Cooking Hob Housing Catch Structure Against Fixation Failure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking hobs lack a secure mechanism to prevent the housing and heating elements from descending and potentially causing kitchen furniture damage or fire in case of mechanical failure of the fixation elements.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of a protection element with recesses and hook-shaped structures that engage with the housing to prevent descent when the fixation between the cooking hob plate and housing is loosened, ensuring a stable connection and maintaining contact with the cooking hob plate even when the adhesive connection fails, thus preventing the housing from falling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the fixation elements (adhesive connections, resilient connection elements) are used to connect the housing to the cooking hob plate, then the housing is securely fixed during normal operation, but the housing may descend or fall down when the fixation is loosened or fails
Solution Approach 1:
The protection element is pre-installed on the cooking hob plate with engagement elements positioned to receive the housing. This preliminary arrangement ensures that if the primary fixation fails, the housing is immediately caught by the protection element, preventing descent and potential damage to furniture below.
Solution Approach 2:
The protection element acts as a backup safety mechanism that is already in place before any failure occurs. It provides a secondary fixation system that prevents the harmful effect of housing descent, cushioning against the potential damage to kitchen furniture and ensuring safety even when primary fixation elements fail.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the protection element is designed to engage with the housing, then the housing is prevented from descending when fixation fails, but the protection element should not be loaded during normal operation
Solution Approach 1:
The protection element is designed with engagement elements that dynamically transition from a non-loaded state during normal operation to a load-bearing state when fixation fails. The geometry of the engagement elements allows them to remain disengaged or lightly engaged during normal use, then automatically engage to prevent housing descent when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement elements of the protection element serve as intermediaries that transfer the load from the housing to the cooking hob plate only when necessary. During normal operation, these engagement elements do not bear load, allowing the primary fixation elements to function without interference. When primary fixation fails, the engagement elements automatically engage to mediate the load transfer and prevent housing descent.
Data Source
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AI summary
Cooking hob for installation within a cutout (2) of a worktop (3) comprising a cooking hob plate (4) and a housing (5) for accommodation of electrical components and/or heating elements (8), wherein the housing (5) is fixed to the cooking hob plate (4) and/or to a cooking hob frame (27) surrounding the cooking hob plate (4), wherein the cooking hob (1) is provided with at least one protection element (10), which protects the housing (5) against descending, when the fixation of the housing (5) to the cooking hob plate (4) and/or to the cooking hob frame (27) is at least partially loosened intentionally or unintentionally.