Food Shield with Rotatable Panel and Detent Positioning Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food shields lack sufficient adjustability and configurability to adapt to various spaces and uses, as specified by health and safety codes and design guidelines, limiting their effectiveness in different settings.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable food shield design featuring support columns with integral rotation and detent mechanisms, allowing the shield panel to rotate and lock at multiple angular positions, including horizontal, vertical, and intermediate orientations, with spring-loaded ball plungers and locking pins for secure positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed food shield design is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the adaptability to different spaces and uses is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the shield panel rotatable rather than fixed. The panel can rotate between a horizontal position (extending forward from the top shelf) and a vertical position (hanging downward), allowing the same structure to adapt to different spatial requirements and usage scenarios without requiring multiple fixed designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by designing a single food shield structure that can serve multiple functions through rotation. The same panel can provide overhead protection when horizontal, vertical protection when vertical, and can be positioned at intermediate angles, making one device suitable for various display configurations and customer access requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the shield panel is made adjustable with multiple positions, then the versatility increases, but the mechanism complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service through spring-loaded detent mechanisms that automatically engage with recesses in the rotation arm at predetermined angular positions. When the panel is rotated to a desired position (horizontal, vertical, or intermediate), the spring detents automatically lock it in place without requiring manual intervention or complex locking systems, simplifying both manufacture and operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary rotation arm mechanism that connects the shield panel to the support column. This rotation arm with integrated detent mechanisms serves as a mediator that enables controlled rotation and positioning while maintaining structural integrity, avoiding the need for complex multi-component articulation systems.
3Manufacturing precision
If spring-loaded detent mechanisms are added for positioning, then the positioning precision and stability improve, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded detent mechanisms automatically engage with recesses in the rotation arm at predetermined angular positions. When the panel is rotated to a desired position (horizontal, vertical, or intermediate), the spring detents automatically lock it in place without requiring manual intervention or complex locking systems, simplifying both manufacture and operation.
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 adjustable food shield provides enhanced adaptability and compliance with design guidelines, ensuring effective protection against contamination while allowing flexible positioning to suit different display configurations and customer access requirements.
Implementation Method 1
one or more spring loaded ball plungers mounted in the detent body, each ball plunger positioned to engage a recess in the detent plate at each of the detent positions in the rotation of the arms
Implementation Method 2
the top shelf includes a main portion made of glass and a downwardly-angled lip made of glass, the main portion and the downwardly-angled lip being bonded together at their common edge
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable food shield includes a pair of support columns, a pair of rotation and detent mechanisms, a top shelf resting on and attached to the top ends of the support columns, a pair of rotation arms. One of the rotation arms is coupled respectively to each of the rotation and detent mechanisms, such that the rotation arms are rotatable about an axis generally parallel with a lengthwise dimension of the adjustable food shield. The rotation and detent mechanisms provide detents at a number of angular positions of the rotation arms. The adjustable food shield further comprises a shield panel fixed to the rotation arms.