Rotatable clamping handle for a rib and roast rack or wire chafing stand
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wire chafing stands and rib/roast racks face difficulties in mobility and protection from elements, with issues of food spillage, quick cooling, and insect contamination due to their unwieldy shape and lack of a practical lid mechanism.
Innovation Solution
A retrofitted or integrated handle with a single wire featuring a line of symmetry and strategically positioned bends allows for easy carrying and locking of lids on wire chafing stands and rib/roast racks, securing pans and retaining moisture and heat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a wire chafing stand is used to hold pans with heating devices, then food can be kept warm at remote locations, but the stand becomes difficult to move and unwieldy
Solution Approach 1:
The handle is designed as a separate, removable component that can be attached to or removed from the wire chafing stand. This segmentation allows the stand to be easily carried when needed while maintaining full functionality when assembled, resolving the contradiction between mobility and operational capability
Solution Approach 2:
The handle incorporates a rotatable clamp mechanism that can dynamically adjust between different positions and states. The clamp can rotate to engage with the pan handle, secure the lid, or be positioned for carrying, allowing the structure to adapt its configuration based on operational needs
2Power
If the wire chafing stand has an open structure for heating, then heat can be applied to food, but moisture escapes and food cools quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp mechanism is pre-configured to securely hold the lid in place before the heating process begins. By establishing the closed configuration in advance, the system prevents moisture escape and heat loss from the outset, resolving the contradiction between heating capability and moisture retention
3Ease of operation
If the wire chafing stand is left open for serving, then food is accessible, but bugs and flies can contaminate the food
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp mechanism provides dynamic control over the lid position, allowing it to be securely closed during storage and transport to prevent contamination, and easily opened during serving to provide food accessibility. This dynamic switching capability resolves the contradiction between protection and accessibility
4Productivity
If a lid is placed on the wire chafing stand to retain moisture and heat, then cooking time is reduced and food quality improves, but the lid becomes difficult to secure in place
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp mechanism serves as an intermediary device that mediates between the lid and the stand structure. It provides a simple mechanical interface that securely holds the lid in place through rotation and engagement, making the lid securing process easy and reliable while maintaining the benefits of moisture and heat retention
Data Source
AI summary
A removable, retrofit, and/or rotatably attached handle is attached to a top wire of a wire chafing stand in embodiments of the disclosed technology. The handle can be rotated upwards such that a curved bend within the handle locks in place a first pan resting on the top wire of the wire chafing stand. A second pan, oriented upside down compared to the first pan, can be placed thereover, as a lid, on the first pan and held in place by the curved bend within the handle. The top and bottom pan are held in place by the same curved bend or bends of one or more such handles.