Springform Pan Insert for Uniform Crust Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional springform pans fail to achieve uniform crust thickness in baked goods, leading to inconsistencies in baking, visual appeal, and structural integrity, as they rely on manual manipulation which results in uneven thickness and human error.
Innovation Solution
A form with a variable diameter sidewall ring, spacers, and diameter-setting means is used in conjunction with a springform pan to ensure uniform sidewall and bottom crust thickness, allowing for precise adjustment and cutting of crust material to achieve consistent results.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual manipulation is used to form crust in springform pan, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a form insert as an intermediary tool between the baker and the crust material. This form insert includes a bottom portion that fits into the springform pan and a sidewall portion with spacers that extend upward. The spacers act as mediators that physically guide and constrain the crust material to achieve uniform thickness without requiring manual measurement or estimation by the baker.
Solution Approach 2:
The form insert is designed to be self-guiding through the use of spacers that automatically maintain consistent distance from the pan sidewall. When the baker presses crust material against the form insert, the spacers self-adjust to ensure uniform thickness throughout, eliminating the need for the baker to manually control or monitor thickness variations.
2Device complexity
If conventional springform pan is used, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The form insert is segmented into distinct functional components: a bottom portion that interfaces with the springform pan base, a sidewall portion with vertical spacers, and a top portion. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the bottom portion provides structural support, the spacers provide thickness control, and the overall structure guides crust formation - while maintaining relative simplicity of the entire device.
3Manufacturing precision
If uniform crust thickness is achieved through manual methods, then manufacturing precision is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The form insert is prepared in advance and positioned in the springform pan before the crust material is added. The spacers are pre-positioned at specific distances from the pan sidewall, establishing the desired crust thickness beforehand. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for time-consuming manual measurement and adjustment during the crust formation process.
Data Source
AI summary
A form for use with a springform pan to make a uniform thickness crust that has both bottom and side surfaces, the pan having a bottom and sidewall surface, the form comprising a variable or fixed sidewall ring having top and bottom rims, a defined height, inner and outer surfaces, and two parallel slits extending between the rims that are over-lapable to set the sidewall ring diameter, and a plurality of spacers, that affix to a sidewall selected from the group consisting of the pan sidewall surface and the sidewall ring to control the spaced distance between the sidewall ring outer surface and pan sidewall surface to yield a substantially uniform side thickness crust, and wherein the sidewall ring is configured to enable the sidewall ring bottom rim to cut through raw crust material placed adjacent the pan sidewall surface.