Removable Pan Handle With Non-Return Arm Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gripping devices for culinary containers experience significant clearances under dynamic stresses, such as during sautéing or pancake flipping, leading to ineffective clamping and premature wear.
Innovation Solution
A removable gripping device with non-return means, comprising blocking walls and surfaces that wedge to lock the gripping arms in a separated position, eliminating clearance between the device and the container, and an unlocking mechanism for manual disengagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the gripping arms are allowed to move freely between open and closed positions, then ease of operation is improved, but clearances appear that reduce gripping effectiveness under dynamic conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping device incorporates a dynamic non-return mechanism that allows free movement of the arms during the gripping action but automatically locks them in the spread position afterward. This dynamic system maintains ease of operation while ensuring gripping stability under dynamic conditions by preventing arm return.
2Reliability
If the blocking surfaces have a small angle of inclination, then the wedging effect is stronger and blocking is more effective, but the force required to initiate movement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The angle of inclination of the blocking surfaces is optimized to balance the wedging effect with the force required for arm separation. By carefully selecting this geometric parameter, the design achieves effective blocking that eliminates clearances while maintaining reasonable operation forces for spreading the arms.
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 ensures secure clamping independent of the container's thickness or diameter, reducing wear and maintaining grip effectiveness under dynamic conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the non-return means comprise two blocking walls and the two arms comprise two corresponding respective blocking surfaces, the blocking walls and the blocking surfaces being adapted to cooperate by wedging so as to block the two arms in the separated position
Implementation Method 2
the device comprises elastic means adapted to cause, when the arms are moved apart, a displacement of the non-return means from their rest position to their blocking position
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~5
Figure 6
AI summary
The device (1) i.e. removable handle, has two gripping arms (4A, 4B) that are movable to and from a resting position and a gripping position in which the arms are spread apart. A fix-mounted gripping unit (2) is in contact with an outside face of a side wall of a cooking vessel e.g. skillet. A displacement unit such as lever (5) is manually guided to and from an open position and a closed position. An anti-return valve (9) is separate from the displacement unit and is displaced from a resting position to a clamping position between the two arms and prevents the arms from coming together. An independent claim is also included for a cooking vessel and gripping device assembly.