Punched Metal Oven Rack for Stable, Easy-Clean Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional oven racks are difficult to clean and pose stability issues for smaller cooking utensils due to their small wire diameter and design, which can lead to instability and inability to support items like small bowls or cups directly.
Innovation Solution
A metal sheet oven rack with punched openings and a stiffening rib, coated with a temperature-resistant non-stick coating, providing a flat and stable surface for cooking utensils and improved cleaning ease.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional wire rack design is used, then the rack can be made with simple structure and low material usage, but the rack becomes difficult to clean and unstable for smaller cooking utensils
Solution Approach 1:
The rack surface is segmented into multiple punched openings arranged in rows, creating a pattern that allows easy cleaning while maintaining structural integrity. The solid regions between openings are divided into sections by the openings themselves, allowing cleaning solutions to flow through and reach all surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The stiffening rib is formed by indenting the metal sheet from one side, creating a three-dimensional feature that provides structural support without adding separate components. This dimensional change from a flat sheet to an indented profile achieves strengthening while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
2Stability of the object's composition
If small diameter wire sections are used, then the rack structure becomes simpler and uses less material, but the rack becomes unstable for smaller cooking utensils
Solution Approach 1:
The metal sheet has different properties in different regions: punched openings in areas where support is needed and solid regions where structural strength is required. The stiffening rib is strategically placed in solid regions to provide localized reinforcement without affecting the entire rack structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The stiffening rib has a substantially semi-circular, indented cross-section, utilizing curvature to distribute stresses more effectively than a flat rib would. This curved profile provides enhanced structural support while using minimal additional material.
3Temperature
If a solid metal sheet is used, then the rack provides maximum stability and ease of cleaning, but the rack cannot withstand high cooking and self-cleaning temperatures as effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The rack incorporates a pattern of punched openings that create a porous structure, allowing cleaning solutions and steam to penetrate through the rack during self-cleaning cycles. This porous design facilitates thorough cleaning while the metal material itself maintains temperature resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack combines metal material with a porous punched pattern and solid regions to create a composite structure that achieves both temperature resistance and ease of cleaning. The metal provides thermal stability while the punched openings enable cleaning access.
Data Source
AI summary
A rack for an oven includes a sheet of metal having a front edge, a back edge, opposing side edges, a top surface and a bottom surface. A row of punched openings is formed in the metal sheet, with a solid region of metal adjacent to the row of punched openings. A stiffening rib is formed in a surface of the rack in the solid region of metal having a substantially semi-circular, indented cross-section.