Pressure Cooker Locking Mechanism With Disengageable Safety Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pressure cooking appliances face issues with user safety due to the risk of untimely and excessive force being applied to the locking mechanism, leading to potential breakage and sudden release of steam, despite design enhancements like oversized parts and metallic materials, which complicate design and increase costs.
Innovation Solution
A compact and reliable engagement/disengagement mechanism using a movable connector that uncouples driving and receiving parts along parallel planes, allowing the control member to move without unlocking the lid when the safety means is active, reducing the need for excessive force and eliminating the risk of part breakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the locking mechanism uses a kinematic chain with leverage multiplication to facilitate user operation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the risk of excessive force breaking parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
A disengageable connection element is introduced as an intermediary between the control mechanism and the locking jaws. This element can be disengaged by the safety rod when pressure is high, breaking the force transmission path and preventing excessive force from reaching the locking mechanism parts, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between the control mechanism and locking jaws is made dynamic rather than fixed. The disengageable connection element can switch between engaged and disengaged states based on safety conditions, allowing the system to adapt its force transmission characteristics to prevent breakage while maintaining ease of operation when safe
2Reliability
If oversized components and metallic materials are used to prevent breakage, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The safety function is extracted from the locking mechanism structure itself and implemented as a separate disengageable connection element controlled by the safety rod. This allows the locking mechanism to use simple, lightweight materials while the safety feature provides the necessary protection against breakage, avoiding the need for oversized components throughout the entire mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the state parameter of the connection element (engaged/disengaged) based on pressure conditions rather than changing the physical dimensions or material properties of the locking mechanism components. This allows reliable protection against breakage while maintaining simple design and low manufacturing cost
3Reliability
If the safety rod mechanically locks the control mechanism in the locked position, then the safety is improved, but the user can still inadvertently apply excessive force attempting to unlock
Solution Approach 1:
The disengageable connection element acts as an intermediary that breaks the force transmission path when the safety rod is in the locked position. This prevents the user's excessive force from being transmitted to the locking jaws, while still allowing the control mechanism to move freely without risking mechanical failure
Data Source
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AI summary
- Improved safety pressure cooker. - Pressure cooking appliance comprising: - a tank and a lid, - a safety means capable of occupying an active position, - a movable locking and unlocking control member, - an engagement/disengagement means, characterized in that the engagement/disengagement means comprises at least one driving part (10) movable along a first trajectory inscribed in a first plane and a receiving part (11) movable along a second trajectory inscribed in a second plane, said planes being parallel and located one above the other, said engagement/disengagement means comprising a movable connector (12, 13) capable of moving in a secant direction to said first trajectory. - Pressure cookers.