Fondue pot adapter ring
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Fondue pots, specifically caquelons, are difficult to clean due to protrusions and recesses required for hanging baskets, and they are not well-suited for use with triangular trays or baskets.
Innovation Solution
A fondue pot adapter ring with inward-projecting brackets and a deformable member that secures around the pot rim, allowing for easy installation and removal of triangular baskets, which can be positioned above or below the pot rim, facilitating cleaning and accommodating various pot diameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If hooks are added to the caquelon periphery to hold baskets, then the fondue pot can accommodate triangular baskets, but the cleaning difficulty increases due to protrusions and recesses
Solution Approach 1:
The invention separates the basket-holding function from the pot body by introducing a removable adapter ring. The adapter ring is segmented into multiple brackets that can be independently positioned, allowing the pot to accommodate triangular baskets without permanently modifying the pot's surface structure, thus maintaining cleaning ease while achieving adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter ring serves as an intermediary component between the pot and the triangular baskets. It provides the necessary hooks and brackets on its own surface, allowing the baskets to be suspended without adding protrusions to the pot itself. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by isolating the complexity from the pot body while maintaining the desired functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If hooks are permanently integrated into the caquelon, then baskets can be hung, but the structural complexity and cleaning difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter ring divides the basket-holding function into separate modular brackets that can be independently added or removed. This segmentation allows the basic pot structure to remain simple and easy to clean, while the adapter provides the necessary complexity only when needed for basket hanging.
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter ring is designed to be removable and reconfigurable, transforming the system from a static structure to a dynamic one. The brackets can be positioned or removed based on usage needs, allowing the pot to switch between a simple cleaning state and a functional basket-holding state, thereby reducing overall structural complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the adapter ring includes multiple brackets and deformable members, then it can securely hold baskets and accommodate various pot sizes, but the adapter ring itself becomes more complex to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter ring incorporates a deformable member that can change its physical parameters (shape, flexibility) to accommodate different pot diameters. This allows a single adapter design to fit multiple pot sizes without requiring multiple precision-manufactured variants, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable member is made from a flexible material that can elastically deform to match different pot circumferences. This flexible approach replaces the need for multiple rigid, precision-fit components, significantly easing manufacturing requirements while maintaining the ability to securely hold baskets across various pot sizes.
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 adapter ring simplifies the cleaning process of fondue pots by allowing easy installation and removal of baskets, ensuring the pot can be cleaned manually or in a dishwasher, while accommodating standard and varying pot sizes.
Implementation Method 1
the deformable member is made of a resilient material, such that it may snap back and forth without losing strength and shape
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention includes a ring that can be fitted around the top perimeter rim of a pot such as caquelon. That ring is comprised of a plurality of brackets that allow for triangular shaped containers to be hooked onto two possible positions. A first position is when the containers sit at the bottom of the pot, and a second position is when they are held predominantly above the ring so that their perforated structure can drip liquid back into the pot.