Pot gripper and cooking system comprising the pot gripper and a pot
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pot grippers are cumbersome to attach and detach from cookware without a handle, leading to increased risk of dropping the cookware, especially when the support portion is hidden or not firmly attached, and pose safety hazards due to accidental separation and heat transfer.
Innovation Solution
A pot gripper with a support slot matching the pot's contour, locking mechanism, and spring-loaded design allows secure, random attachment and easy detachment, reducing accidental separation and heat transfer risks, featuring a torsion spring for effortless opening and insulation for user safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pot grippers are used without a locking mechanism, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of attachment is worsened leading to accidental separation
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism automatically engages when the gripper closes on the pot, requiring no manual intervention. The spring-loaded catch self-activates upon closure, and the cam-shaped feature automatically disengages the catch when opened, making the system self-serving and reliable without adding complex manual operations
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex multi-component locking systems with a simple cam-shaped feature that leverages the natural opening motion of the gripper to disengage the catch. This mechanical substitution uses the existing motion to drive the unlocking action, avoiding the need for separate unlocking mechanisms or additional actuators
2Adaptability or versatility
If the pot gripper is designed to attach to hidden support portions, then the adaptability is improved, but the ease of operation is worsened due to difficulty in attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The support slots are pre-formed with contour-matching geometry that guides the gripper jaws onto the support portion. The cam-shaped feature is pre-configured to engage the catch during closure, so that even when attaching to hidden portions, the geometry itself performs the alignment and engagement actions that would otherwise require manual manipulation
3Reliability
If the gripper uses a secure locking mechanism, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation is worsened due to difficulty in detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism transitions from a static locked state to a dynamic unlocking state through the cam-shaped feature. When the gripper is opened, the cam geometry automatically converts the opening motion into catch disengagement, providing easy detachment without requiring manual manipulation or overcoming persistent mechanical locking forces
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the pot gripper lacks insulation, then the device complexity is reduced, but the object-generated harmful factors are worsened due to heat transfer to the user
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation element acts as an intermediary thermal barrier between the hot pot and the user's hand on the handle. This simple intermediate layer blocks heat transfer without requiring complex active cooling or heating systems, providing thermal protection through a passive material barrier
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 pot gripper provides a secure, heat-insulated, and easy-to-use solution for handling hot pots, reducing the risk of dropping and ensuring safe attachment and detachment, enhancing user safety and convenience in outdoor cooking.
Implementation Method 1
the spring member, preferably a torsion spring, biases the first lever and/or the second lever into the open position
Implementation Method 2
the second locking means further comprises a biasing means, wherein the catch is manually moveable against a biasing force of the biasing means
Implementation Method 3
the first jaw and the second jaw comprising insulation means for heat insulation of the first lever and the second lever
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The present invention relates to a pot gripper (1) comprising a first lever (2) and a second lever (3) being joined at a fulcrum (4) The first lever has (2) a first jaw (5) extending from the fulcrum (4) and the second lever (3) has a second jaw (6) extending from the fulcrum (4). The first jaw (5) and the second jaw (6) define a clamping area for a pot when the first lever (2) and second lever (3) are rotated from an open position (OP) into a closed position (CP). The present invention is characterized in that the first jaw (5) has at least one support slot (7), the support slot (7) being shaped to fit to the contour of a gripping area of the pot to be held in the clamping area. The present invention is further characterized in that the first lever (2) has a first locking means (8) and the second lever (3) has a second locking means (9), and the first locking means (8) engages with the second locking means (9) in the closed position (CP), so that the first lever (2) and the second lever (3) are locked in the closed position (CP).