Electronics Housing Seal Made from Same Plastic for Cooking Appliances
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronics housings for household appliances, particularly cooking appliances, face challenges in sealing effectively and efficiently, with prior solutions often being costly and complex in implementation.
Innovation Solution
An electronics housing with elastically resilient seals made of the same plastic as the housing, featuring two housing chambers with circumferential seals that can be pressed against a glass ceramic plate and a cover plate, allowing for easy and cost-effective production and effective sealing, with obliquely protruding sealing lips providing mechanical compressibility similar to conventional foam seals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate sealing components are used, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is integrated directly into the housing structure as a circumferential sealing lip formed from the same plastic material, eliminating separate sealing components. This merging of the seal with the housing reduces part count and assembly complexity while maintaining effective sealing between the electronics housing and glass ceramic plate
Solution Approach 2:
The housing and seal are made from the same plastic material, creating a unified composite structure. This allows the seal to be molded as an integral part of the housing, combining structural and sealing functions in a single component that simplifies manufacturing and assembly
2Reliability
If conventional foam seals are used, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is merged with the housing structure itself through an integrally molded sealing lip. This eliminates the need for separate foam seal components and their associated adhesives, clips, or mechanical retention systems, significantly reducing manufacturing cost and complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing lip is designed with specific geometric parameters including an oblique angle between 10° and 70° (preferably 20°-45°) and a thickness of 0.5-2mm. These parameter optimizations allow the plastic seal to achieve foam-like compressibility and sealing effectiveness through its geometry rather than material composition
3Reliability
If the seal is made from different material, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal and housing are made from the same homogeneous plastic material, allowing both components to be manufactured in a single injection molding process. This material homogeneity eliminates the need for separate material procurement, inventory management, and assembly operations, simplifying the entire manufacturing supply chain
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 a simple, inexpensive, and effective sealing mechanism that prevents moisture, dirt, and hot air from entering the electronics housing, while allowing for diverse use and easy assembly, with the same plastic material ensuring a unified and efficient manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
having at least one peripheral, elastically flexible seal for sealing the electronics housing
Data Source
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AI summary
An electronic housing (22) for household appliances (21) has at least one elastically flexible seal (10, 24) for sealing the electronic housing (22) against at least one contact surface (3, 6), wherein the electronic housing (22) and the seal (10; 24) are made of the same plastic. A cooking appliance (21) has an electronic housing (4; 22) and at least one contact surface (3, 6), wherein the electronic housing (4; 22) rests against at least one contact surface (6; 3, 6) with at least one elastically flexible seal (10, 24). The invention is particularly advantageously applicable to cooking appliances, especially cooktops.