Kitchen appliance comprising a weighing sensor assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing kitchen appliances with integrated storage containers face challenges in accurately tracking the weight of contents delivered to the food preparation chamber due to interference from mechanical forces and heat associated with food preparation functionality, particularly when weighing sensors are integrated within the main assembly.
Innovation Solution
A kitchen appliance design that includes a support member for the storage container and a weighing sensor assembly that supports the main assembly except for the storage container, allowing precise weighing of the food preparation chamber by excluding the storage container's weight, with the sensor assembly positioned to avoid interference from food preparation functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If weighing sensors are integrated inside the main assembly to weigh only the food preparation chamber, then measurement precision is improved, but the weighing sensor assembly interferes with food preparation functionality due to mechanical forces and heat
Solution Approach 1:
The weighing sensor assembly is extracted from the interior of the main assembly and repositioned to support the main assembly from the exterior. This separation removes the harmful thermal and mechanical interference from the weighing sensors while maintaining the ability to measure the weight of the food preparation chamber by weighing the entire main assembly and subtracting the known weight of the storage container supported by the support member.
2Device complexity
If the whole kitchen appliance stands on weighing sensors to weigh the main assembly, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to track weight of contents specifically in the food preparation chamber is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The weighing system is segmented into two functional components: (1) the weighing sensor assembly that supports and weighs the main assembly, and (2) the support member that supports the storage container separately. This segmentation enables the control system to calculate the weight of contents in the food preparation chamber by subtracting the weight of the storage container (supported by the support member) from the total weight measured by the weighing sensor assembly, thereby achieving specific content weight tracking while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure.
3Ease of operation
If weighing sensors are positioned inside the main assembly, then ease of operation is improved by direct integration, but reliability deteriorates due to interference from food preparation functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The support member acts as an intermediary element that supports the storage container separately from the main assembly. This intermediary structure enables the weighing sensor assembly to measure only the main assembly (containing the food preparation chamber) without the storage container's weight, while still maintaining the integrated functionality of the kitchen appliance. The control system uses this arrangement to reliably track weight changes in the food preparation chamber by calculating the difference between the measured main assembly weight and the storage container weight.
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
Enables accurate tracking of the weight of contents in the food preparation chamber by isolating the storage container's weight, reducing interference from food preparation mechanisms, and facilitating controlled delivery and processing based on weight measurements.
Implementation Method 1
a weighing sensor assembly on which the main assembly, other than said at least part of the storage container, is supportable so as to be weighed by the weighing sensor assembly
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a kitchen appliance (100) comprising a food preparation chamber (102), and a storage container (104) in which contents (106) are storable prior to delivery to the food preparation chamber. The food preparation chamber and the storage container are integrated in a main assembly (108) of the kitchen appliance. A support member (110), e.g. a support foot, supports thereon at least part of the storage container. A weighing sensor assembly (112) supports, and is thus able to weigh, the main assembly other than the at least part of the storage container that is supported on the support member.