Cookware Handle Light Guide Insulation for Intuitive Status Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking utensils lack an intuitive and cost-effective way to provide users with information about their operating state and the hob they are set on, particularly concerning temperature and assignment status, which complicates their operation.
Innovation Solution
A cooking utensil design featuring an insulating part as a light guide with visible light coupling points, integrated with a multi-color LED light source controlled by a controller to indicate operating states, temperature, and assignment status, ensuring intuitive information output while minimizing space and components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If an output unit with light source is integrated in the handle body, then information can be output to the user, but the installation space is limited and the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the light guide function with the insulating part by making the insulating part itself translucent and capable of guiding light. This integration eliminates the need for a separate light guide component, reducing structural complexity while maintaining the information output function. The insulating part serves dual purposes: thermal insulation and light guidance for information display.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating part is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: thermal insulation between the cooking container and handle body, and light guidance for information output. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of components needed in the system, addressing both the information output requirement and the complexity reduction goal.
2Loss of information
If the insulating part is made translucent to allow light transmission, then information visibility is improved, but heat insulation performance may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating part is designed with specific local properties: it is translucent in the regions where light guidance is needed (allowing information visibility) while maintaining sufficient thermal insulation properties in the material composition. The light guide function is achieved through specific geometric shaping and material selection that allows optical transmission while preserving thermal insulation capabilities.
3Loss of information
If multiple light coupling points are provided on the insulating part, then information output comprehensiveness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple light coupling points are integrated into the insulating part structure itself rather than being separate components. The insulating part incorporates these coupling points as part of its geometric design, allowing comprehensive information output from multiple angles while avoiding the complexity of adding separate coupling point components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables an intuitively comprehensible and cost-effective output of critical information to users, enhancing the usability of cooking utensils and ensuring reliable information visibility regardless of user positioning, while maintaining aesthetic appeal and preventing unwanted heat transfer.
Implementation Method 1
the insulating part is designed as a light guide with at least one light coupling point for coupling light emitted by the light source into the insulating part and at least one light coupling point for coupling this light out of the insulating part
Implementation Method 2
an insulating part of the cooking utensil is arranged between the handle connection part and the cooking container or the lid to reduce the heat transfer from the cooking utensil to the handle body
Data Source
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Figure 2~3
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AI summary
The invention relates to an item of cookware (2), comprising a cooking vessel (4), at least one handle (6), wherein a handle body (8) of the handle (6) is connected in force-transmitting fashion to the cooking vessel (4) by means of a handle connection part (10) of the handle (6), and wherein an insulating part (12) of the item of cookware (2) is arranged between the handle connection part (10) and the cooking vessel (4), and an output unit (16) which is integrated at least partially into the handle body (8) and which serves for the visual output of information to a user of the item of cookware (2), wherein the output unit (16) has at least one light source (18), and wherein the light source (18) can be controlled by means of a controller (20) of the item of cookware (2) and can be supplied with electrical energy by an energy source of the item of cookware (2), characterized in that the insulating part (12) is configured as an optical waveguide with at least one light incoupling point (22) for incoupling light emitted by the light source (18) into the insulating part (12) and at least one light outcoupling point (24) for outcoupling said light out of the insulating part (12), wherein the light incoupling point (22) is arranged on the handle body (8) and the light outcoupling point (24) is arranged on a surface of the insulating part (12) that is visible from the outside. The invention furthermore relates to a method for operating an item of cookware (2).