Movable Drive Nut Engagement for Cooking Appliance Accessory Rotation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hot air fryer cooking appliances have complex and heavy drive systems for rotating kitchen accessories, which complicate the design and functionality of the removable tank and cooking enclosure.

Innovation Solution

A motorized drive nut system is integrated into the body of the cooking appliance, allowing the drive nut to move between engaged and disengaged positions, simplifying the transmission and design by positioning the drive system entirely within the body, enabling direct coupling with the kitchen accessory.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a traditional drive system with gear engagement between the cooking chamber and the removable bowl is used, then the kitchen accessory can be rotated, but the system becomes complex and heavy, complicating the design of the removable tank

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverotation of kitchen accessoryVSAvoiddrive system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drive system is extracted from the removable bowl and repositioned entirely within the stationary body of the cooking appliance. The motorized device and drive nut are now fixed in the body, eliminating the need for complex engagement mechanisms between the cooking chamber and the removable bowl, thereby simplifying the overall drive system design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

A drive shaft is introduced as an intermediary component that transmits rotational motion from the motorized device in the body to the kitchen accessory in the removable bowl. This allows the drive system to be separated into stationary and removable parts while maintaining functional connection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If a traditional drive system with gear engagement is used, then the kitchen accessory can be rotated, but the removable tank design becomes complicated and heavier

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverotation of kitchen accessoryVSAvoidremovable tank weight
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The heavy motorized drive system is extracted from the removable bowl and placed in the stationary body, significantly reducing the weight of the removable tank. Only the lightweight drive shaft needs to extend into the bowl, while the motor and drive nut remain fixed in the body

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The drive system is segmented into two parts: a stationary motorized device with drive nut in the body, and a movable drive shaft that transmits power to the kitchen accessory. This segmentation allows the heavy components to remain fixed while the removable part stays lightweight

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3912529B1Cooking appliance provided with a device for engagement and disengagement of a kitchen accessory placed in a vessel of the device
Publication Date: 2023.06.07 SEB SA
  • EP3912529B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3912529B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3912529B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a cooking appliance (1) for preparing food, comprising a body (2) equipped with a cooking chamber (6) and a food receiving container (9) removably placed within the chamber. The container includes a base (17) having an opening (18) for the passage of a drive nut (16) intended to rotate a removable cooking accessory (20) located in the receiving container. The body includes a motorized device (15) arranged to rotate the drive nut. The device (1) includes a device for moving (24) the drive nut (16) between a disengaged position in which it is withdrawn from the opening (18) and the cooking accessory (20) when the latter is placed in the bowl and an engaged position in which the drive nut (16) is engaged with the cooking accessory (20) when the latter is placed in the bowl (9).