Toaster Upper Unit Locking Mechanism to Prevent Food Sliding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toasters fail to provide homogeneous heating due to food sliding between the upper and lower units when the upper unit is pressed down, resulting in uneven cooking.
Innovation Solution
A toaster design featuring a lower unit with a channel and an upper unit with a shaft and protrusion, where the protrusion fits into a housing to lock the upper unit in place, preventing the rear part from moving upwards and ensuring proper contact with the food, allowing for adjustment based on food height through multiple housing positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the upper unit is pressed down by the handle to cook food quickly, then cooking speed is improved, but the rear part of the upper unit moves upwards causing food to slide and heating becomes non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft is pre-positioned within the channel such that when the upper unit is pressed down, the shaft automatically engages with the channel walls to prevent rearward movement before the pressing action completes, ensuring the food remains stationary throughout the cooking process
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft acts as an intermediary mechanical element between the upper unit and the channel, transferring the pressing force while its engagement with the channel prevents the harmful rearward movement that would cause food sliding, thus mediating between the pressing action and food stability
2Ease of operation
If the upper unit is designed to pivot freely for easy operation, then ease of operation is improved, but the rear part moves upwards during pressing causing food to slide
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a completely free-pivoting upper unit to a dynamically constrained system where the shaft-channel interaction provides conditional guidance: free movement is allowed during opening/closing, but lateral movement is constrained during the pressing phase to prevent food sliding
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft serves as a mechanical intermediary that connects the upper unit to the channel structure, allowing rotational movement while preventing harmful lateral displacement during pressing, thus mediating between operational freedom and food stability
3Adaptability or versatility
If the channel allows full vertical movement of the shaft for thick food, then adaptability to different food heights is improved, but the upper unit cannot be pressed down firmly for thin food
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft-channel assembly provides dynamic adjustment: for thick food, the shaft can travel the full vertical range of the channel; for thin food, the shaft engages the channel walls earlier in the pressing sequence, providing firm constraint and allowing full pressing force to be applied without excessive travel
Solution Approach 2:
The effective pressing parameters (travel distance, engagement point, constraint force) change dynamically based on food height: taller food allows greater shaft travel and later engagement, while shorter food results in earlier engagement and full force application over a shorter distance
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The present invention relates to a toaster (1) comprising a lower unit (2) whereon the food to be cooked is placed; an upper (3) unit that has a horizontal position wherein the upper unit (3) covers the lower unit (2) and a vertical position to which the upper unit (3) is brought by being moved from the horizontal position and wherein the upper unit (3) is perpendicular to the lower unit (2); a handle (4) that is disposed on the upper unit (3) and that enables the upper unit (3) to be moved; at least one shaft (5) that is disposed on the upper unit (3); and a plate (7) that is disposed on the lower unit (2) and that has a channel (6) wherein the shaft (5) is movably placed.