Pull-Out Guide Partial Microwave Shielding for Oven Drawer Slides

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pull-out guides for microwave cooking appliances and industrial heating ovens face challenges with microwave radiation absorption, leading to undesirable heating and potential damage, as well as the risk of plasma discharges, due to inadequate shielding designs that require additional space and complicate cleaning.

Innovation Solution

A pull-out guide with partial microwave shielding, where the running rail is only completely shielded when retracted, utilizing two-part shielding designs such as interlocking U-shaped profile rails or strip-shaped plates that overlap to form a microwave-tight seal without obstructing extension or complicating mounting, ensuring the shielding is eliminated when the guide is extended.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the running rail is completely shielded by a closed hollow cross-section profile, then microwave radiation protection is improved, but the drawer slide cannot be directly supported in the movement area and requires additional guide elements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemicrowave radiation protectionVSAvoidguide structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shielding is divided into two separate parts: a first part attached to the housing rail and a second part attached to the running rail. These segmented shielding parts can be positioned independently, allowing the running rail to be directly supported in the movement area while maintaining microwave protection when retracted.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The shielding configuration is made dynamic by attaching one shielding part to the movable running rail. When the running rail extends, the shielding parts separate and the shielding effect is reduced; when retracted, the shielding parts come together to provide complete protection, automatically adapting to the operational state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If a guide roller is used to guide the drawer slide at the front, then the drawer slide can be supported, but additional space is required and full-extension design is precluded

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrawer slide supportVSAvoidextension range
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The shielding function and support function are merged into a single integrated structure. The running rail itself serves as both the support element and, when combined with the first shielding part, as part of the microwave shielding system, eliminating the need for separate guide rollers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of manufacture

If the guide rail is exposed without shielding, then cleaning is easier, but microwave radiation can directly reach critical components causing heating and plasma discharges

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning accessibilityVSAvoidmicrowave radiation exposure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The shielding is applied selectively rather than completely enclosing the running rail. The first shielding part is attached to the housing rail to provide localized protection for critical components, while leaving other areas open for cleaning accessibility. This creates different shielding qualities in different locations based on specific needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 partial shielding design effectively prevents microwave radiation from reaching critical components while allowing for easy extension and maintenance, avoiding overheating and plasma risks, and maintaining accessibility for mounting without additional external guide elements.

Implementation Method 1

a microwave shield (10) for shielding the drawer slide from microwave radiation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMicrowave radiation shielding: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP3601889B1Pull-out guide and microwave oven or industrial heating oven with such a guide
Publication Date: 2021.11.03 PAUL HETTICH GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3601889B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP3601889B1 patent drawingFigure 1c
  • EP3601889B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b

AI summary

The invention relates to a pull-out guide for a microwave cooking appliance or an industrial oven, having a body rail (1) and a running rail (2), that is able to move relative thereto, for depositing a carrier, and a microwave shield (10) for shielding the pull-out guide from microwaves. The pull-out guide is characterized in that the running rail (2) is only partially shielded. The invention also relates to a microwave cooking appliance or to an industrial oven having at least one such pull-out guide.