Utensil holder
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Solution Overview
Problem
Outdoor cooking setups often lack a suitable and portable solution for holding utensils, leading to cleanliness and sanitary issues due to the need for switching between multiple utensils, especially when using grills or campfires that do not have shelves or hooks, and existing solutions are not adaptable for hot or sharp items.
Innovation Solution
A portable, adjustable utensil holder with a continuous rod having multiple sections and removable arms, allowing for secure placement of utensils in the ground, featuring a disc-shaped end and elongated rod configuration for stability and easy adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If utensils are placed on shelves during outdoor cooking, then utensils can be stored and accessed, but cleanliness and sanitary issues arise and shelf space is occupied
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the utensil storage function from the grill shelf and relocates it to a separate, removable holder that can be positioned away from the cooking surface. This separation prevents contamination while maintaining easy access to utensils during outdoor cooking.
Solution Approach 2:
The utensil holder acts as an intermediary component between the cook and the utensils, providing a dedicated storage location that is neither on the grill shelf nor carried in hands. This mediator structure resolves the conflict between needing utensil access and maintaining cleanliness.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed utensil holder is used, then utensils can be stored, but the holder cannot accommodate hot or sharp items and lacks adaptability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic characteristics through removable arms with adjustable positions and a holder that can be assembled and disassembled. This allows the structure to adapt to different utensil types (hot or sharp items) while maintaining relatively simple individual component designs that reduce overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder is segmented into multiple independent components (base, arms, utensil receptacles) that can be configured differently for various utensil types. This segmentation provides versatility without requiring a completely complex integrated design, as each segment remains relatively simple.
3Weight of moving object
If a portable utensil holder is designed, then the holder can be easily stored and transported, but the holder must be compact which may limit functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by allowing the removable arms to be stored within or attached to the holder body when not in use, and enabling the entire holder to be disassembled into compact components for storage and transport. This nesting approach maintains portability while preserving full functionality when deployed.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder transitions from a compact stored state to an expanded functional state through removable and adjustable components. This dynamic transformation allows the device to be lightweight and compact for transport while providing full adaptability and functionality during use.
Data Source
AI summary
A utensil holding device is disclosed. The device includes one or more removeable and adjustable arms, a continuous rod having a plurality of sections including a first section configured for insertion into the ground, a second section configured to abut the ground and provide support, and a third section configured to receive the one or more removeable and adjustable arms. The sections are preferably integrally connected and formed of a continuous rod having a plurality of bends. Certain embodiments of the one or more removeable and adjustable arms are formed of a disc-shaped end and an elongated rod. The disc-shaped end is a partially folded disc in some embodiments.