Length-adjustable cutlery item
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foldable cutlery parts face issues with contamination and damage during unlocking, as well as difficult handling due to long lever lengths between folding lines and locking elements, which complicates the transition between storage and extended use positions.
Innovation Solution
A foldable cutlery part design featuring a single-piece cut with defined folding lines and locking elements that reduce the lever arm between folding and locking mechanisms, allowing for secure storage and easy transition to extended use while avoiding direct contact with the cutlery head during unlocking, and enhancing hygiene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the locking elements are positioned far from the folding line to provide sufficient locking force, then the locking reliability is improved, but the lever arm length increases making the cutlery piece prone to accidental detachment and harder to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The locking device is segmented into multiple locking elements distributed at different positions along the cutlery piece. This allows the locking function to be distributed rather than concentrated at a single point, enabling reliable locking with shorter lever arms by utilizing multiple contact points between the locking elements and the folding line.
2Ease of operation
If the locking elements are positioned close to the folding line to shorten the lever arm and improve handling, then the ease of operation is improved, but the locking force decreases reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple locking elements are combined to work together in unison, providing cumulative locking force that compensates for the reduced mechanical advantage of shorter lever arms. The combined effect of multiple locking elements at different positions ensures reliable locking while maintaining short lever arm lengths for easy handling.
3Ease of operation
If the unlocking mechanism allows easy access to release the locking elements, then the ease of operation is improved, but the cutlery head may be touched causing contamination or damage
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediary mechanism is introduced between the user's fingers and the locking elements during the unlocking process. This intermediary structure allows the user to release the locking elements without direct contact with the cutlery head, maintaining hygiene while enabling easy operation. The intermediary could be a release tab or lever that translates user input into locking element movement without requiring direct manipulation of the locking elements themselves.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a length-adjustable cutlery item (1) which can be unfolded from a shortened and folded-together storage position into a use position that is lengthened with respect thereto, and is formed from a planar blank (2). In the direction of a longitudinal axis (7), the cutlery item (1) comprises a rear end (5) and a front end (6), spaced apart from one another, and a first embossed line (10) extending in the transverse direction. Cutlery-item portions (11, 12) that face one another are detachably held on one another in the storage position by means of a locking device (13) comprising a first and second locking element (14, 15). Both locking elements (14, 15) are each defined by severed-material regions (16, 17), which pass through the the blank (2) in the direction of its thickness and which have in each case a longitudinal extent that extends so as to be oriented substantially in parallel with respect to the longitudinal axis (7).