Electrical cooking appliance comprising a draining support with a storage configuration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical cooking appliances, such as fryers, face challenges in storage configuration due to their size when a cooking bath is kept in the drain receptacle, requiring separate storage for the cooking assembly and drain support.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a cooking assembly with a tank that includes a drain device and a drain support with a collar and lower skirt, allowing the drain support to rest on side handles and extend inside the tank in storage configuration, reducing the appliance's size and improving stability while protecting the tank.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the drain support stores the cooking assembly in the emptying configuration, then the appliance can empty the cooking bath into the drain receptacle, but the appliance size becomes too large for compact storage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemptying functionVSAvoidappliance size
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The drain support is designed to be movable between a first position (for emptying) and a second position (for compact storage). The support can be tilted or rotated to transition between these positions, allowing the appliance to switch between functional and storage states. This dynamic configuration enables the drain support to clear from the cooking assembly path during emptying while allowing compact nesting during storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The drain support utilizes three-dimensional space by extending vertically or angularly from the base during emptying operations, then collapsing or nesting against the tank during storage. This dimensional transformation allows the support to provide sufficient clearance for emptying while minimizing the appliance's footprint during storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Strength

If the drain support is made sturdy to support the cooking assembly, then the support structure is strengthened, but the overall appliance size increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrain support strengthVSAvoidappliance size
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The drain support employs a collapsible or telescopic structure that can be extended to full strength configuration during emptying operations when load-bearing capacity is required, then retracted or folded to a compact configuration during storage. This dynamic structural transformation maintains strength when needed while minimizing size during storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If the drain receptacle is designed to hold the cooking bath, then the emptying function is enabled, but the appliance occupies more space in storage configuration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooking bath storageVSAvoidappliance size
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The drain receptacle is designed to nest within or alongside the tank structure when not in use. The receptacle can be positioned inside the tank cavity or adjacent to it, allowing the cooking bath to be held during emptying operations while minimizing the overall appliance footprint during storage. This nested arrangement enables the receptacle to provide sufficient capacity when needed while occupying minimal space during storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentEP3697275B1Electrical cooking appliance comprising a draining support with a storage configuration
Publication Date: 2023.08.02 SEB SA
  • EP3697275B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3697275B1 patent drawingFigure 3~6
  • EP3697275B1 patent drawingFigure 7~9

AI summary

The invention relates to an electrical cooking appliance (1), in particular an electric fryer, comprising a cooking assembly (10), a draining support (30) forming a draining receptacle (40), the electrical cooking appliance (1) being able to take on a draining configuration in which the draining support (30) carries the cooking assembly (10), the cooking assembly (10) comprising a vessel (20) capable of receiving a cooking bath, the vessel (20) being provided with a draining device (21) for emptying the cooking bath into the draining receptacle (40) when the electrical cooking appliance (1) is in the draining configuration. According to the invention, the electrical cooking appliance (1) can take on a storage configuration in which the draining support (30) rests on the cooking assembly (10) and in which the draining receptacle (40) extends inside the vessel (20).