Corn Dog Mold with Snap-Fit Halves to Reduce Batter Spillage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional corn dog preparation is messy and time-consuming due to batter spillage, discouraging individuals from making them, and there is a need for a device that is easy to use, clean, and manufacture while minimizing mess.
Innovation Solution
A corn dog mold device comprising an upper and lower half that snap together via protrusions, allowing the corn dog to be battered and secured within, with a semi-circular opening for the stem, and a rubber gasket to prevent batter leakage, which can be placed in a freezer to set before frying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional corn dog preparation methods are used, then the corn dog can be made with simple ingredients, but batter spillage causes mess on surfaces and clothing
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is divided into an upper half and a lower half that can be separated. The lower half contains a recess that holds the corn dog and batter, while the upper half fits over it. This segmentation allows the batter to be contained within the mold halves during preparation, preventing spillage, while still allowing easy access and simple preparation steps.
2Shape
If the corn dog is battered and secured in the mold, then the shape can be maintained, but the device requires assembly and disassembly steps
Solution Approach 1:
The upper and lower halves of the mold are asymmetric in design - the lower half has a recess that fits a specific corn dog size and shape, while the upper half has corresponding protrusions. This asymmetric design allows the halves to snap together securely to maintain the corn dog shape, while the simplicity of the asymmetric fit keeps the assembly mechanism straightforward without requiring complex fasteners.
3Reliability
If the mold halves are secured together tightly, then batter leakage is prevented, but the device becomes more difficult to open and close
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from the main body of the mold halves and implemented through a separate removable insert or gasket system. This allows the mold halves to remain simple in structure for easy opening and closing, while the extracted sealing element provides reliable batter containment when the halves are assembled. The seal can be easily removed or adjusted without affecting the basic snap-fit mechanism.
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 device allows for easy and convenient corn dog preparation without mess, is reusable, easy to clean, and simple to use, overcoming the limitations of traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
The device can be placed within a freezer for 3 to 5 minutes to allow the shape of the battered corn dog to settle before cooking
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a corn dog mold device comprised of an upper half and a lower half that attach to one another in a snap-like fashion via a plurality of protrusions. The upper half has a convex area and the lower half has a concave area that receive the upper and lower portions of a corn dog, and wherein each half has a semi-circular opening that allows the stem of a corndog to extend outwards from the halves. To use the device, a corn dog can be battered and both halves can be secured to each other with the battered corn dog within the device. The device can be placed within a freezer for 3 to 5 minutes to allow the shape of the battered corn dog to settle before cooking, wherein after 3 to 5 minutes the corn dog can be removed from the device and then fried.