Toaster dripping tray
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toaster crumb trays are too narrow, leading to crumbs accumulating on the toaster bottom, increasing the risk of fires and attracting insects, as they fail to capture all falling debris effectively.
Innovation Solution
A toaster with a crumb tray that fully covers the width of the toasting cavities, featuring a movable support platform with a permeable surface and restraint rods, allowing crumbs to fall into the tray without obstruction, and a removable design for easy cleaning and emptying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a narrow crumb tray is used in conventional toasters, then the device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is easier, but crumbs accumulate on the toaster bottom increasing fire risk and insect attraction
Solution Approach 1:
The crumb tray is extended in the lateral dimension to span the entire width of the toasting cavities, transforming it from a narrow collection tray to a wide coverage structure. This dimensional expansion allows the tray to intercept crumbs across the full width of the toaster, preventing accumulation on the bottom surface and eliminating fire hazards while maintaining simple construction
2Reliability
If a narrow crumb tray is used, then the ease of operation is improved for removal and cleaning, but the effectiveness of crumb capture is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The crumb collection system is segmented into two functional components: a wide stationary crumb tray that provides full-width coverage for effective crumb interception, and a movable support platform with permeable surface that allows crumbs to pass through. This segmentation enables the tray to be both wide for effective capture and easily removable for cleaning, as the movable platform handles the cleaning access while the stationary tray provides the wide capture surface
3Reliability
If a movable support platform with permeable surface is added, then crumb capture is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable support platform incorporates a permeable surface that allows crumbs to pass through while supporting the food product. This porous structure eliminates the need for additional crumb interception components, as the permeable platform itself serves the dual function of supporting food and allowing crumb passage into the tray below, thereby achieving complete crumb capture without significantly increasing device 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
The solution ensures complete capture of crumbs, reducing fire risks and insect attraction, while allowing for easy cleaning and maintenance, ensuring a safer and more efficient toasting experience.
Implementation Method 1
The movable support platform allows for passing of a plurality of crumbs into the crumb tray
Data Source
AI summary
A toaster dripping tray is placed within a traditionally configured toaster and removably disposed there beneath. The tray covers the entire bottom of the toaster. When incorporated into a toaster, the normally present dripping channel gate resting above the narrow dripping removal tray is not present.