Blade Sharpener Spring-Mounted Abrasive Wheel

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing blade sharpeners face issues with inconsistent sharpening due to variable pressing forces on the abrasive wheel, leading to defects in the cutting edge and poor sharpening of serrated or fine ceramic blades, and they struggle with frictional heat and clogging, making it difficult to clean the abrasive wheel.

Innovation Solution

A blade sharpener with a detachable sharpening assembly featuring vertically and laterally urging means, including vertical and lateral coil springs, which apply uniform pressure to the blade from multiple directions, ensuring consistent contact with the abrasive wheel and allowing for efficient sharpening and easy cleaning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the blade is pressed firmly against the abrasive wheel to sharpen it, then the sharpening speed increases, but defects are created in the cutting edge and the blade becomes less sharp

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesharpening speedVSAvoidcutting edge quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The abrasive wheel is made movable in the axial direction through vertical coil springs, allowing the pressing force to be dynamically adjusted and distributed evenly, preventing defects while maintaining sharpening effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The pressing force parameter is changed from fixed to variable through the spring mechanism, enabling optimal force distribution that prevents cutting edge defects while maintaining high sharpening speed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If the blade is pressed unevenly against the abrasive wheel, then sharpening may be faster in some areas, but the sharpening becomes uneven and inconsistent

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesharpening speedVSAvoidsharpening uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Vertical coil springs provide counterbalancing force to distribute the pressing load evenly across the blade and abrasive wheel contact area, ensuring uniform sharpening while maintaining consistent pressure for efficient material removal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

Solution Approach 2:

The spring-supported abrasive wheel creates a dynamic system that automatically adjusts to distribute pressure evenly, preventing localized over-sharpening or under-sharpening while maintaining overall sharpening efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Device complexity

If the abrasive wheel is fixed in the main frame casing, then the structure is simple, but it is difficult to wash and clean the abrasive wheel

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidcleaning accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The abrasive wheel assembly is segmented from the main frame casing, allowing the abrasive wheel to be independently removed for cleaning while maintaining a simple overall structure through modular design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The movable abrasive wheel assembly on spring supports enables easy removal and reinstallation, providing cleaning accessibility without requiring complex disassembly of the entire device structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Temperature

If liquid is provided to cool and clean the blade during sharpening, then frictional heat is reduced, but grinding dust clogs the pores of the abrasive wheel

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefrictional heatVSAvoidgrinding dust clogging

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The movable abrasive wheel assembly allows liquid to flow more freely through the contact area, improving cooling efficiency while the even pressure distribution prevents dust accumulation that would clog pores

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 blade sharpener achieves uniform sharpening of blades by applying pressure from four directions, reducing frictional heat and preventing clogging, thus sharpening blades more evenly and efficiently, including serrated and fine ceramic blades, and allowing for easy maintenance of the abrasive wheel.

Implementation Method 1

vertically urging means provided in each of the vertical shaft supports; a pair of horizontally urging means provided on both sides of the abrasive element

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS8926408B2Blade sharpener

Publication Date: 2015.01.06 SUEHIRO

AI summary

A blade sharpener including a main frame casing having a grip and a grinding chamber and a grinder assembly detachably installed in the grinding chamber in which the grinder assembly is formed by a pair of shaft supports facing each other, a supporting window provided in each of the shaft supports, a rotary shaft supported at both end portions thereof by the vertical shaft supports, an abrasive wheel provided on the rotary shaft at substantially its axial center, and a pair of lateral coil springs each provided on either side of the abrasive wheel. The rotary shaft can be supported by a pair of longitudinal coil springs installed in the shaft supports.