Injection-Molded Plastic Frame for Oven Window Thermal Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current oven door window assemblies are costly, require numerous components, and struggle with heat conduction, sealing, and pressure imbalances due to multiple parts and metal components, leading to potential failure and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
The use of injection molding to create a single-piece plastic frame that encapsulates at least one glass pane, reducing the need for insulating seals and allowing for modular glass and plastic variants, with a design that allows for pressure equalization and reduced heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If multiple insulating seals and metal components are used in conventional IGUs, then thermal insulation is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate insulating seals and metal components into a single integrated plastic frame structure that encapsulates the glass panes. This merging eliminates the need for multiple gaskets and seals while maintaining thermal insulation performance, directly resolving the contradiction between thermal insulation and assembly complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material construction with plastic frames encapsulating glass panes, replacing traditional metal and multi-material seal assemblies. This composite approach achieves effective thermal insulation while simplifying the overall structure and reducing the number of components
2Strength
If metal components are used in IGUs, then structural strength is improved, but heat conduction to exterior environment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces durable metal components with plastic materials that provide sufficient structural strength for the application while offering superior thermal insulation properties. The plastic frame maintains adequate strength to hold glass panes and resist operational stresses without conducting heat to the exterior
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to plastic, fundamentally altering the thermal conductivity characteristic while maintaining structural functionality. This parameter change enables the frame to provide both structural support and thermal insulation simultaneously
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple interconnected parts are used in assemblies, then functional requirements are met, but sealing completeness and reliability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple interconnected parts into a single-piece molded plastic frame that encapsulates the glass panes. This integration eliminates numerous joints, interfaces, and connection points where sealing failures could occur, significantly improving sealing reliability while still meeting all functional requirements through the unified design
4Temperature
If conventional IGUs are completely sealed, then thermal insulation is improved, but pressure equalization and failure resistance decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing encapsulation at specific locations rather than complete sealing. The plastic frame encapsulates the edges of glass panes to provide thermal insulation while leaving controlled pathways or breathing spaces that allow pressure equalization, thus maintaining thermal performance without compromising pressure change resistance
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
The encapsulated glass assemblies provide improved thermal insulation, reduced assembly complexity, and enhanced durability against pressure changes, while maintaining efficient heat and moisture management.
Implementation Method 1
Certain types of plastics (e.g. resins and polymers) provide better thermal insulation as compared to metal, so heat transfer across the assemblies of the present disclosure can be minimized if not eliminated through the selection of the plastic used as the encapsulating material.
Implementation Method 2
The encapsulation process can provide correct spacing between the panes of glass to achieve desired thermal performance and to eliminate the need for various insulating seals used in conventional assemblies. An encapsulation process, such as injection-molding, allows for the encapsulating material to be applied directly on the glass
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a glass assembly having a plastic frame and two glass panes in spaced parallel arrangement, wherein at least one of the glass panes is encapsulated within the plastic frame. The glass assembly is part of a door that is connected to an oven to allow selective access to the interior oven cavity. The encapsulated glass pane can face the interior oven cavity, or face away from the interior oven cavity, toward the environment outside the oven. Each glass pane can also be encapsulated within a frame half, and the two frame halves can be connected to one another. The disclosure also provides a method of making the glass assembly.