Cooktop Panel Multilayer Folded Structure for Ultra-Thin Strength

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cooktop panels are thick and cumbersome, making it difficult to achieve an ultra-thin, flat appearance while maintaining strength and preventing deformation, which leads to greasy dirt accumulation between the panel and the countertop.

Innovation Solution

A multilayer structure formed by folding a stainless steel plate body, where adjacent layers abut against each other, providing high smoothness and strength, and can be distributed in the outer edge area or across the entire panel, allowing for a thickness of 1.6 mm to 4.0 mm, ensuring a thin and durable panel.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the panel thickness is increased to ensure strength and avoid deformation, then the panel strength is improved, but the panel cannot achieve ultra-thin and flat appearance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepanel strengthVSAvoidpanel thickness
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies composite material principle by creating a multilayer structure where a stainless steel plate is combined with a support layer. The stainless steel plate provides surface strength and smoothness, while the support layer (with higher modulus of elasticity) provides structural rigidity and prevents deformation. This composite structure enables the panel to achieve both ultra-thin appearance (1.6-4.0mm total thickness) and sufficient strength, resolving the contradiction between thinness and strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Shape

If the panel thickness is reduced to achieve ultra-thin appearance, then the panel flatness is improved, but the panel strength decreases and deformation occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepanel flatnessVSAvoidpanel strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite materials to maintain panel flatness while ensuring strength. The multilayer construction with a thin stainless steel plate (0.8-2.0mm) combined with a support layer provides both the desired ultra-thin flat appearance and the structural strength needed to prevent deformation under load or thermal stress.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Strength

If the panel thickness is increased to ensure strength, then the panel strength is improved, but greasy dirt accumulates between the panel edge and countertop

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepanel strengthVSAvoiddirt accumulation
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves this contradiction by creating a multilayer structure that achieves sufficient strength with reduced thickness (1.6-4.0mm). This thinner panel creates a smaller height difference between the panel edge and countertop surface, eliminating the gap where greasy dirt would accumulate, while the composite structure with support layer ensures the panel maintains adequate strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP3676536B1Cooktop, panel of cooktop and manufacturing method therefor
Publication Date: 2022.05.18 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP3676536B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3676536B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3676536B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

The present invention relates to a cooktop, a panel of a cooktop, and a manufacturing method therefor. The panel (2) of a cooktop is mainly or completely manufactured of a plate body (20). The panel (2) includes a multilayer structure (10) located in at least an outer edge area of the panel (2), anytwo adjacent layers ofthe multilayer structure (10) abut against each other, and the multilayer structure (10) is formed by folding the plate body (20). According toa technical solution of the present invention, a panel of a cooktop that has an ultra-thin appearance and that does not easily deform in a usage state can be obtained.