Wire Chafing Stand Geometry for Deep Nesting Without Wedging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wire chafing stands have limited nesting ability, leading to increased storage and transportation costs due to their vertical height, and are often complicated and expensive to manufacture, with the added difficulty of removal from tight nests.
Innovation Solution
A wire chafing stand design featuring unitary wires with symmetrical, angled configurations that form handles, legs, and interconnecting segments, allowing for deep nesting without wedging and easy separation, using only right and obtuse angles to facilitate direct-seated nesting and minimize stack height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If wire stands are tightly nested to reduce storage footprint, then storage and transportation efficiency is improved, but the stands wedge into each other and become difficult to separate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by designing the wire stand with non-uniform leg configurations and asymmetric attachment points. The legs are positioned at different locations and angles, creating an asymmetric structure that prevents symmetric wedging when nested. This asymmetric design allows the stands to nest tightly while maintaining ease of separation, as the asymmetric geometry prevents the stands from locking into each other during nesting.
2Length of stationary object
If deep nesting is implemented to minimize stack height, then transportation cost is reduced, but the stands become complicated and expensive to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the wire stand into distinct modular components: separate legs, rim structures, and connecting elements. Each component is designed to be a simple, standardized piece that can be easily manufactured and assembled. This segmented approach enables deep nesting capability through modular stacking while keeping individual component complexity low, thereby reducing manufacturing costs despite the advanced nesting functionality.
3Length of stationary object
If deep nesting is implemented to minimize stack height, then transportation cost is reduced, but fabrication becomes more complicated and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the nested doll principle by designing the wire stand components to nest within each other in a hierarchical manner. The legs nest within the rim structures, and multiple stands nest within each other in a compact configuration. This nested design achieves minimal stack height while maintaining simple fabrication, as each nested component is a basic, easily manufactured element that fits into the next larger component without requiring complex assembly procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
A chafer wire stand has an upper rim of a closed rectangle and a lower rim of wire metal of similar, but smaller shape. The chafer stand is nestable such that angled wires extending between the upper and lower rim touch each other when nested and the upper rims of the nested stands are held close to each other. The upper and lower rims are connected by at least two wires substantially identically shaped and bent with each wire being unitary and having a segment thereof attached to the upper rim and extending outwardly therefrom to form a handle element for the chafer wire stand. Each wire is attached to the lower rim and extends therefrom to form two supporting legs for the chafer wire stand.