Disposable Cooking Top Liner for Cleanliness and Scratch Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cooking tops are prone to soiling and scratching due to food splashes and accidental contact with kitchen objects, requiring frequent cleaning with detergents and sponges, which is time-consuming and costly, and exposing the surface to potential scratches.

Innovation Solution

A protective liner comprising a stackable, disposable sheet system with adhesive and housing holes to fit cooking devices, allowing easy replacement of soiled sheets and protection against scratches, made from materials like plastic or metal laminate, with centring and blocking mechanisms for secure positioning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the cooking top surface is regularly cleaned with detergents and sponges, then hygiene is maintained, but the surface is exposed to scratches and cleaning costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehygiene maintenanceVSAvoidsurface scratches

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies disposable protective liners that are placed on the cooking top surface. These liners are inexpensive, single-use items that prevent direct contact between cleaning tools and the cooking top, thereby avoiding scratches while maintaining hygiene. After use, the liners are discarded and replaced with fresh ones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective liner acts as an intermediary layer between the cooking top surface and external objects (including cleaning sponges and utensils). This intermediate barrier protects the cooking top from scratches during cleaning operations while still allowing the surface to be maintained hygienically.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If frequent cleaning is performed to remove encrusted food remains, then hygiene is maintained, but time and operational costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehygiene maintenanceVSAvoidcleaning time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Disposable protective liners are used as a cost-effective solution to maintain hygiene without requiring frequent intensive cleaning. The liners prevent food remains from directly encrusting on the cooking top surface, reducing the need for time-consuming scrubbing operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective liners are applied in advance before cooking activities begin. This preliminary protective measure prevents food remains from adhering to the cooking top surface, thereby eliminating the need for frequent and time-consuming cleaning operations to remove encrusted deposits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If protective covers are used to prevent scratches, then surface protection is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to removal and repositioning requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface scratchesVSAvoidoperational convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The disposable nature of the liners simplifies operation - users simply place a new liner on the cooking top surface and discard it when soiled or damaged. This eliminates the complexity of removing, cleaning, and repositioning reusable protective covers, significantly improving ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective system is segmented into individual disposable liners rather than a single reusable cover. This segmentation allows each liner to be independently placed and removed without affecting other components, simplifying the operation of protecting and maintaining the cooking top surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Object-affected harmful factors

If reusable protective covers are used, then scratch protection is provided, but manufacturing and material costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface scratchesVSAvoidmaterial cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs inexpensive disposable liners made from simple materials such as parchment paper, aluminum foil, or plastic. These materials are far cheaper than manufacturing durable reusable protective covers, significantly reducing material costs while still providing effective scratch protection during use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of manufacturing expensive reusable protective covers, the solution uses multiple inexpensive copies (disposable liners) that can be sequentially applied. This approach to protection using multiple low-cost copies rather than a single high-cost reusable item reduces overall manufacturing and material costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP2258990B1Protective liner and system comprising a cooking top and the protective liner

Publication Date: 2013.04.17 INDESIT COMPANY SPA

Figure 1~2

AI summary

Described is a protective liner for at least a part of a first surface of a cooking top. The protective liner covers the surface of a cooking top and thus grease from the cooking process cannot soil the cooking top. The protective liner comprises a plurality of sheets (2) stacked one on top of the other and reciprocally separable. Hence, after cooking the uppermost sheet can be taken off for disposal.