Foldable Food Slab Rack With Nested Supports for Compact Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking rack systems are cumbersome, difficult to clean, occupy significant storage space, and cannot accommodate food slabs of varying lengths due to their unitary structures and geometric limitations.
Innovation Solution
A grilling rack with a rectangular frame and bent rod food slab supports that can be easily assembled, disassembled, and stored, featuring parallel outer risers, internal risers in a digital waveform configuration, and adjustable cradle sections with upwardly sloped shoulders to securely hold slabs of varying lengths, allowing for compact storage and easy cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a unitary welded structure rack is used, then structural strength is improved, but storage space occupation increases and cleaning difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rack is divided into multiple detachable components including side bars, cross bars, and support bars that can be separated from each other. This segmentation allows each component to be stored independently, significantly reducing storage space occupation compared to a unitary structure, while maintaining structural strength through proper connection mechanisms at assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The detachable components of the rack are designed to nest within each other when disassembled. The cross bars and support bars can be inserted into the side bars or stored in designated compartments, creating a compact nested configuration that minimizes storage space while preserving the structural integrity of individual components.
2Strength
If a unitary welded structure rack is used, then structural strength is improved, but cleaning difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rack structure is segmented into detachable components connected by removable fasteners rather than permanent welds. This allows the components to be easily separated for thorough cleaning of each part individually, and reassembled afterward, eliminating the cleaning difficulties associated with unitary welded structures while maintaining adequate structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection elements (fasteners, clips, or connectors) are designed to be easily removed and extracted from the rack components. This extraction capability allows complete disassembly of the rack for cleaning, with each component being accessible and separable, thereby solving the cleaning difficulty problem inherent in unitary structures.
3Quantity of substance
If the span between longitudinal side bars is increased, then more food slabs can be held, but smaller food slabs fall through the rack
Solution Approach 1:
The rack incorporates multiple support bars positioned at different locations between the longitudinal side bars, creating localized support points with varying spacing. This local quality variation ensures that smaller food slabs are supported at appropriate intervals to prevent falling through, while the overall span between side bars remains sufficient to accommodate larger quantities of food slabs.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack uses adjustable support bars that can be repositioned along the longitudinal side bars to adapt to different food slab sizes. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the support spacing to be optimized for each cooking scenario, preventing smaller slabs from falling through while maintaining the capacity to hold multiple slabs of various dimensions.
4Ease of manufacture
If a fixed structure rack is used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but adaptability to varying food slab lengths decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The rack is manufactured as segmented components with standardized connection interfaces, maintaining manufacturing simplicity through modular design. The detachable nature of the segments allows for easy adjustment of the rack configuration to accommodate varying food slab lengths, providing versatility without significantly complicating the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack incorporates adjustable components that allow the configuration to be dynamically changed to suit different food slab lengths. The detachable and reconfigurable nature of the segments enables users to adapt the rack structure to various cooking needs while the standardized connection mechanisms keep the manufacturing process relatively simple.
Data Source
AI summary
A rack for positioning food slabs in a horizontal cooking area such as over a grill includes a rectangular frame which carries a plurality of bent rod food slab supports at a rearward tilt. Each support includes a pair of outer risers having interned lower ends. The outer risers extend over opposite sides of the frame, with the interned ends extending through apertures in the frame sides. Between the outer risers, the rod is bent in a digital waveform and includes forwardly extending lower cradle having upwardly sloped shoulders for engaging the bottom of a food slab. Notches are provided in the upper edge of the frame sides forwardly of each aperture and a notch engaging post extends from the cradle shoulders which are adjacent each outer riser. The ends of the frame are lapped and hinged, so that the frame may be folded along a longitudinal axis for compact storage, with the slab supports nested within the folded frame.