Warming Drawer Casing Design to Prevent Goods Snagging on Fasteners

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing warming drawers with projecting screws for attaching the front panel to the container pose a risk of goods getting stuck and potential user injury due to the screws.

Innovation Solution

A carrier plate with a fold spaced from the front panel creates a gap, allowing a thin-walled casing to cover the screws and folds, preventing displacement and enabling secure attachment without direct contact with stored goods.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If projecting screws are used to attach the front panel to the container, then the attachment strength is improved, but goods may get stuck in the screws and user safety deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment strengthVSAvoiduser safety
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A carrier plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the front panel and the container. The screws are attached to the carrier plate instead of projecting directly into the container, and the carrier plate is then attached to the front panel. This intermediary structure maintains the attachment strength while preventing goods from getting stuck in projecting screws and eliminating safety hazards.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The harmful projecting screws are extracted from the container structure and relocated to the carrier plate. By separating the attachment function from the container walls, the screws no longer protrude into the storage space where goods are placed, thereby eliminating the risk of goods getting stuck while preserving the structural attachment strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Stability of the object's composition

If a carrier plate is attached directly to the front panel without a gap, then the structural stability is improved, but the casing cannot properly cover the screws and folds

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidcasing coverage
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The carrier plate is designed with differentiated local qualities: it has folds at the sides for attachment to the container walls, a central attachment area for securing to the front panel, and a spaced-off section at the rear that creates a gap. This gap allows the casing to properly cover the screws and folds while the rest of the carrier plate maintains structural stability through its attachment features.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3139099B1Drawer, in particular a warming drawer
Publication Date: 2020.12.02 GORENJE D D
  • EP3139099B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3139099B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention relates to a drawer, in particular to a warming drawer with the household furniture and/or household apparatus such as an oven and similar, comprising a front panel which closes a container for goods to be stored in the drawer, said container consisting of a bottom, side walls and a back wall. It is provided with a casing (16) being attached to a front panel (1) from the inside of the drawer, covering possible fixing means and cut-outs.