Oven Cooking Chamber Panel Assembly for Pre-Coating and Leak Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oven appliance panel assemblies face challenges such as difficulty in applying enamel coatings evenly, handling bulkiness, and liquid leakage due to rounded corners and improper panel alignment, which increase manufacturing time and cost, and affect the appearance and functionality of the oven.
Innovation Solution
The design features a top panel, bottom panel, back panel, and side panels mounted with fasteners, allowing for pre-coating of enamel on the bottom, side, and back panels and aluminum on the top panel before assembly, with return flanges and fasteners that prevent liquid leakage and enhance handling and aesthetics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the additional panel is bent into a c-shape to form sidewalls and back wall prior to coating, then the enamel coating is protected from damage during assembly, but applying enamel evenly becomes difficult and the top panel cannot be easily excluded from coating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies enamel coating to the panels before assembly rather than after. The method includes applying enamel coating to the additional panel, allowing it to cure, then assembling the panel to the top and bottom panels. This preliminary coating action eliminates the difficulty of applying enamel evenly to assembled panels and allows easy exclusion of the top panel from coating.
2Ease of manufacture
If the additional panel is bent into shape to form sidewalls and back wall, then the cooking chamber structure is formed, but the corners become rounded and the cooking chamber appears smaller
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the additional panel into separate components: a back panel and side panels with return flanges. The back panel forms the back wall with square corners, and the side panels form the sidewalls. This segmentation allows each component to maintain sharp, square corners while still forming the complete cooking chamber structure when assembled together.
3Ease of manufacture
If the additional panel is mounted to the bottom panel, then the cooking chamber structure is complete, but liquid can wick upwardly between panels and escape the cooking chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces return flanges as an intermediary structure between the side panels and bottom panel. The return flanges extend from the front surface of the side panels toward the back, creating an overlapping relationship with the bottom panel that prevents liquid from wicking upward between panels. This intermediary structure maintains liquid containment while allowing complete panel assembly.
4Shape
If cover plates are used to hide unutilized features on panel assemblies, then the appearance is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases and cosmetic appeal may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the back panel and side panels with return flanges that serve multiple functions: they provide liquid containment by preventing wicking, enable easy assembly through the overlapping structure, and create a clean appearance without requiring additional cover plates. The return flanges themselves become the aesthetic feature, eliminating the need for separate cosmetic cover elements.
Data Source
AI summary
An oven appliance is provided. The oven appliance includes a top panel, a bottom panel, a back panel and a pair of side panels. The top panel, the bottom panel, the back panel and the pair of side panels are mounted to one another with a plurality of fasteners. The top panel, the bottom panel, the back panel and the pair of side panels define a cooking chamber for receiving food items for cooking.