Cooking appliance light with a form-fitted light guide rod
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking appliance light assembly methods, such as those using clamping rings, are time-consuming and require high assembly forces, potentially damaging the plastic sockets and not suitable for force-minimized assembly.
Innovation Solution
A cooking appliance light design featuring a receiving socket with a peripheral opening and a spring pin holding part with a holding leg that engages in the light guide rod's circumferential clearance, allowing for force-free and damage-free insertion and alignment of the light guide rod.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a clamping ring is used to fix the light guide rod in the carrier, then the light guide rod is securely held, but the assembly process becomes time-consuming and requires high assembly forces that may damage the plastic socket
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping ring is segmented into individual clamping elements (clamping lugs) that can be independently positioned and engaged. These clamping lugs are distributed around the circumference of the light guide rod, allowing for localized securing without requiring a complete circular clamping ring, thus reducing assembly complexity and time
Solution Approach 2:
A centering ring is introduced as an intermediary component between the light guide rod and the clamping elements. This centering ring facilitates proper alignment and positioning of the light guide rod before the clamping lugs engage, enabling easier assembly while maintaining secure fixation, and preventing damage to the plastic socket during installation
2Reliability
If a clamping ring is expanded against spring preload to apply clamping forces, then the light guide rod is firmly secured, but the assembly forces required are comparatively high and may damage the socket
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous clamping ring is divided into discrete clamping lugs that engage with corresponding features on the light guide rod. This segmentation allows the clamping force to be distributed at specific engagement points rather than requiring continuous expansion force around the entire circumference, reducing the peak assembly force needed
Solution Approach 2:
The centering ring acts as a mediator that pre-positions the light guide rod correctly before the clamping lugs engage. This ensures proper alignment and reduces the force required for clamping engagement, preventing damage to the plastic socket while maintaining secure fixation
3Ease of operation
If the receiving socket is provided with webs to reduce frictional forces, then easier placement is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The centering ring serves as an intermediary component that simplifies the insertion process by providing alignment features and guiding the light guide rod into the correct position. Rather than modifying the socket structure with complex web patterns, the centering ring externally facilitates easy placement while keeping the socket design simple
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 effortless and resistance-free insertion of the light guide rod with minimized assembly forces, preventing damage to the light guide rod and facilitating easy assembly, suitable for metal or plastic sockets.
Implementation Method 1
a spring pin with at least one holding leg that can be placed on the outside of the receiving socket, which engages in the circumferential clearance of the light guide rod
Data Source
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AI summary
The described and illustrated appliance light comprises a carrier forming a light source receptacle, in which a light source in the form of a circuit board with at least one LED is inserted and has a receiving nozzle connected to the receptacle for the light source via an opening, and a light guide rod inserted into the receiving nozzle and into which the light emitted by the light source is fed through the opening between the receiving nozzle and the light source receptacle, wherein the light guide rod is fixed in the carrier by means of a positive locking connection.