Nested Steam Pan Dimensional Design for Stable Multi-Pan Nesting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current steam pans do not properly nest with smaller pans, leading to instability, spills, and potential injuries due to size mismatches and angle differences, causing wobbling and inadequate support.
Innovation Solution
A third pan design with specific dimensions and angles that allow it to nest side by side with other pans within the bottom pan, featuring a shorter height and inside angle similar to the bottom pan, ensuring stability and support by resting on the rim of the bottom pan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If smaller pans are nested within the bottom pan without proper dimensional matching, then more pans can be accommodated, but stability and support deteriorate causing wobbling and spills
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by designing smaller pans that fit within the bottom pan in a nested arrangement. The key innovation is specifying precise dimensional relationships - the inside angle of smaller pans should be within two degrees of the bottom pan's inside angle, and the height should be less than the bottom pan's height, enabling stable nesting of multiple pans simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes critical geometric parameters of the nested pans to achieve stability. Specifically, it controls the inside angle to be within two degrees of the bottom pan's angle and sets the height to be less than the bottom pan's height, transforming the nesting configuration from unstable to stable while accommodating multiple pans
2Adaptability or versatility
If pans with different angles are nested together, then various sized pans can be used, but proper support and alignment deteriorate leading to inadequate nesting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by specifying that the inside angle of smaller pans should be within two degrees of the bottom pan's inside angle. This localized angular constraint ensures proper alignment and support at the critical nesting interface while allowing flexibility in other dimensions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the inside angle parameter to be within two degrees of the bottom pan's angle, creating a precise geometric relationship that ensures proper alignment and support while still allowing for pan size variations
3Volume of moving object
If taller pans are used in the nested arrangement, then more cooking capacity is available, but stability deteriorates causing the pans to wobble and spill
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the height parameter by specifying that nested pans should have a height less than the bottom pan's height. This parameter constraint ensures that the nested pans rest properly on the bottom pan's rim or base, providing stability while still maintaining adequate cooking capacity
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a combination of nested pans for use in warming and cooking foods. The combination includes a first pan and a second pan. The second pan has a base portion terminating to an upwardly extending continuously surrounding sidewall. The sidewall has an upper edge that extend outwardly to a rim. The second pan further has an inside angle defined between the base portion of the upwardly extending sidewall, and wherein the continuously surrounding sidewall defines a pair of oppositely positioned short sides and a pair of oppositely positioned long sides interspaced between the short sides. The length of the short side of the pan is configured to permit at least three pans to nest side by side within the first pan.