Container device for a kitchen appliance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container devices for kitchen appliances suffer from material compatibility issues leading to heat generation and potential melting, increased manufacturing costs due to integrated metal plugs, and limited durability and sustainability.
Innovation Solution
A container device with a releasable supporting plug made of materials with good sliding properties, such as plastic or stainless steel, and a threaded connection with a modified buttress thread, allowing for easy attachment and detachment, and featuring blocking means to prevent unintended removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the working tool rotates on an integrated metal plug made of the same material as the bowl, then the plug is permanently integrated into the container, but heat is generated due to poor sliding properties causing melting and welding leading to permanent damage
Solution Approach 1:
The plug is divided into two separate parts: a support structure integrated into the container and a rotating bearing component. This segmentation allows the bearing to be made of materials with good sliding properties while the support structure remains integrated, resolving the contradiction between integration and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug assembly uses composite construction with the bearing made of materials having good sliding characteristics (different from the container material) while the support structure is made of container material. This allows combining the benefits of integration with good sliding properties to prevent heat generation and melting.
2Ease of manufacture
If a metal plug is moulded into a plastic bowl to enable working tool rotation, then the plug is permanently integrated, but manufacturing costs become extremely expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The plug is segmented into an integrated support structure and a separate bearing component. This allows the support to be manufactured as part of the container while the bearing can be produced separately using more cost-effective processes, significantly reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining integration benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing component is extracted from the integrated plug design and made separable. This extraction allows the bearing to be manufactured independently using optimized processes for the specific material and function, reducing the overall manufacturing cost while the support structure remains integrated into the container.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the metal plug is permanently integrated into the bowl, then the structure is stable, but after wear the whole bowl has to be replaced which is inconvenient for costs and sustainability
Solution Approach 1:
The plug is segmented into a permanent support structure and a replaceable bearing component. The support remains integrated into the container for structural stability, while the bearing can be independently replaced when worn, eliminating the need to replace the entire bowl and improving repairability and sustainability.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing is extracted as a separate, removable component from the integrated plug design. This allows the bearing to be taken out and replaced independently when worn, while the support structure remains permanently integrated, resolving the contradiction between structural stability and ease of repair.
4Reliability
If materials with good sliding characteristics are used for the plug, then wear is reduced and rotation is smoother, but the plug material must be different from the container material
Solution Approach 1:
The plug is segmented into a support structure made of container material and a bearing component made of materials with good sliding properties. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining material compatibility where needed, reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different materials are used for different parts of the plug assembly: the support structure uses container material for compatibility and integration, while the bearing component uses materials with good sliding characteristics for reduced wear and smooth rotation. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between reliability and device 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
Enhances the service life, usability, and repairability of the container device by reducing wear and tear, while maintaining smooth operation and safety.
Implementation Method 1
the material of the plug is the same as the material of the bowl. These materials specifically don't have good sliding properties. Therefore, as the working tool in the form of a knife with blades rotates on the plug a lot of heat is generated
Implementation Method 2
the threaded connection is formed as a modified buttress (sawtooth) thread
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
A container device (1) for a kitchen appliance for processing food comprising: - a lid (2), - a container (3), - a processing tool (4), - a supporting plug (5), wherein the processing tool (4) is rotatably mounted on the supporting plug (5), characterised in that the supporting plug (5) is configured to be releasably attachable to the container (3).