Removable Pan Grip With Anti-Return Arms for Zero-Play Clamping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gripping devices for cooking vessels experience significant play between the device and the vessel during dynamic tasks, leading to a lack of secure grip and potential premature wear of the vessel's coating.
Innovation Solution
A removable gripping device with anti-return means that lock the gripping arms in a spread position, preventing them from returning to their resting position, combined with elastic means for displacement and manual control for unclamping, ensuring a secure grip through wedging action regardless of vessel thickness or diameter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the gripping arms are spread apart to grip the vessel wall, then a firm grip is achieved, but the arms may return to the resting position causing play between the device and vessel
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-return means automatically engage when the arms are spread apart by the displacement means, locking the arms in the gripping position without requiring additional user action. The elastic means automatically push the anti-return means into the clamping position between the arms, providing self-locking functionality that prevents play between the device and vessel.
Solution Approach 2:
The anti-return means are designed as separate components from the displacement means, allowing independent functionality. The anti-return means can be engaged and disengaged separately from the spreading action, providing a dedicated locking mechanism that addresses the play problem without complicating the primary gripping function.
2Reliability
If the arms are locked in spread position to eliminate play, then grip stability is improved, but manual control for unclamping is required
Solution Approach 1:
The unclamping member provides manual control feedback to the user. When the user actuates the unclamping member, it pushes the anti-return means from the clamping position back to the resting position, allowing the arms to return to their closed position. This provides deliberate user control over the locking and unlocking cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic means are pre-loaded to automatically push the anti-return means into the clamping position as soon as the arms are spread apart by the displacement means. This preliminary action ensures the arms are locked in the gripping position immediately upon spreading, eliminating play before the user releases the displacement means.
3Productivity
If the gripping device is subjected to dynamic stresses during cooking tasks, then cooking functionality is improved, but significant play occurs between the device and vessel
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-return means are positioned and configured to counteract the play that occurs during dynamic cooking tasks. By locking the arms in the spread position, the anti-return means prevent the arms from moving or playing against the vessel wall during sautéing, flipping, or other dynamic operations, maintaining stable grip throughout the cooking process.
4Reliability
If the anti-return means are engaged to prevent arm return, then play is eliminated, but the device requires additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-return means are integrated with the gripping arms through the clamping surfaces and clamping walls. The rollers on the arms interact with the clamping walls of the anti-return means, merging the locking function with the existing arm structure. This reduces the need for completely separate locking mechanisms while maintaining grip stability.
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 eliminates play between the gripping device and the vessel, providing a firm grip during dynamic tasks and reducing wear on the vessel's coating, while allowing easy manual adjustment for use with various vessel shapes and sizes.
Implementation Method 1
the device comprises elastic means designed to effect a displacement of the anti-return means from their resting position to their clamping position as the arms spread apart
Implementation Method 2
the two clamping walls and the two arms advantageously have two respective, corresponding clamping surfaces, the clamping walls and clamping surfaces being designed to cooperate by wedging so as to lock the two arms in the spread position
Implementation Method 3
the two clamping walls of the anti-return means comprise sliding surfaces intended to slide on the two clamping surfaces of the arms
Data Source
AI summary
The device comprises two gripping arms movable to and from a resting position and a gripping position in which they are spread apart from one another and in contact with an inside face of the side wall of the cooking vessel; a fix-mounted gripping member designed for being in contact with an outside face of the side wall of the cooking vessel; and displacement means designed for being manually guided to and from an open position and a closed position and for effecting a spreading of the movable arms while switching from the open position to the closed position. Said device further comprises anti-return means separate from the displacement means and designed for being moved from a resting position to a clamping position in which they are inserted between the two arms and prevent the two arms from coming together.