Auger Removal Tool for Grinder Head Vacuum Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Residual food products often form a seal between the auger and other components of a grinder head, making it difficult to remove the auger for cleaning due to the vacuum created.
Innovation Solution
A specialized tool with an elongated tapered aperture and handle is designed to engage the auger's front shaft, forming an interference that allows for the transfer of removal force and facilitates the auger's extraction from the grinder head.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the auger is tightly fitted in the grinder head housing, then the grinding performance is improved, but the difficulty of removing the auger increases due to vacuum seal formation
Solution Approach 1:
The front shaft of the auger is divided into multiple engagement surfaces that can interact with corresponding surfaces in the housing. This segmentation allows the shaft to maintain a tight fit for reliable grinding while enabling staged removal through the tool's multi-stage engagement mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
A specialized removal tool acts as an intermediary between the user and the auger shaft. The tool includes a shaft engaging portion with tapered surfaces that match the engagement surfaces on the front shaft, allowing force to be applied and transferred effectively to break the vacuum seal and remove the auger
2Productivity
If a tight fit is used between the auger and housing, then food product processing efficiency is improved, but cleaning maintenance becomes difficult due to vacuum adhesion
Solution Approach 1:
The removal tool is designed with tapered engagement surfaces that, when inserted into the front shaft, create a mechanical advantage before removal begins. The tool's geometry allows it to progressively engage with the shaft's engagement surfaces, building up force to break the vacuum seal before cleaning is attempted
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement surfaces on the front shaft and in the housing are designed with specific geometric parameters (tapered angles, surface areas) that optimize both the tight fit for processing and the force distribution for removal. The tool's engagement portion matches these parameters to enable effective force application
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
The tool effectively breaks the vacuum seal, enabling easy removal of the auger for cleaning and maintenance, improving the efficiency of the food processing operation.
Implementation Method 1
The aperture can define an auger engaging portion of the plate along at least a portion of the periphery of the aperture. The auger engaging portion is adapted to be received, in a tool engaging portion of the front shaft to form an interference that permits a removal force applied to the tool member to be transferred to the auger.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for removing an auger from a grinder head includes a tool member including an auger engaging portion for receiving a front shaft portion of the auger. The auger engaging portion is adapted to be received in a tool engaging portion of the front shaft to for an interference that permits a removal force applied to the tool member to be transferred to the auger.