Blender Jug Coupling With Collar Seal for Leak-Free Blade Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing kitchen blenders, particularly those with glass jugs, face challenges in achieving reliable sealing and stabilization of removable blade assemblies due to coarse manufacturing tolerances, leading to potential leakage and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A blender jug assembly featuring a collar with a stabilizing ring and flexible teeth for correct orientation, combined with a blade assembly that includes an annular seal and locking mechanism to ensure secure engagement and prevent separation, providing a reliable and easy-to-clean sealing arrangement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mechanical seal is used between the blade assembly and glass jug, then sealing reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
A collar component is introduced as an intermediary element between the blade assembly and the glass jug. The collar includes a stabilizing ring that interfaces with the blade assembly and flexible teeth that engage with the jug, mediating the connection and sealing functions while accommodating glass jug tolerances
Solution Approach 2:
The collar is designed with flexible teeth that can deform elastically to accommodate variations in jug dimensions. This parameter change (flexibility) allows the mechanical seal to function reliably across a range of jug tolerances without requiring precision manufacturing of the glass jug itself
2Ease of manufacture
If coarse manufacturing tolerances are used for glass jugs, then manufacturing cost decreases, but blade assembly stabilization becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The collar incorporates flexible teeth that can dynamically adjust their position and engagement depth to accommodate variations in jug dimensions. This dynamic adaptation ensures stable blade assembly positioning even when glass jugs are manufactured with coarse tolerances
Solution Approach 2:
The collar is made from a material that combines rigidity for structural support with flexibility for tolerance accommodation. This composite material approach allows the single component to fulfill multiple functions: stabilizing the blade assembly while adapting to variations in glass jug dimensions
3Ease of operation
If the blade assembly is made removable for cleaning, then ease of cleaning is improved, but leakage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The collar acts as an intermediary sealing component that remains in place on the jug while the blade assembly is removed for cleaning. The collar's seal interface with the jug maintains the sealing integrity, and the collar's design ensures the blade assembly re-engages correctly, preventing leakage after reassembly
Solution Approach 2:
The collar provides a mechanical locking mechanism with flexible teeth that engage with the jug to prevent leakage. This mechanical system replaces more complex sealing arrangements, providing reliable sealing through simple mechanical engagement that is both leak-proof and easy to assemble/disassemble
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 solution ensures a stable and leak-proof connection between the blade assembly and the jug, maintaining concentricity and preventing unnecessary movement or vibration, thus enhancing the operational reliability and ease of use of the blender.
Implementation Method 1
The collar includes one or more flexible teeth adapted to engage a shoulder formed proximal to the terminal extremity of the vessel's throat for capturing the vessel
Data Source
AI summary
A blade assembly for use with a jug having a central throat, the blade assembly includes: one or more blades; a plug element having a peripheral annular flange; a seal element located below the annular flange; a coupling component for engaging a co-operating coupling component on a blender base, the coupling component being coupled to the one or more blades by a rotatable shaft assembly; and a locking element for retaining the plug element with the seal element sealingly engaging the jug, thereby providing a sealing arrangement between the blade assembly and the jug.