Retractable Heating Tool Cover for Safe Heat Pressing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing heating tools and heat-pressing machines pose a risk of user contact with the heating portion and require appropriate storage solutions to enhance user convenience and safety.

Innovation Solution

A heating tool with a retractable cover and biasing member that exposes the heating member upon contact with the surface, allowing safe use and storage within a heat-pressing machine without a separate insulating member.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the heating member is exposed to the outside for easy access, then ease of operation is improved, but user safety deteriorates due to risk of unintentional contact

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of access to heating memberVSAvoiduser safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The heating member is nested inside the cover, which moves between a normal position (covering the heating member) and a retracted position (exposing the heating member). This nesting structure allows the heating member to be protected when not in use while remaining accessible when needed, resolving the contradiction between safety and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The cover is designed to be movable between two positions rather than fixed. The biasing member provides automatic resetting functionality, making the cover dynamic rather than static. This dynamic design allows the system to adapt between safety (covered state) and operational access (exposed state) automatically.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If the heating tool is stored in the heat-pressing body without a heat insulating member, then device complexity is reduced, but heat insulation performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage structure simplicityVSAvoidheat insulation
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The cover serves dual functions: it protects the heating member during storage and provides heat insulation. The housing structure is designed to accommodate the heating tool without requiring separate insulating members, as the cover itself performs the insulation function. This self-service approach reduces overall device complexity while maintaining necessary thermal protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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

Enhances user safety by preventing accidental contact with the heating member and facilitates convenient storage within the heat-pressing machine.

Implementation Method 1

a biasing member (150) that is attached to the cover (140) and biases the cover (140) toward the normal position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a heating member (160) that is provided inside the cover (140) and is exposed from an opening at a tip of the cover (140) in accordance with the forward and backward movement of the cover (140), wherein the heating tool heats the heating object while being pressed against a surface of the heating object

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP4706967A1Heating tool and heat-pressing machine
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 SILHOUETTE JAPAN CORPORATION
  • EP4706967A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4706967A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4706967A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention provides a heating tool and a heat-pressing machine that are convenient for users. A heating tool 100 is a tool that heats a heating object while being pressed against a surface thereof. The heating tool 100 includes a housing 110, a cover 140 which is provided at a tip of the housing 110 and moves forward and backward relative to the housing 110 to be switched between a normal position and a retracted position in which the cover 140 is retracted from the normal position toward the housing 110, a biasing member 150 that is attached to the cover 140 and biases the cover 140 toward the normal position, and a heating member 160 that is attached inside the cover 140 and is exposed from an opening at a tip of the cover 140 in accordance with the forward and backward movement of the cover 140. The heating tool 100 presses the tip of the cover 140 against the surface of the heating object so that the cover 140 is retracted to the retracted position and the heating member 160 is brought into contact with the surface of the heating object through the opening of the cover 140.