Cookware Handle Sealing Design for Battery-Powered Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cookware handles with electronic components face challenges in sealing to prevent water and cleaning fluid ingress, requiring a reliable, inexpensive, and consumer-friendly method for manufacturing and assembly, especially for battery replacement.
Innovation Solution
A cookware handle design featuring a secure bayonet-style or threaded engagement of a battery module within a sealed cavity, using a gasket for waterproofing and allowing easy battery replacement, while maintaining durability and cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional sealing methods are used to prevent water ingress in cookware handles with electronic components, then reliability of sealing is improved, but manufacturing cost and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The handle is divided into separate components: a handle body, a battery module, and a gasket. The gasket creates a waterproof seal between these segmented parts, allowing each component to be manufactured separately and assembled easily while maintaining reliable sealing against water and cleaning fluids.
Solution Approach 2:
A gasket serves as an intermediary element between the handle body and battery module. This gasket provides the waterproof sealing function without requiring complex integrated sealing structures, simplifying both manufacturing and assembly while ensuring reliable protection of electronic components.
2Reliability
If the handle is designed as a sealed unit to prevent water ingress, then sealing reliability is improved, but ease of battery replacement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The battery module is segmented as a separate removable component from the handle body. The gasket seals the interface between these segments when assembled, providing waterproof protection. When battery replacement is needed, the module can be easily detached and reattached, maintaining both sealing reliability and ease of repair.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery module interface transitions from a static sealed structure to a dynamic removable connection. The module can be easily attached and detached while the gasket maintains sealing when assembled, allowing the system to adapt between protected operation mode and maintenance mode.
3Reliability
If complex sealing structures are used to ensure waterproofing, then sealing reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A simple, inexpensive gasket is used instead of complex sealed structures. The gasket is a straightforward elastomeric component that provides effective waterproofing through its basic compression seal, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliable sealing against water and cleaning fluids.
Data Source
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AI summary
A handle for a cookware device contains a power supply that is operative to energize one or more of a processor, transceiver and accelerometer, as well as a memory device. The processor is also connected to a one or more external leads that extend into the handle at least to the connection to a sidewall of cooking device for further connection to a sensing circuit or power harvesting circuit. The end of the handle holds at least the processor but is in removable engagement from the portion with the power supply with a resilient sealing member to form a water proof seal.