Sliding Grill Rack Carriage for Closed-Lid Food Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional grill designs require opening the lid to access the cooking chamber, leading to heat loss and safety hazards, as they do not allow for safe access to the contents while maintaining a stable internal temperature.

Innovation Solution

A grill with a sliding mechanism that allows the grill rack to be removed from the heating chamber while the lid remains closed, using a sliding assembly with end plates to maintain the seal and minimize heat loss, enabling access to the contents without opening the lid.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the lid is opened to access the contents of the grill, then the griller can turn, flip, or check the food, but heat is released from the chamber and the temperature of the heating chamber lowers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to foodVSAvoidheating chamber temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The grill rack is divided into a stationary portion inside the heating chamber and a movable carriage portion that can be extended outward. This segmentation allows the food to be accessed by moving only the carriage portion while the lid remains closed, preventing heat loss while maintaining accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A sliding mechanism acts as an intermediary between the user and the food. The user interacts with the external carriage and sliding mechanism rather than directly opening the lid, allowing food access while the lid remains closed to maintain temperature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Temperature

If the lid is kept closed for the entire cooking period, then the internal temperature of the heating chamber is maintained, but the griller cannot access the contents of the grill

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating chamber temperatureVSAvoidaccess to food

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If the lid is opened and the griller reaches into the heating chamber to access food, then the food can be turned or checked, but it is dangerous given the high temperatures or flames within the chamber

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to foodVSAvoidsafety hazard

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The carriage and food are extracted from the high-temperature zone inside the heating chamber to a safer external position. The sliding mechanism allows the carriage to be moved outward while the lid remains closed, removing the user's hand from the dangerous heat zone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Ease of operation

If the entire grill rack is removed from the heating chamber, then all food can be accessed, but the seal is broken and heat loss occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to foodVSAvoidheat loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10010217B1Grill with sliding rack and carriage

Publication Date: 2018.07.03 MILLER GARY D

AI summary

A grill has a cooking assembly positioned inside a heating chamber, where the cooking assembly is configured to slide along a track system positioned inside and extending out from the heating chamber such that the cooking assembly can be slidably removed from the heating chamber. An end plate attached to the slidable cooking assembly is configured to substantially seal the heating chamber when the cooking assembly is slidably removed from the heating chamber. The cooking assembly may comprise multiple cooking surfaces, with each of the cooking surfaces capable of being slidably removed from the heating chamber, with an end plate connected to each cooking surface configured to seal the appropriate end of the heating chamber when the cooking assembly is removed.