Blade Assembly with Guard Member for Safe Container Coupling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Personal blending system containers are not compatible with standard blender bases, and lack safety mechanisms to prevent blade access when not properly coupled, posing a risk of accidental operation.
Innovation Solution
A blade assembly with a guard member that extends axially from the base portion, featuring a threaded collar for coupling and a guard member that circumscribes the blades, obstructing access when the container is removed, and allowing safe operation only when the container is properly coupled.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If personal blending system containers are used without a guard member, then ease of operation is improved, but safety is worsened due to exposed blades when container is removed
Solution Approach 1:
The guard member is pre-installed on the blade assembly to automatically cover the blades before the container is even attached. When the container is removed, the guard member remains in place, preventing blade exposure without requiring any additional safety actions from the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The guard member acts as an intermediary protective element between the blades and the user. It physically intervenes to block access to the blades when the container is not attached, serving as a mediating safety barrier that resolves the conflict between operational ease and safety.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a guard member is added to the blade assembly, then safety is improved by preventing blade access, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The blade assembly is segmented into functional components: the driving mechanism, the blades, and the guard member. This segmentation allows the guard member to be designed as a separate, simple protective element that can be independently manufactured and attached, minimizing overall device complexity while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The guard member provides localized protection only where needed - covering the blade area when the container is removed. It does not complicate other parts of the blending system, applying safety measures selectively to the specific hazard zone without affecting overall device simplicity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the guard member extends past the blade plane, then safety is improved by better obstruction, but ease of operation is worsened by interfering with container coupling
Solution Approach 1:
The guard member is designed with dynamic positioning capability - it can be moved or adjusted during the container coupling process to accommodate the threading action, then returns to or maintains its protective extended position when the container is removed. This dynamic behavior resolves the conflict between protection and operational ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The guard member is pre-positioned to extend past the blade plane for safety, but its design incorporates features that allow it to temporarily yield or accommodate the container threading motion during coupling, then resume its protective extension position automatically when coupling is complete.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A blade assembly (14) is provided that includes a base portion (30) that is removably coupleable to a blender base (16) and an aperture (44) extending through the base portion (30). The blade assembly (14) further includes a drive shaft (46) rotatably coupled to the base portion (30), the drive shaft (46) extending through the aperture (44) and rotatable about a rotational axis (X). The blade assembly (14) further includes one or more blades (50) fixedly coupled to the drive shaft (46) and a coupling member (56) for removably coupling a container (12) to the blade assembly (14).The blade assembly (14) further includes a guard member (62) extending from the base portion (30) such that the guard member (62) circumscribes the one or more blades (50) about the rotational axis (X). Further, the guard member (62) circumscribes a portion of the container (12) about the rotational axis (X) when the container (12) is removably coupled to the coupling member (56).