Sandwich Press Hinge Locking for Fully Open Grill Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sandwich presses and grills lack the functionality to assume a fully open grill orientation where both cooking surfaces are co-planar and horizontal, limiting their versatility in cooking orientations and temperature control.
Innovation Solution
A combination sandwich press and grill with a lower housing and upper housing supported by a 'U' shaped frame, featuring a locking hinge assembly that allows the upper housing to pivot and lock in fully closed, intermediate, and fully open orientations, along with a tilt-adjustable lower cooking surface and a drip tray for liquid collection, enabling versatile cooking orientations and temperature control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a sandwich press uses a fixed closed orientation with upper and lower cooking surfaces facing each other, then it can effectively press sandwiches, but it cannot perform grill functions requiring a fully open orientation
Solution Approach 1:
The sandwich press is equipped with a hinge mechanism that allows the upper housing to pivot between a closed sandwich press orientation and a fully open grill orientation. The hinge enables dynamic reconfiguration of the device structure to accommodate different cooking functions, transforming a static device into a dynamically adjustable one.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed to perform multiple functions by combining sandwich press and grill capabilities in a single unit. The upper housing can be positioned in different orientations - closed for sandwich pressing and fully open for grilling - allowing one device to serve multiple cooking purposes without requiring separate appliances.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a locking hinge assembly is added to enable fully open and intermediate orientations, then cooking versatility is improved, but the device complexity and number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking hinge assembly includes a spring-biased cam mechanism that automatically locks the upper housing in the fully open position when the release button is not engaged. The spring bias provides automatic engagement and locking without requiring additional actuators or complex control systems, allowing the mechanism to self-regulate its locking state.
Solution Approach 2:
A cam mechanism acts as an intermediary between the user's manual input (pressing the release button) and the locking state of the hinge. The cam translates the simple button press into the complex action of disengaging multiple locking points, mediating the interaction between user and mechanism to simplify operation.
3Temperature
If the upper housing is made fully open for grilling, then high-temperature grilling is enabled, but the device loses the ability to maintain pressure for sandwich pressing
Solution Approach 1:
The device dynamically switches between two distinct operational configurations: a closed configuration for applying pressing force during sandwich making, and a fully open configuration for high-temperature grilling. The hinge mechanism enables this dynamic transition, allowing the structure to be rigid and closed when pressure is needed, and fully open when heat exposure is the primary function.
4Ease of operation
If a spring-biased cam mechanism is used for automatic locking, then ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-biased cam mechanism automatically engages the locking position without user intervention. When the release button is not pressed, the spring bias automatically pushes the cam into the engaged position, locking the upper housing in place. This self-servicing feature eliminates the need for separate locking actuators or manual adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking function is extracted from complex motorized or electronically controlled systems and implemented through a simple mechanical spring-biased cam mechanism. By taking out the locking function and implementing it through basic mechanical elements rather than complex systems, the solution achieves automatic locking with minimal complexity.
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
Enables the device to function as both a sandwich press and grill, providing a fully open grill orientation for high-temperature cooking, with automatic resetting of the locking mechanism and efficient liquid collection, enhancing cooking versatility and safety.
Implementation Method 1
The lock shaft supports a spring biased cam pin and a spring biased reset pin
Implementation Method 2
A first heating element is disposed on the lower cooking surface and a second heating element is disposed on the upper cooking surface
Implementation Method 3
A first thermostat is coupled to the first heating element and a second thermostat is coupled to the second heating element
Implementation Method 4
a full length drip tray collects run off from both the upper and lower cooking surfaces when the toaster grill is in the fully open grill orientation
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a toaster grill having a lower housing that supports a lower cooking surface and an upper housing that supports an upper cooking surface. The upper housing pivots with respect to a “U” shaped frame that is hinged with respect to the lower cooking surface. A locking hinge allows the pivoting motion of the frame to be automatically arrested in an intermediate orientation between the fully closed and fully open grill orientations. The locking hinge automatically resets when the upper housing is rotated from the fully open grill orientation to the fully closed orientation.