Oven frame for holding food containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
The handling and heating of food containers in aircraft galleys are laborious and require protective measures due to the heat, and existing solutions do not efficiently manage the spacing and transportation of food containers for even heating and safe removal.
Innovation Solution
An oven frame with multiple receptacles arranged vertically, featuring connecting arrangements that allow for compact or expanded states, enabling even heating and safe handling, and an integrated dispensing device for safe removal of food containers without direct handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If food containers are placed in a standard oven rack with fixed spacing, then they are easy to load and transport, but they cannot be properly spaced for even heating in the oven
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting arrangements are designed to be movable between a first position for compact transport and a second position for expanded heating. The connecting elements can slide along the receptacles to adjust the distance between them, allowing the same structure to serve both compact storage and proper heating spacing requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The oven rack is divided into separate receptacles that can be independently adjusted relative to each other through the connecting arrangements. This segmentation allows each receptacle to be positioned optimally for heating while maintaining the ability to compact them for transport
2Manufacturing precision
If the oven rack is kept in an expanded state for heating, then food containers are evenly heated, but it occupies excessive space during transport and storage
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting arrangements enable dynamic transformation between expanded and compact states. During heating operations, the connecting elements are positioned to maximize spacing between receptacles for even heat distribution. During transport, the same elements are repositioned to minimize the overall volume of the oven rack
3Productivity
If food containers are removed directly from the oven while hot, then handling is faster, but it requires protective measures and increases risk of burns
Solution Approach 1:
The oven rack serves as a thermal intermediary that remains in the hot oven environment while the food containers are transferred to it. The rack's structure is designed to withstand high temperatures, allowing food containers to be placed on it inside the oven and then removed together as a unit, reducing direct human exposure to extreme heat
4Ease of operation
If separate drawers are used to hold food containers in the serving trolley, then storage is organized, but it increases weight and space requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The oven rack is designed to be directly integrated with the serving trolley structure, eliminating the need for separate storage drawers. The receptacles on the oven rack serve dual purposes: holding food containers during transport and positioning them for heating, thereby consolidating multiple functions into a single structure and reducing overall weight
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 oven frame allows for efficient heating and handling of food containers by ensuring even air circulation and safe dispensing, reducing labor and risk of burns, while also optimizing space and weight savings by integrating with serving trolleys.
Implementation Method 1
the oven rack is permeable to air on all sides, allowing hot air from the galley stove to circulate around the individual food containers
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6b
AI summary
A stove rack for holding food containers for heating in a galley stove is proposed, comprising several receptacles for receiving food containers, at least two connecting arrangements, wherein the receptacles are arranged one above the other, wherein the at least two connecting arrangements are arranged on two opposite side surfaces of the receptacles and coupled to the receptacles, wherein the connecting arrangements are designed to hold the receptacles one above the other and optionally to lock them in a compacted state with a first distance from each other or to lock them in a removal state for removing the food containers with a second distance from each other, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.