Induction cooking appliance and method for its assembling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of a metal tray in induction cooking appliances poses a challenge due to the need for electrical insulation when mounting a printed circuit board, which is not easily addressed by existing assembly methods.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves using polymeric support elements with snap engagement and elastic hooks to quickly and toollessly mount the printed circuit board on the metal tray, ensuring electrical insulation without the need for additional insulation materials, and allowing for easy assembly and automation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a metal tray is used in induction cooking appliances, then electromagnetic shielding and cost benefits are achieved, but electrical insulation problems arise when mounting printed circuit boards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces polymeric support elements as intermediary components between the metal tray and the printed circuit board. These support elements serve as electrical insulators while mechanically supporting the PCB, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining electromagnetic shielding benefits of metal trays and ensuring electrical insulation reliability.
2Reliability
If traditional insulation materials are used to mount PCB on metal tray, then electrical insulation is achieved, but assembly complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of mechanical support and electrical insulation into a single polymeric support element. This integration eliminates the need for separate insulation materials and simplifies the assembly process, allowing the PCB to be mounted directly on the support elements which inherently provide both structural support and electrical insulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The polymeric support elements are designed to automatically provide electrical insulation without requiring additional insulation materials or complex assembly steps. The support elements themselves serve the dual purpose of mechanical support and electrical isolation, enabling quick and tool-less mounting of the PCB.
3Reliability
If additional insulation materials and complex assembly methods are used, then electrical insulation is ensured, but manufacturing cost and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the insulation function from separate insulation materials and integrates it directly into the support elements. By taking out the need for additional insulation components and incorporating the insulation property into the structural support elements themselves, the assembly complexity and device complexity are reduced while maintaining reliable electrical insulation.
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
This method enables rapid, reliable, and cost-effective assembly of the printed circuit board and coil trays on the metal tray, ensuring proper electrical insulation and simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining the benefits of a metal tray, such as electromagnetic shielding.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the support elements 28 is provided, at distal ends thereof, with an elastic hook portion 34 designed to cooperate, in a snap engaging assembling movement, with corresponding slots (not shown) in the metal tray 12
Implementation Method 2
On the PCB 14 a heat sink 24 is mounted, which is cooled by a fan 26 mounted on the metal tray 12 adjacent an aperture 12a thereof
Implementation Method 3
a fan 26 mounted on the metal tray 12 adjacent an aperture 12a thereof. The heat sink 24, used to cool down some of the electronic components which generate more heat, can be mounted on a polymeric module (not shown) together with the fan 26
Implementation Method 4
a way of quickly mounting the printed circuit board on the metal tray without insulation problems is provided
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
An induction cooking appliance comprises a bottom metal tray containing a printed circuit board and electronic components mounted thereon, and also a pair of polymeric support elements configured to be fastened to the metal tray and interposed between the tray and the printed circuit board in order to define a predetermined distance between the tray and the printed circuit board. The polymeric support elements may have an integral intermediate polymeric frame which guarantees a predetermined relative position thereof.