Cutting Tool Storage Container With Wash-Through Protective Slots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food processing devices lack an efficient and convenient method for storing and cleaning interchangeable cutting tools, leading to manual handling and potential damage during storage and cleaning processes.
Innovation Solution
A container with a shell and retaining door design that securely holds and positions cutting tools, allowing for easy access and fluid passage, featuring slots for tool stems and a locking mechanism to maintain tool position during storage and cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cutting tools are stored in a cabinet without a container, then storage space is maximized, but the cutting tools are susceptible to damage and require manual handling
Solution Approach 1:
The container is designed to be nested within the food processor bowl, utilizing the existing bowl cavity as the outer container. This nesting approach provides protection for cutting tools without requiring a separate standalone storage cabinet, thus improving reliability while minimizing additional structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The container acts as an intermediary between the cutting tools and the bowl/cabinet environment. It provides a dedicated protective chamber with slots for secure tool placement, shielding tools from damage during storage and cleaning while maintaining easy access through the open top design
2Productivity
If cutting tools are cleaned manually, then damage risk is reduced, but cleaning time and labor increase
Solution Approach 1:
The container is designed to be placed directly into the dishwashing machine along with the bowl. The perforated bottom allows water and detergent to flow through and clean the cutting tools automatically, eliminating manual cleaning requirements and significantly improving productivity without requiring additional protective measures
Solution Approach 2:
The container bottom is designed with perforations that allow water and detergent to pass through during automated cleaning. This porous design enables effective cleaning of cutting tools in the dishwashing machine while the container walls continue to provide protection and proper positioning
3Reliability
If the container is sealed to protect tools, then protection is improved, but cleaning access and fluid passage are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The container employs different structural qualities in different locations: the walls are solid to provide protection and positioning, while the bottom is perforated to allow fluid passage for cleaning. This local differentiation of structural properties simultaneously achieves protection and cleaning accessibility without compromise
Solution Approach 2:
The container structure is segmented into functional zones: the open top provides access for tool insertion and removal, the perforated bottom allows fluid passage for cleaning, and the side walls with slots provide protection and positioning. This segmentation enables each zone to optimize its specific function
4Quantity of substance
If multiple cutting tools are stored together, then storage capacity increases, but tool damage risk increases due to contact
Solution Approach 1:
The container includes individual slots for each cutting tool stem, creating separate compartments that prevent tools from contacting each other. This segmentation allows multiple tools to be stored vertically in the same container while maintaining protection through physical separation
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing multiple tools horizontally where they would contact each other, the container utilizes the vertical dimension by providing slots that receive tool stems vertically. This dimensional arrangement allows multiple tools to be stored in one container without mutual contact, increasing capacity while maintaining protection
Data Source
AI summary
A container and system for holding a cutting tool of a food processing device is disclosed. The container includes a shell defining a chamber sized to receive one of at least a first cutting tool and a second cutting tool. The shell has a slot that receives a stem of the first cutting tool when the first cutting tool is positioned in the chamber and another slot that receives a stem of the second cutting tool when the second cutting tool is positioned in the chamber. The shell also has a plurality of openings that are sized to permit fluid to pass into the chamber.