Waffle Maker Plate Storage Cavity for Secure Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Household waffle irons often face issues with users losing or misplacing cooking plates when they are separated from the appliance, especially when the original packaging is destroyed or when the device is used far from its storage place.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a dedicated cavity within the appliance for storing the cooking plates, ensuring they remain attached and easily accessible, with a locking mechanism and a latching system to secure the plates in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the cooking plates are separated from the appliance for cleaning or storage, then the appliance can be cleaned more easily and the plates can be used for different cooking functions, but the plates can be lost or misplaced by users
Solution Approach 1:
The cavity integrated into the appliance housing provides a nested storage space for the cooking plates. When plates are not in use, they are stored within the cavity, ensuring they remain associated with the appliance and cannot be lost or misplaced, while still allowing easy removal for cleaning.
2Reliability
If a cavity is added to store the cooking plates, then the plates cannot be lost or misplaced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cavity is integrated directly into the existing appliance housing structure, merging the storage function with the existing body of the appliance. This approach adds the storage capability without requiring a separate, independent storage component, thereby minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the cavity is made accessible from the front face, then the plates can be easily stored and retrieved, but the structural integrity of the appliance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The opening is positioned in the front face of the housing, providing easy access to the cavity. The housing structure is designed with localized reinforcement around the opening to maintain structural integrity while allowing access. This ensures that the opening does not compromise the overall strength of the appliance.
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
This solution keeps the appliance complete and ready for use by preventing plate separation, facilitating storage, and reducing the risk of loss or misplacement, while maintaining ease of use and cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
an electric heating resistance making it possible to supply the cooking plate 7 with the energy necessary for cooking the food. The electric heating resistance is arranged in the shell 6, under the cooking plate 7, and, in the present embodiment, it is in contact with the cooking plate 7, the transmission of energy taking place by conduction.
Implementation Method 2
each cooking sub-assembly 2, 3 comprises a thermal reflector which is arranged between the electrical resistance and the shell 6 so as to protect the latter from the heat given off by the former.
Data Source
Figure 1~4
AI summary
The appliance (1) has lower and upper cooking subsets (2,3) articulated between an open position and a close position. Each of the cooking subset has a lower hull (6) forming body of the subsets and a removable cooking plate (7) receiving food such as meat, to be cooked. A cavity (11) is provided for arranging the cooking plate. The cavity has an opening that permits the passage of the plate and is accessible from exterior of the appliance regardless of relative position of the subsets.