) and a long predetermined mode (1-10 hours) based on user selection. The system changes the time parameter from the default short duration to the extended duration only when the user deliberately activates the long mode, thereby adapting the safety parameter to user needs while maintaining safety as the default state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If a short standard heating duration (30 minutes) is automatically enforced, then safety is significantly improved, but the flexibility for different cooking needs is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidcooking duration flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies self-service by requiring the user to actively select and activate the long predetermined heating mode if they need extended cooking time. The system does not impose the long duration automatically; instead, it provides the option and requires deliberate user action to change from the safe default. This ensures that users who need longer cooking times take responsibility for their choice, while others benefit from the automatic short-duration safety feature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Duration of action of moving object

If the timer restarts every time a user changes the setting, then the heating duration is extended, but the safety protection is weakened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating durationVSAvoidsafety protection

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by pre-configuring the timer to enforce a short standard heating duration that counteracts potential unsafe extended heating. This preliminary time limit is set as the default state and actively prevents careless operation. The timer does not restart or extend automatically; it maintains its short duration unless the user deliberately overrides it, thereby preemptively protecting against safety risks before they can occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

4Adaptability or versatility

If a very long safety heating duration (up to 10 hours at lowest power level) is predetermined, then all cooking scenarios are covered, but the independence from user attentiveness is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooking scenario coverageVSAvoiduser attentiveness requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by establishing a short standard heating duration (30 minutes) that automatically activates without requiring any user attentiveness or intervention. This preliminary safety measure is in place before the user needs to be attentive, ensuring protection even when the user is distracted or absent. The timer begins counting down immediately upon heating activation, eliminating the need for user monitoring during the critical safety period.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2129969B1Cooking appliance and method for preventing the unintended operation of a cooking appliance

Publication Date: 2022.04.27 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH

Figure 1~2

AI summary

The heating appliance, for example, a cooking stove, comprises at least one heating/cooking point, the heating source of which, after being activated, is automatically switched off by means of a timer device, for safety reasons, once a pre-determined heating period has run out. According to the invention, when the heating source is switched on, the timer device is adjusted to a pre-determined short regulated heating period, and the heating source is then switched off accordingly. The pre-determined regulated heating period is preferably variable only by manual actuation (12) for the creation of another safety heating period (displayed in 11).