Retractable Lid Control Handle for Safer Pressure Cooker Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pressure cooking appliances have a central handle that serves as both a locking/unlocking mechanism and a grip, leading to potential safety hazards during handling and storage due to its bulk size, which can cause the lid to be lifted along with the tank, resulting in mechanical stress and risk of the appliance slipping.
Innovation Solution
A pressure cooking appliance with a control member that has a deployed position for easy gripping and manipulation of the lid, and a retracted position that is difficult to grasp, preventing the lid from being lifted along with the tank, featuring a handle that is designed to be securely grasped only in the deployed state and is substantially retracted in the locked position to deter misuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the central handle is made large enough to provide a good grip for manipulating the lid, then the ease of operation is improved, but the volume of the lid increases making it inconvenient for storage and dishwasher washing
Solution Approach 1:
The control member is made movable between a retracted position (when lid is locked) and a deployed position (when lid is unlocked). This dynamic transformation allows the lid to have a compact form for storage and washing, while providing a large gripping handle only when needed for lid manipulation.
2Ease of operation
If the central handle is made large enough to provide a good grip, then the ease of operation is improved, but the safety deteriorates because users may lift the entire device by the lid
Solution Approach 1:
The control member dynamically changes its availability for gripping based on the lid's locking state. When the lid is locked, the control member is retracted and not accessible for lifting, preventing accidental device lifting. When the lid is unlocked, the control member deploys to provide a large grip for safe lid manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system preemptively prevents the harmful action (accidental lifting of the entire device) by making the control member inaccessible when the lid is locked. The retracted position of the control member during locked state eliminates the possibility of users lifting the heavy tank by the lid.
3Ease of operation
If the control member is always accessible for gripping, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional safety mechanisms needed
Solution Approach 1:
The control member serves dual functions: it is both the user interface for locking/unlocking the lid and the gripping handle for lid manipulation. This merging eliminates the need for separate safety mechanisms while maintaining both accessibility and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The control member is a multi-functional element that provides locking control, unlocking control, and gripping functionality all in one component. This universality reduces the number of separate parts needed while maintaining ease of operation and safety.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an appliance (1) for cooking food under pressure comprising a tank (2), a lid (3), a locking/unlocking means (4) and a locking/unlocking control member (6). , characterized in that said control member (6) is pivotally mounted on the lid (3) along a pivot axis (Y-Y') between on the one hand an extended position and on the other hand a retracted position corresponding locking the cover (3), said locking/unlocking means (4) comprising jaws or segments mounted so as to move in radial translation on and relative to the cover (3) along a translation axis parallel to said pivot axis (Y-Y '). Apparatus for cooking food under pressure.