Oven Hinge with Tappet-Driven Lever Arm to Reduce Finger Pinching
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing hinges for ovens pose a hazard of finger pinching due to the strong mechanical advantage near the pivot of the closing door, particularly during motorized closure.
Innovation Solution
A hinge design incorporating an electromechanical driving gear connected to a tappet that activates a lever arm, allowing manual operation and utilizing a closing spring for final closure, ensuring the motorized component does not contribute to the closing force, thus preventing finger pinching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If motorized closing movement is implemented, then closing automation is improved, but finger pinching hazard increases
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful motorized closing force is extracted from the final closing stage. The motorized driving gear is designed to disengage before the door reaches the closed position, removing the dangerous closing force exactly when it would cause finger pinching, while the door completes closure under its own weight or spring force.
Solution Approach 2:
The driving gear performs preliminary closing action to bring the door near the closed position, then deliberately disengages before final contact. This preliminary action allows the motor to position the door safely without maintaining force during the critical final closing moment when fingers could be pinched.
2Speed
If driving gear provides continuous closing force, then closing speed is improved, but safety is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The closing action is divided into periodic phases: the motorized driving gear provides force during the initial closing phase to achieve speed, then deliberately disengages during the final phase. This periodic engagement and disengagement allows fast closing while eliminating continuous dangerous force application near the closed position.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If automatic locking mechanism is added, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge system uses self-service safety through the natural disengagement of the driving gear from the lever arm near the closed position. The tappet mechanism automatically loses contact with the lever arm as the door approaches closure, providing passive safety without requiring additional active locking components or control systems.
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 enhances user safety by eliminating the risk of finger pinching during door closure and allows for manual operation in case of gear failure, improving comfort and simplifying maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a closing spring (7) to exert pressure on the swing arm (4) in the direction of the closed position of the hinge
Implementation Method 2
The driving gear (8) can be set up as a linear driving gear or a rotating driving gear... It is advantageous if the driving gear does not have any automatic locking
Implementation Method 3
the driving gear (8) presses the hinge directly or indirectly up to the point where the closing door (2) is activated independently
Data Source
AI summary
Hinge, in particular for an oven, with a housing on which a lever arm is stored in a swingable manner, and is activated by a driving gear. In an improved hinge of this type, the driving gear is connected to a tappet, which is connected to exert pressure on the lever arm.