Rotatable Panel Unit for Cooking Appliance Water Tank Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking appliances with steam ovens face challenges in designing the water tank and control panel layout, leading to interference with the door, increased height, and complex structures, which compromise user accessibility and aesthetic appeal.
Innovation Solution
The water tank is positioned at the rear of the panel unit, allowing the panel unit to rotate downwards to open the entrance opening, using a simplified opening device that leverages gravity and reduces the need for a large driving force, thus maintaining a compact structure and enhancing user convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the water tank and control panel are disposed side by side above the door, then user accessibility is improved, but the controlling unit is limited to a small size and a separate cover is required which harms aesthetic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the control panel and water tank into a single integrated panel unit that can be rotated as one piece. This eliminates the need for a separate cover structure and allows both components to be accessed simultaneously through a single rotational movement, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The panel unit is designed to be rotatable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically change position between covering and exposing the water tank and control panel. This dynamic capability provides easy user access while maintaining a clean closed appearance when not in use, eliminating the need for separate covers
2Adaptability or versatility
If the entrance opening of the water tank is disposed at an upper portion to avoid interference with the door, then interference is avoided, but the area for providing the control panel and water tank entrance is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the spatial limitation by adding rotational movement as a new dimension. Instead of being constrained to a fixed vertical position above the door, the panel unit can rotate horizontally to access the water tank and control panel, effectively utilizing the horizontal space in front of the appliance without increasing height or conflicting with the door
3Ease of operation
If the panel unit is rotated downwards to open the entrance opening, then user access is improved and height is not increased, but a driving mechanism is required
Solution Approach 1:
The panel unit is designed to rotate downwards under its own weight using gravity as the driving force. The hinge connection allows the panel to naturally swing open when pulled down by the user, eliminating the need for motors, springs, or other complex driving mechanisms while still providing easy user access
Data Source
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AI summary
Cooking appliance including a casing (100, 200) including a cavity (S 1) and a tank chamber (450a) therein, and a door (300) for opening and closing the cavity (S 1). Furthermore, a water tank (450) may be discharged forwards of the casing (100, 200) through an entrance opening of the tank chamber (450a). A panel unit (500) is disposed in front of the casing (100, 200) at a different height from the door (300). At this point, the panel unit (500) may be moved from a first position in which the panel unit (500) covers the entrance opening of the tank chamber (450a) to a second position in which the panel unit (500) opens the entrance opening of the tank chamber (450a). The panel unit (500) may be moved from the first position to the second position as an upper end of the panel unit (500) is rotated to be moved downwards.