Pivotable Hood with X-Brace Structure to Prevent Warping and Toppling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hoods for portable grills are prone to toppling in windy conditions and suffer from structural degradation due to extreme temperature changes, compromising safety and durability.
Innovation Solution
A cooking station design featuring a hood that is pivotably coupled to the main body, with a brace structure extending in an x-configuration to support the hood and include tabs for suspension, allowing the hood to be moved between closed and open positions and removable for stability in windy conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a hood is added to accelerate heating and protect from elements, then cooking efficiency and protection are improved, but the hood becomes prone to toppling in windy conditions and structural degradation from temperature changes
Solution Approach 1:
The hood is designed to be pivotable between closed and open positions, allowing it to adapt to different cooking needs and weather conditions. This dynamic capability enables the hood to be opened in windy conditions to prevent toppling while maintaining cooking efficiency when conditions are favorable.
Solution Approach 2:
The hood structure is divided into separable components that can be removed and reattached. This segmentation allows the hood to be detached in adverse weather to prevent toppling and structural damage, while being reattached when conditions improve to maintain cooking efficiency and protection.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the hood is made robust to withstand windy conditions, then stability is improved, but the hood becomes more susceptible to structural degradation from extreme temperature changes
Solution Approach 1:
The pivotable design allows the hood to be dynamically adjusted between closed and open positions. When windy conditions are detected, the hood can be opened to reduce wind load and prevent toppling. When temperature extremes occur, the hood can be closed to protect the structure while allowing controlled ventilation to prevent warping.
Solution Approach 2:
The hood can be completely removed from the cooking station when neither stability nor structural integrity can be maintained. The removable design allows the hood to be taken out in adverse conditions, preventing both toppling and thermal degradation, while being reattached when conditions are favorable.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the hood is made removable for stability in windy conditions, then hood stability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pivotable coupling mechanism provides a simple yet effective means of making the hood removable. The pivot points allow the hood to be easily detached and reattached without complex fastening systems, maintaining hood stability in windy conditions while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of a cooking station having a main body with a hood pivotably coupled relative to the main body. In some embodiments, the main body may be sized to support a griddle with the hood pivotably coupled to a splash guard of the griddle. The hood includes a brace structure sized and configured to substantially support the hood and substantially prevent warping of the hood.