Mini Oven Door Structure With Upward Opening Shelf Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mini ovens with downward opening doors face challenges such as difficulty in opening and closing in narrow spaces, risk of falling due to biased center of mass, limited passage for shelf insertion and withdrawal, and inconvenience in checking cooking state, especially when installed at low places.

Innovation Solution

A cooking appliance with a door that can open both the front and top surfaces, featuring a door frame that supports a heating element and includes a shielding plate, grille fixing parts, and a seating surface for glass, allowing stable and easy installation of components, and providing an expanded passage for easier food or tray insertion/withdrawal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the door is opened downward in a mini oven, then the door can be rotatably coupled to the outer case through a door hinge, but the door protrudes to the front of the mini oven as much as the height of the door, making opening and closing difficult in narrow spaces and causing the center of mass to be biased toward the front

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor opening and closing operationVSAvoiddoor protrusion and center of mass bias
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The door opening direction is changed from horizontal protrusion to vertical upward movement. The door is rotatably coupled to the housing at the rear side of the cooking compartment, allowing it to open upward rather than forward, thereby eliminating the protrusion problem and center of mass bias while maintaining ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If the door opens forward by rotating about the lower end portion, then the cooking compartment can be opened, but the passage for shelf insertion and withdrawal is limited to the front surface

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooking compartment accessVSAvoidshelf insertion and withdrawal passage
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The door opening motion is changed from horizontal rotation to vertical rotation about the rear side. This creates additional spatial dimensions for shelf access, allowing shelves to be inserted and withdrawn not only from the front but also from the top, thereby enhancing adaptability and versatility of the cooking appliance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Ease of operation

If the door opens forward, then the cooking compartment is accessible, but the center of mass is biased toward the front increasing the risk that the mini oven will fall forward

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor opening functionVSAvoidappliance stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The door rotation axis is relocated from the lower front to the rear side of the cooking compartment, changing the opening motion to vertical upward movement. This eliminates the forward protrusion that causes center of mass bias, thereby maintaining door opening functionality while significantly improving appliance stability and reducing the risk of falling forward

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

Enhances convenience and stability by allowing easy opening and closing in narrow spaces, reduces the risk of the appliance falling forward, and facilitates easier food handling and cooking state monitoring.

Implementation Method 1

a first heating part disposed at the door and heating the inside of the cooking compartment when the door is closed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3680559B1Cooking appliance
Publication Date: 2021.10.13 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3680559B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3680559B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3680559B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed herein is a cooking appliance. The cooking appliance includes a door frame that supports a first heating part and is coupled to a door such that the first heating part can be disposed at the door.