Pot Lid Storage Holder Using Spring-Loaded Gripping Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pot lid storage holders often damage the lids due to direct contact and fail to securely hold pot lids with varied handle shapes and sizes, particularly those with knob-shaped or drawer-pull handles, as they are not designed to accommodate a wide range of configurations conveniently.
Innovation Solution
A pot lid storage holder featuring two spaced 'U' shaped gripping elements that exert a compressive spring force on the necked-down portion of the handle, allowing for secure holding without bending forces and accommodating different handle sizes by using a monolithic length of material for the gripping elements, which are designed to elastically bend and support the handle, preventing contact with the holder or other surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the storage holder requires the pot lid to make contact with the holder or wall surface for storage, then the storage function is achieved, but the pot lid surface may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the handle-holding structure with gripping elements) that indirectly holds the pot lid by grasping its handle, rather than allowing direct contact between the lid surface and storage holder. This mediator prevents harmful surface damage while maintaining secure storage functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the critical holding function from direct lid-contact and relocates it to handle-contact. By taking out the lid surface from the contact equation and focusing solely on securing the handle, the system achieves storage reliability without compromising the aesthetic and functional integrity of the lid surface.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the storage holder is designed to accommodate various handle shapes and sizes, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping elements are designed with elastic flexibility, allowing them to dynamically adapt to different handle shapes and sizes. The elastic material enables the gripping elements to deform and conform to various handle configurations, providing universal compatibility without requiring multiple specialized components or complex adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes changes in the physical parameters of the gripping elements (elastic deformation, compression) to accommodate varying handle dimensions. By allowing the gripping elements to change their shape and dimensional parameters in response to different handles, the system achieves high adaptability while maintaining a simple, unified structure.
3Reliability
If the storage holder uses a rigid structure to securely hold the pot lid, then the holding security is improved, but the risk of damage to the pot lid increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping elements are constructed from elastic material that functions as a flexible structure, replacing rigid holding mechanisms. This flexibility allows the elements to securely grasp and support the handle while conforming to its shape, providing reliable holding security without the risk of damage associated with rigid, immovable structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic nature of the gripping elements provides inherent cushioning between the holder and the handle. This beforehand cushioning effect absorbs mechanical stresses and prevents concentrated forces that could damage the handle or lid, while still maintaining secure holding capability.
4Reliability
If the gripping elements are designed to exert compressive spring force on the handle, then the holding security is improved, but the force applied to the handle increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compressive force is applied dynamically through elastic deformation rather than as a static rigid force. The gripping elements exert force only to the extent necessary to secure the handle, automatically adjusting to the handle's shape and size, which prevents excessive force application while maintaining reliable holding security.
Solution Approach 2:
The force parameter is optimized through the elastic properties of the gripping elements, which generate compressive spring force that is sufficient for secure holding but limited by the material's elastic characteristics. This prevents excessive force application while ensuring reliable retention of the handle.
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 solution securely holds pot lids of various sizes and shapes without causing damage, ensuring they do not fall out, even when mounted on moving surfaces, by using a design that accommodates knob-shaped and drawer-pull handles, providing a convenient and effective storage solution.
Implementation Method 1
the first and second gripping elements configured to receive through an opening therebetween, in a downstream direction of insertion of the pot lid into the pot lid storage holder pointing toward the base, the necked-down portion of the handle, and to exert a compressive spring force on the necked-down portion that decreases with increasing depth of insertion
Data Source
AI summary
A pot lid storage holder, which may be used for storing a pot lid having a knob-shaped handle with a necked-down portion disposed between the pot lid and a relatively enlarged portion of the handle, and for storing a pot lid having a drawer-pull type handle. The pot lid storage holder includes first and second gripping elements projecting from a base, the first and second gripping elements configured to receive through an opening therebetween, in a downstream direction of insertion of the pot lid into the holder pointing toward the base, the necked-down portion of the handle, and to exert a compressive spring force on the necked-down portion that decreases with increasing depth of insertion.