Hood unit with lifting/lowering device in the hood

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing kitchen hood units face challenges such as complex installation, poor performance due to lack of fume evacuation, oscillation issues, and high costs associated with lifting/lowering mechanisms, as well as limited visual impact and performance in ceiling and chandelier styles.

Innovation Solution

A kitchen hood unit with a lifting/lowering device integrated within the hood, allowing user-adjustable elevation via suspension means, simplifying installation, maintenance, and reducing visual impact, while incorporating a fume evacuation conduit that can vary in length to optimize fume capture and reduce complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the lifting/lowering device is integrated within the hood, then the installation is simplified and maintenance is easier, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation simplicityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lifting/lowering device is integrated within the hood structure, merging two previously separate components (hood and lifting mechanism) into a single unit. This simplifies installation by reducing the number of separate parts to be assembled and eliminates the need for complex support structures bearing the lifting device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The lifting/lowering device is extracted from the support structure and placed inside the hood, removing the complexity from the support element and simplifying the overall installation process while maintaining the lifting functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Shape

If the hood is suspended from the ceiling, then the visual impact is reduced, but the hood oscillates when touched

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisual impactVSAvoidoscillation stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

A counterweight mechanism is incorporated into the suspension system to balance the hood's weight and reduce oscillations. The counterweight provides stabilizing force that counteracts the tendency of the suspended hood to swing when disturbed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

Solution Approach 2:

Flexible suspension elements are used to provide both the aesthetic hanging appearance and the necessary damping characteristics to reduce oscillations, combining visual appeal with stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Ease of manufacture

If the hood is spaced far from the ceiling, then the installation is simpler, but the fume capture performance is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation simplicityVSAvoidfume capture performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The hood is made dynamically adjustable in its position relative to the ceiling through the integrated lifting/lowering device. This allows the hood to be positioned at optimal distances for both installation simplicity and fume capture performance, depending on the specific application requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The vertical position parameter of the hood is made variable through the lifting/lowering mechanism, allowing optimization of the distance between the hood and ceiling to balance installation ease with fume capture effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Productivity

If the hood is lowered to improve fume capture, then the capture capacity increases, but the user's head may hit the hood

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefume capture capacityVSAvoidaccess to cooking hob

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The hood's vertical position is made dynamically adjustable, allowing it to be lowered during cooking to maximize fume capture capacity and then raised when cooking is complete or light cooking occurs to provide adequate head clearance and comfortable access to the cooking hob.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The lifting/lowering mechanism enables periodic adjustment of the hood position, alternating between lowered position for intensive cooking and raised position for light cooking or cleaning, optimizing both fume capture and user comfort at different times.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP2504628B1Hood unit with lifting/lowering device in the hood

Publication Date: 2017.05.03 FABER SPA

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AI summary

The kitchen hood unit (10; 110; 210; 310; 410) comprises an actual hood (14; 114) overlying a cooking hob, and suspension means (22; 122) for suspending it from a support element (12; 112; 212; 412) to be fixed to the ceiling of the room in which the hood unit (10; 110; 210; 310; 410) is located. The suspension means (22; 122) have a length which can be varied by the user to cause the actual hood (14; 114) to approach and withdraw from the cooking hob. A fume evacuation conduit (28) can also be provided, the length of which varies on the basis of the variation in length of the suspension means (22). The kitchen hood unit has a lifting/lowering device (34) enabling said suspension means (22; 122) to be wound or unwound to cause the actual hood (14; 114) to approach or withdraw from the support element (12; 112; 212; 412), whereby said device (34) is contained in the actual hood (14; 114).