Blending blade
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food processor and blender blades struggle to prevent food from getting stuck in the void formed between the bottom blade and the jar, leading to inefficiencies and increased wear on the appliance.
Innovation Solution
A blade assembly with a bottom blade featuring an angled sharpened portion that elevates solids in an auger-type helical path, reducing the void and enhancing cutting efficiency by moving materials upward, and a stacked blade configuration that includes U-shaped and S-shaped blades for improved chopping, cutting, and slicing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional blade configurations are used, then the blade structure is simple, but food gets stuck in the void between the bottom blade and the jar
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom blade is segmented into multiple functional portions: a leading edge portion, a trailing edge portion, and an angled sharpened portion. This segmentation allows each portion to perform a specific function - the leading edge engages and elevates food, the angled sharpened portion provides cutting action, and the trailing edge completes the cutting motion. This resolves the contradiction by creating a more complex blade structure that effectively prevents food from getting stuck in the void.
2Productivity
If the void between the bottom blade and the jar is reduced, then food sticking is prevented, but the blade design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The blade design incorporates a vertical dimension by elevating food upward against the jar wall using the leading edge portion. This vertical motion component adds a new dimension to the traditional horizontal cutting action, allowing the blade to effectively reduce the functional void space and prevent food from getting trapped, thereby improving blending efficiency while managing design complexity through functional differentiation.
3Productivity
If multiple blades are used to improve blending performance, then blending efficiency increases, but the complexity of the blade assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom blade is designed with multi-functionality, incorporating leading edge, trailing edge, and angled sharpened portion functions in a single blade element. This allows the blade to perform multiple tasks - elevating food, cutting, and preventing food from getting stuck - thereby maintaining high blending efficiency while reducing the need for additional separate blade components, thus managing assembly complexity.
4Reliability
If the blade elevates food in an auger-type helical path, then cutting efficiency is improved, but the blade design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The blade incorporates a curved or helical geometry in the angled sharpened portion that follows an auger-type helical path. This curvature allows the blade to elevate food in a rotational motion pattern that improves cutting efficiency by maintaining continuous contact with the food material. The curved design achieves reliable cutting performance while the geometry is integrated into the blade structure, managing overall design complexity.
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 assembly effectively prevents food from getting stuck, enhances blending and mixing capabilities, and reduces wear on bearings and motors by improving cutting efficiency and reducing voids.
Implementation Method 1
The sharpened portion, which may be at a range of angles but is preferably, in some embodiments, at or near 45°, may cause the solids in the bottom of the container to be elevated by the rotation of the blade in an auger-type helical path.
Implementation Method 2
The blades of the blade assembly may chop, cut, or slice solid food items without the need for user interaction to clear compacted items from the blades and/or the walls or bottom of the jar during its operation or between blending or processing actions.
Data Source
AI summary
An improved blade assembly is provided for use in a cooking appliance such as a blender or a food processor. The bottom blade portions of the blade assembly include a geometry that provides an angled, sharpened portion on wing portions that extend downwardly from the bottom blade. The bottom blade's geometry, including the sharpened portions, help rotate the material so that it is blended upwardly to help prevent food from getting stuck in the void below the bottom blade, thus improving the blade's efficiency.