Cooking Oven Heating Element Mounting with Embossed Muffle Walls

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Geometrical variations in oven muffles due to manufacturing processes cause difficulties in mounting and installation of heating elements, leading to gaps that result in condensation and energy loss.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating resilient elements and embossing structures in the muffle walls to provide a precise mounting surface for heating elements, allowing for easy installation and minimizing geometrical variations, while maintaining an air-tight connection to prevent heat and fume leakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If heating elements are arranged in a certain distance to the oven muffle walls, then heat distribution is improved, but mounting precision deteriorates due to geometrical variations in muffle walls

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat distributionVSAvoidmounting precision
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical state of the fixing element from rigid to resilient, allowing it to deform elastically and adapt to geometrical variations in the muffle wall, thereby maintaining precise mounting while preserving the required distance for heat distribution

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The resilient fixing element is designed in advance to compensate for geometrical variations through its elastic properties, cushioning against mounting precision issues before they occur during installation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Productivity

If muffle parts are manufactured with deep-drawing and cutting processes, then production efficiency is improved, but geometrical precision deteriorates causing mounting difficulties

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoidgeometrical precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The fixing element's material property is changed to be resilient rather than rigid, enabling it to accommodate the geometrical variations inherent in deep-drawing and cutting processes while maintaining functional mounting precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The resilient fixing element automatically adjusts itself to the actual geometry of the muffle wall during installation, eliminating the need for high-precision manufacturing and complex adjustment procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Stability of the object's composition

If heating elements are fixed rigidly to muffle walls, then structural stability is improved, but adaptability to geometrical variations deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidadaptability to geometrical variations
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The fixing element transitions from a rigid state to a resilient state, maintaining structural stability through elastic deformation while gaining the adaptability to accommodate geometrical variations in the muffle wall

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The fixing element is designed to be dynamically adaptable within elastic limits, allowing controlled deformation to match geometrical variations while maintaining sufficient stability for secure mounting

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 ensures precise positioning of heating elements, reduces condensation and energy loss, and facilitates easy installation and cleaning by stabilizing cut edges and maintaining structural stability.

Implementation Method 1

at least one resilient element (9) is provided which applies a force to the heating element (6) pulling said fixing element (8) against said embossing (4)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2711635B1Cooking oven with heating element
Publication Date: 2020.03.11 ELECTROLUX HOME PROD CORP NV
  • EP2711635B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2711635B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2711635B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Cooking oven comprising an oven muffle (1) having muffle walls (2a, 2b) which define a cooking chamber (13) and at least one heating element (6) which is fixed to at least one of the muffle walls (2a, 2b) by means of at least one fixing element, characterized in that said at least one muffle wall (2a, 2b) is provided with at least one embossing (4), wherein said fixing element rests against said embossing (4).