Vacuum Drawer Sealing Bar Interlock Using Vacuum Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum drawers lack an effective safety mechanism to prevent accidental activation of the sealing bar, which can lead to personal injury due to incorrect operation of the lid position-dependent safety device.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum drawer with a switch connected to the vacuum chamber, featuring a membrane and cylinder rod with an inclined actuating surface that only enables power to the sealing bar when a certain vacuum level is reached, ensuring the lid is closed before energy is supplied.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lid position-dependent safety device is used to prevent sealing bar activation when the lid is open, then user safety is improved, but the device may fail due to incorrect operation or malfunction, leading to potential injury
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical lid position-dependent safety device with a vacuum-based safety mechanism. The vacuum switch is connected to the vacuum chamber and only allows sealing bar activation when a specific vacuum level is achieved, which inherently requires the lid to be closed. This substitution eliminates the complexity and potential failure points of mechanical position sensors while providing more reliable safety control through physical vacuum pressure detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a vacuum switch as an intermediary device between the vacuum chamber and the sealing bar control system. This switch includes a membrane that responds to vacuum pressure changes and a cylinder rod with an inclined actuating surface that triggers the switching cam. The intermediary translates vacuum level into a control signal, ensuring the sealing bar only receives power when proper vacuum conditions are met, thereby preventing accidental activation.
2Productivity
If the sealing bar is always ready to receive power for quick operation, then productivity is improved, but the risk of accidental activation and user injury increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by requiring the vacuum chamber to reach a specific vacuum level before the sealing bar can be activated. The vacuum switch is designed so that the membrane deforms and the cylinder rod actuates the switching cam in advance of the sealing operation, ensuring safety conditions are met before power is supplied. This preliminary check prevents accidental activation while maintaining operational efficiency.
3Reliability
If a complex safety mechanism is implemented to ensure the lid is closed before sealing, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent simplifies the safety control system by replacing complex mechanical position detection mechanisms with a vacuum-based detection system. The vacuum switch uses the existing vacuum pressure in the chamber to control sealing bar activation, eliminating the need for separate mechanical sensors, switches, or position detectors. This approach reduces structural complexity while maintaining or improving safety control reliability.
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
Ensures the sealing bar can only be activated when the lid is closed, preventing potential burns and enhancing user safety by ensuring correct operation.
Implementation Method 1
When a vacuum is generated in the vacuum chamber, the pressure in the negative pressure chamber is reduced in the same way. The pressure remains the same on the side of the membrane facing away from the vacuum chamber. As a result, the elastic membrane is deformed in the direction of the vacuum chamber.
Implementation Method 2
the elastic membrane is deformed in the direction of the vacuum chamber
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~1d
Figure 2
AI summary
A vacuum drawer for vacuuming foodstuffs comprises a vacuum chamber which can be closed airtight by an actuatable cover and in which an adjustable sealing bar is arranged. In order to improve such a vacuum drawer, the vacuum drawer includes a switch (40) for actuating the sealing bar. The switch (40) has a vacuum chamber which is connected to the vacuum chamber and is delimited by a membrane to which a cylinder rod (45) is attached. The cylinder rod (45) has an inclined actuating surface (47) for actuating a switch cam (48) (Fig. 2).