Hand-Shield for Cookware to Prevent Hot Liquid Splash Injury

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Deep frying poses a risk of severe injury from splashing hot liquids when handling food or utensils in high-temperature oil, as existing cooking apparatuses lack effective protection for users' hands.

Innovation Solution

Development of foldable, non-foldable, slideable, and retractable shields made from heat-resistant materials that can be temporarily or permanently attached to cooking utensils and handles, providing protection against splashing hot liquids and convective/radiative heat.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If no shield is used, then the cooking apparatus is simple and easy to operate, but the user's hand is exposed to harmful hot liquid splashes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection against hot liquid splashesVSAvoidstructure of cooking apparatus

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shield is designed as a separate, detachable component that can be independently attached to or removed from the cooking utensil handle. This segmentation allows the protective function to be added without permanently complicating the base cooking apparatus structure, resolving the contradiction between protection and simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The shield acts as an intermediary protective element positioned between the hot liquid environment and the user's hand. This mediator component provides the necessary protection against harmful splashes while maintaining the original cooking apparatus design, thus adding protection without inherent structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a shield is added to protect against hot liquids, then safety is improved, but the device becomes more complex and harder to operate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety protectionVSAvoidhandling of cooking utensil

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The shield incorporates movable components such as foldable sections and adjustable positioning mechanisms that allow it to adapt to different operational states. When not in use, the shield can be folded or retracted to minimize interference with normal cooking operations, while providing protection when needed, thus maintaining ease of operation alongside safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The shield utilizes flexible, thin-walled construction that allows it to conform to the handle shape and move with the utensil during operation. This flexibility ensures the shield provides continuous protection without creating rigid obstacles that would hinder natural handling motions, resolving the contradiction between safety and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Reliability

If a permanent shield is attached, then protection is reliable, but the device cannot be easily modified or removed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconsistency of protectionVSAvoidflexibility of configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The shield is designed as a modular, detachable component with standardized attachment mechanisms. This segmentation allows the shield to be reliably attached when needed for protection, yet easily removed or reconfigured for different cooking tasks or storage, resolving the contradiction between reliable protection and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The shield incorporates universal attachment features that work with various handle types and configurations. This multi-functionality allows the same shield design to provide reliable protection across different cooking utensils and applications, while also enabling easy adaptation and removal, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Volume of moving object

If a foldable shield is used, then storage space is reduced, but the structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage space requirementVSAvoidmechanism of shield

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shield incorporates foldable joints and movable connections that allow it to collapse into a compact form for storage. These dynamic mechanisms, while adding some structural complexity, enable the shield to reduce its volume significantly when not in use, resolving the contradiction between storage efficiency and structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The foldable shield design allows sections to nest within each other when collapsed, similar to a nested doll structure. This nesting capability maximizes space efficiency during storage while maintaining relatively simple construction, resolving the contradiction between reduced storage volume and structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS10362902B2Hand-shield for cookware and kitchen utensils

Publication Date: 2019.07.30 MILLIKIN RORY CHESLEY PATRICK

AI summary

Methods and apparatus are disclosed to make the process of cooking safer, specifically cooking on hot burners or cooking with hot liquids such as oil. Presented methods and devices in accordance with the present disclosure generally comprise shields that may be temporarily or permanently attached to the body or the handle of cookware or utensils to protect a user's hand from convective and/or radiative heat and from hot liquid splash.