Arcuate Blade Cutting Implement for Even Food Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing food processor cutting implements with flat or V-shaped blades result in uneven food processing due to gaps between blades, leading to inefficiencies in processing time, energy consumption, and reduced service life.

Innovation Solution

A cutting implement featuring single-piece arcuate blades with a leading edge not parallel to the rotation axis, providing an oblique cutting action and a stacked arrangement for balanced rotation, ensuring even processing and reduced energy requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If flat or V-shaped blades are used with gaps between them, then the blade structure is simple, but the food processing becomes uneven and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefood processing efficiencyVSAvoidblade structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies curvature by designing arcuate blades with a curved leading edge that follows an arc path during rotation. This curved geometry allows the blade to contact and process food across a broader area compared to flat blades, eliminating dead zones and improving processing efficiency without significantly increasing structural complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from flat two-dimensional blade surfaces to three-dimensional arcuate blades with curved leading edges. This dimensional change allows the blade to engage food particles at multiple radial distances from the rotation axis simultaneously, ensuring more comprehensive food processing and eliminating gaps where food would otherwise remain unprocessed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Area of stationary object

If multiple separate blades are used to cover more area, then cutting coverage improves, but the gap between blades increases and creates unprocessed zones

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblade cutting surface areaVSAvoidfood processing uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple separate blade elements into a single integrated arcuate blade structure. This unified design eliminates the gaps that exist between separate blades while maintaining comprehensive coverage of the cutting area, ensuring that food particles throughout the processing chamber are uniformly processed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If flat blades rotate at different levels, then some food gets cut, but food in the gaps must rely on weight and interaction to reach the blades, resulting in uneven processing and longer time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefood processing easeVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The arcuate blade's curved leading edge creates a sweeping motion that actively engages food particles at various heights and radial positions during rotation. This curved path ensures that food particles are encountered and processed more uniformly throughout the chamber, reducing reliance on gravity and food interaction to move unprocessed food into contact with the blade, thereby decreasing processing time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentEP2958677B1Cutting implement for food processor
Publication Date: 2019.08.28 DONGGUAN HO LI ELECTRIC APPLIANCE CO LTD
  • EP2958677B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2958677B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2958677B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A cutting implement for a food processor comprises a blade axle (l) rotatable on a rotation axis thereof in a direction of rotation of the blade axle (l), and at least one blade assembly (2) mounted on the blade axle (l). The at least one blade assembly (2) comprises at least one single-piece arcuate blade (3) having an upper blade section (29) coupled to the blade axle (l), a lower blade section (33) separate from the upper blade section (29) and coupled to the blade axle(l), and a middle blade section (31) extending arcuately between and interconnecting the upper and lower blade sections, the single-piece arcuate blade (3) having a leading edge in the direction of rotation of the blade axle(l) and the leading edge at least in part being configured to define a cutting edge (32) of the single-piece arcuate blade (3). The cutting implement favors even blending of the food and improves working efficiency of the food processor.