Oven Side Panel Air Channels to Limit Cabinet Heat Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Oven range appliances' side panels become heated and transfer heat to adjacent kitchen cabinets, potentially damaging them and posing safety hazards, while existing recessed portions trap stagnant air and are not effective in reducing heat transfer, and visible gaps between appliances and cabinets are undesirable.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating air channels along the side panels of oven range appliances to facilitate airflow, which helps in cooling the panels and reducing heat transfer to cabinets without creating visible gaps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If recessed portions are added to the side panel, then heat transfer to cabinets is reduced, but visible gaps are created between the appliance and cabinets
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional recessed design to a three-dimensional air channel system that extends vertically along the side panel. The air channels are formed by recessing portions of the side panel to create depth, allowing air to flow vertically from the bottom to the top of the appliance, cooling the side panel surface without creating visible gaps at the front view.
Solution Approach 2:
Air is introduced as an intermediary cooling medium between the heated side panel and the kitchen cabinets. The air channels provide a pathway for air to flow along the side panel, absorbing heat through convection and preventing direct heat transfer to the cabinets, while the side panel remains flush with the cabinets from the front view.
2Shape
If the side panel is made flush with the cabinets, then visible gaps are eliminated, but heat transfer to cabinets increases
Solution Approach 1:
The side panel is segmented into multiple functional zones: a front flush portion that contacts the cabinet for aesthetic purposes, and recessed portions that form air channels for cooling. This segmentation allows the side panel to simultaneously achieve a flush appearance from the front while incorporating internal cooling pathways that prevent heat transfer to the cabinets.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If air channels are created by recessing the side panel, then heat transfer is reduced, but the side panel structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is merged into the side panel structure itself by forming air channels through recessing portions of the panel. This integration eliminates the need for separate cooling devices or components, as the side panel simultaneously serves as both the structural element and the cooling system, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining effective heat transfer prevention.
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 air channels effectively cool the side panels and reduce heat transfer to kitchen cabinets, enhancing safety and aesthetics by eliminating visible gaps between the appliance and cabinets.
Implementation Method 1
an air channel for a flow of air along the at least one side panel
Data Source
AI summary
An oven range appliance with features for cooling one or both side panels of the oven range appliance without visible gaps between the oven range appliance and a set of kitchen cabinets is provided. In particular, an oven range appliance with one or both side panels comprising air channels for a flow of air along one or both side panels is provided. A side panel for an oven range appliance, with features such as an air channel for cooling the side panel, also is provided.