Valve Bracket Assembly for Precise Gas Cooktop Control Panel Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas cooking appliances face challenges in properly aligning and securing the regulating valve with the control panel, leading to potential misalignment and operational difficulties.
Innovation Solution
A gas cooking appliance design featuring a bracket with a base secured to the valve body and arms extending to the control panel, with complementary housings and securing mechanisms, ensures proper orientation and alignment of the valve handle within the control panel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a bracket is used to secure the valve body to the control panel, then the valve can be properly oriented and aligned, but the device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is divided into multiple legs that can be independently positioned and secured to the control panel. Each leg can be separately adjusted and fixed, allowing precise alignment of the valve body while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure. The segmentation enables modular assembly and adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket acts as an intermediary component between the valve body and the control panel, providing a dedicated mounting structure that simplifies the alignment process. By introducing this intermediate element, the patent achieves precise positioning without requiring complex integration between the valve body and control panel themselves.
2Manufacturing precision
If the valve is securely mounted to ensure proper orientation, then alignment is improved, but the ease of manufacture decreases due to additional assembly steps
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is pre-configured with legs that have predetermined positioning features and securing mechanisms. This preliminary preparation allows for quick alignment and secure mounting during assembly, reducing the time and complexity of the manufacturing process while maintaining high orientation accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket design incorporates self-aligning features where the legs naturally position themselves during installation, and the securing mechanisms automatically lock into place. This self-service capability reduces the skill level and time required for assembly while ensuring consistent orientation accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment a gas cooking appliance is provided that includes a control panel, a valve having a valve body and an operating shaft, a control knob comprising a handle coupled to the operating shaft of the valve, and a bracket that includes a base secured to the valve body. The bracket includes and at least two arms extending from the base and being secured to the control panel. The control panel includes a housing for each arm, each housing having a shape complementary to at least one part of the end of the corresponding arm, the at least one part of each end being fitted in the respective housing.