Mechanical Heater Control With DC Relay Child Lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooking appliances with mechanical manipulation units and child lock input units face increased manufacturing costs and complexity due to the use of AC relays, which complicates the manufacturing process and makes it difficult to apply child lock functionality to inexpensive appliances.
Innovation Solution
The use of a normal open type DC relay connected to the mechanical manipulation unit, allowing the controller to control secondary ON/OFF of the electric heater, and a child lock input unit to prevent incorrect user manipulation, particularly by children, by maintaining the DC relay in an open state when child lock is set, ensuring safe and easy operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If AC relays are used in mechanical manipulation units with child lock input units, then child lock functionality is achieved, but manufacturing costs and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the child lock control function from the main heating control circuit by using a separate, simple parallel circuit with a switch and relay. This separates the safety function from the complex power control, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining child lock functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a relay as an intermediary component that mediates between the simple child lock switch and the high-power heating element. The relay acts as a safe intermediary that can be controlled by low-power switch circuits while handling high-power loads, simplifying the control architecture.
2Reliability
If AC relays are used in mechanical manipulation units, then child lock control is enabled, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs inexpensive switch components and simple relay circuits that can be easily manufactured and replaced. The child lock circuit uses basic, low-cost components rather than expensive electronic control units, making the appliance more affordable while maintaining safety functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the control system into independent, simple modules: a child lock switch, a relay control circuit, and a power control circuit. This modular segmentation allows each component to be manufactured separately using simple, cost-effective processes, reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost.
3Ease of operation
If complex circuits and electronic devices are provided for electronic manipulation units, then precise heater control is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases and malfunction risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex electronic manipulation units with a mechanical switch-based system. The mechanical switch directly controls the relay, eliminating the need for complex electronic control circuits, microprocessors, and sensors, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and malfunction risk while maintaining adequate control precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical switch and relay system is inherently fail-safe and requires minimal maintenance. The system uses passive components that do not require power for operation (except during switching), and the mechanical nature provides inherent position feedback without requiring additional sensors or electronic verification circuits.
Data Source
AI summary
A cooking appliance is disclosed. The cooking appliance includes an electric heater for heating an object to be cooked, a mechanical manipulation unit connected to the electric heater for allowing a user to input primary ON/OFF of the electric heater and power of the electric heater, a normal open type DC relay connected to the manipulation unit, and a controller for controlling the DC relay to control secondary ON/OFF of the electric heater based on sensing of a primary ON state of the electric heater by the manipulation unit (a state in which the manipulation unit is operated).