A bowl assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Kitchen appliances with a rotatable drive assembly are not well-suited for cooking operations like slow cooking, rice cooking, and sous vide water bath cooking due to the obstruction caused by the rotating tool, which reduces usable space and performance.
Innovation Solution
A bowl assembly with an interchangeable tool mount and blanking plug system, where the tool mount and blanking plug have the same cross-sectional shape as the aperture, allowing them to fill and seal it, and a locking arrangement that secures either component to the bowl, preventing rotation and enabling the bowl to be used for various cooking operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a rotatable drive assembly with tool is used in the bowl, then food processing capability is improved, but usable space in the bowl is reduced and cooking operations are obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The drive assembly is segmented into a permanent base unit and a removable tool mount that can be inserted into or removed from the bowl. This allows the bowl to be used with or without the drive mechanism depending on the cooking operation required, thereby increasing adaptability while preserving usable space.
Solution Approach 2:
The tool mount is designed to be dynamically removable and reinsertable into the bowl's aperture. This dynamic configuration allows users to switch between food processing mode (with tool mount) and cooking mode (without tool mount), resolving the contradiction between versatility and usable space.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a rotatable tool is present in the bowl, then food processing function is enabled, but movement of ingredients is obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The tool mount and tool assembly are extracted from the permanent structure of the bowl, making them removable components. When cooking operations requiring ingredient movement are needed, the tool mount can be removed entirely, eliminating obstruction and allowing free movement of ingredients.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3
AI summary
A bowl assembly 110 for a kitchen appliance 1 arranged to process ingredients contained within the bowl assembly 110, comprising: a bowl 112 having an aperture 115 in its base; a drivable tool mount 200 for a food processing tool arranged to fit within the aperture 115; and a blanking plug 300 arranged to fit within the aperture 115; wherein the drivable tool mount 200 and blanking plug 300 are interchangeable with one another.