Rotatable Handle Rack-Pan Assembly for Nesting and Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disposable aluminum foil pan and rack assemblies are not easily adaptable for combined marketing and shipping as a single unit and do not facilitate easy nesting with other similar assemblies, which limits their storage and handling efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A wire rack and pan assembly where the rack is formed by parallel wire members with upwardly extending portions that form a closed rim-section to support the pan, and rotatable handles that allow the assembly to nest within another similar assembly by rotating and positioning against the pan, enabling efficient stacking and handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If handles are rigidly attached to the rack, then the assembly provides stable support for the pan, but the assembly cannot be easily nested with other similar assemblies for efficient storage and shipping
Solution Approach 1:
The handles are designed to be rotatable rather than rigidly fixed, allowing them to change position from a stable support configuration during use to a compact nested configuration for storage. The rotatable connection enables the handles to pivot and align with the pan's contour, facilitating nesting while maintaining structural integrity during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The overall assembly is designed to nest within another similar assembly by positioning the handles against the pan's exterior surface. The rotatable handles can be oriented to conform to the pan's curvature, allowing the entire rack-pan unit to be compactly stored within another rack-pan unit, maximizing storage efficiency.
2Ease of operation
If handles are positioned away from the pan, then they provide better leverage for handling, but they obstruct stacking and nesting of multiple assemblies
Solution Approach 1:
The handles transition from a protruding position that provides leverage during handling to a retracted position against the pan for stacking. The rotatable mechanism allows the handles to dynamically adjust their position based on whether the assembly is being handled or stored, resolving the conflict between handling convenience and stacking efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The handles are positioned in a third dimension against the exterior surface of the pan rather than extending outward in the same plane as the rack. This spatial reconfiguration allows the handles to provide leverage when needed while clearing the way for nested assemblies to stack efficiently.
3Ease of manufacture
If the assembly is designed as a single integrated unit, then it simplifies manufacturing and marketing, but it increases the difficulty of nesting multiple assemblies together
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated assembly incorporates rotatable handles that can pivot to different positions, allowing the unit to maintain its simplicity as a single manufactured component while adapting its configuration for nesting. The rotational degree of freedom enables the handles to align with the pan's contour, facilitating nesting without requiring complex multi-component assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly changes its geometric parameters through handle rotation, transitioning from an extended configuration optimized for handling to a compact configuration optimized for nesting. This parameter change allows the integrated unit to satisfy both manufacturing simplicity and nesting adaptability requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly having a pan and a formed wire rack for receiving and supporting the pan. the rack includes a pair of handles freely and rotatably attached to a closed rim-rack section of the wire rack. Each handle includes a lateral portion and a pair of arms having first arm ends attached to the lateral portion, and the pair of arms having second arm ends separately terminating to a flat section, distal ends of the flat sections being rotatably secured about the closed rim-rack section, and wherein the flat sections include loops freely rotatably secured about the closed rim-rack section.