Door assembly for an oven appliance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing oven camera systems face issues with high temperature exposure and reflection disturbances, limiting design flexibility and effective monitoring of the oven cavity.

Innovation Solution

A door assembly with spaced pane elements and an aperture for the camera assembly, allowing for internal mounting and improved heat dissipation, along with anti-reflection features to minimize image disturbances.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the camera is mounted at the exterior side of the oven door to avoid high temperature exposure, then the camera is protected from thermal damage, but image quality deteriorates due to reflections from the glass panes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecamera thermal protectionVSAvoidimage quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary structure (mounting bracket with reflection shield) positioned between the camera and the glass panes. The reflection shield acts as a mediator that blocks reflected light from reaching the camera sensor, while the mounting bracket positions the camera optimally within the door assembly to minimize reflection interference while maintaining thermal protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If reflection shields are provided to reduce image disturbances, then image quality improves, but the area of sight for users looking into the oven cavity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoiduser viewing area

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The reflection shield is designed with local quality - it is positioned and sized specifically to block only the light paths that cause reflections to the camera, while leaving the majority of the glass pane area transparent for user viewing. The shield's dimensions and positioning are optimized to provide reflection protection locally at the camera position without globally obstructing the user's line of sight into the oven cavity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If the camera is mounted within the door assembly through an aperture in the glass pane, then design flexibility improves and thermal protection is maintained, but the mounting structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign flexibilityVSAvoidmounting structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting bracket and reflection shield are merged into a single integrated component. This combination reduces the number of separate parts that need to be manufactured and assembled, simplifying the overall mounting structure while maintaining both the reflection protection function and the camera positioning capability within the door assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Temperature

If multiple glass panes are used in the door assembly, then thermal insulation improves, but the available mounting depth for the camera increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal insulationVSAvoidmounting depth

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the potential harm of increased mounting depth (which could make the camera more vulnerable to thermal effects) into a benefit. The additional depth provided by multiple glass panes allows the camera to be positioned further from the hot oven cavity while still maintaining effective thermal protection through the insulating air gaps between panes, actually improving thermal isolation of the camera.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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

The solution provides better design flexibility and effective temperature management for the camera, reducing the risk of damage from high temperatures and minimizing image disturbances, enabling reliable monitoring of the oven cavity.

Implementation Method 1

allowing for internal mounting and improved heat dissipation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat dissipation: Convection

Implementation Method 2

an outer pane element comprising an at least partially transparent region

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight transmission: Light

Implementation Method 3

an inner pane element spaced apart from the outer pane element

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentUS20230160576A1Door assembly for an oven appliance

Publication Date: 2023.05.25 ELECTROLUX APPLIANCES

AI summary

A door assembly (6) for selectively providing access to, or closing, an oven cavity (5) of an oven appliance, the door assembly comprising: an outer pane element (9) comprising an at least partially transparent region; an inner pane element (10) spaced apart from the outer pane element comprising an at least partially transparent region; optionally one or more center pane elements (11, 12) located between the outer pane element and the inner pane element and comprising an at least partially transparent region; and a camera assembly (7) comprising an optical sensor (38) for obtaining image data from within the oven cavity; characterized in that the door assembly (6) further comprises: an aperture (25) which is provided in one of the pane elements (9, 10, 11, 12) and which accommodates the camera assembly (7).