Oven Muffle Fan Cover Spacing With Split Lug Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional oven muffles face challenges in maintaining the required distance between the fan cover and the muffle wall due to the shape of the lugs, leading to complex surface geometries that are difficult to enamel, especially when using sheet metal with protective coatings.
Innovation Solution
The design features through-holes in the muffle wall with matching lugs that project towards the cover element, allowing two shallow projections to maintain the distance instead of a single steep projection, facilitating easier manufacturing and enamel coating application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If the distance between the cover element and the muffle wall is provided by deep cup-shaped lugs at the cover element, then the required distance is maintained, but the surface geometry becomes complex and difficult to enamel
Solution Approach 1:
The single deep lug structure at the cover element is segmented into two separate shallow lugs: one lug at the cover element and a corresponding lug at the muffle wall. This segmentation divides the deep cup-shaped geometry into two shallower structures, making both easier to enamel coat while maintaining the required distance between the cover element and muffle wall.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from providing the entire distance in one dimension (single deep lug at cover element) to distributing the distance provision across two dimensions (shallow lug at cover element + shallow lug at muffle wall). This dimensional distribution reduces the depth requirement of each individual lug, simplifying the enamel coating process.
2Length of stationary object
If single steep projections are used to maintain distance, then the distance is maintained, but the surface geometry becomes complex and manufacturing becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The single steep projection is segmented into two shallow projections located at different positions (cover element and muffle wall). This segmentation reduces the slope and depth of each projection, creating smoother surface geometries that are easier to manufacture with better precision.
3Stability of the object's composition
If deep cup-shaped lugs are used at the cover element, then stability is improved, but the enamel coating process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The single deep lug structure is segmented into two shallower lugs at different locations. This segmentation maintains the stabilizing function by providing two contact points while reducing the depth of each lug, thereby decreasing the enamel coating time and complexity for each lug.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using one deep lug that provides maximum distance, the solution uses two partial lugs that each provide a portion of the distance. This partial action approach achieves the same total distance with shallower structures that require less enamel material and shorter coating time.
Data Source
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AI summary
An oven muffle comprises (a) a muffle wall (22) comprising a mounting region (24) for a fan, and a plurality of through-holes (32) provided in the perimeter of said mounting region for insertion of connection bolts (36), and (b) a cover element (10) for said mounting region (24), said cover element comprising a plurality of lugs (20) comprising openings (18) which overlap said through-holes (32) of the muffle wall (22), said lugs projecting from said cover element towards the muffle wall so as to maintain the cover element at a distance to said muffle wall; In accordance with the present invention each of the through holes (32) provided in the muffle wall (22) comprises a lug (34) projecting towards the cover element (10). In this manner, the individual projections provided at the cover member and at the muffle wall can be implemented with shallower and smoother surface geometries which are easier to manufacture than those used in prior art muffles.