Device for breaking the shells of nuts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing nut shell breaking devices pose safety risks due to the potential for misuse as a catapult when not properly assembled, leading to accidental injuries or damage.

Innovation Solution

A device with a sleeve and base that allows for rotational positioning to ensure the nut is always directed onto a stable surface, preventing accidental projection and incorporating elastic gripping means for shell breaking, ensuring the nut is always shattered on the base.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the device is designed with a sleeve and base that can be assembled manually, then the device can function correctly to break nut shells, but the device poses safety risks when used separately as a catapult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice functionalityVSAvoidsafety hazards

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the sleeve and base into a single integrated unit where the sleeve is rotatably mounted on the base. This combination ensures that the elastic gripping means can only project nuts onto the base surface, eliminating the catapult hazard while maintaining the shell-breaking function. The rotational mounting allows the sleeve to assume any position but always directs projection onto the stable base surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potential harmful projection capability into a beneficial feature by ensuring that any projection always occurs onto the stable base surface. The elastic gripping means retains its projectile force necessary for breaking shells, but the rotational mounting with stable surface constraint transforms the hazard into a controlled, safe operation where fragments remain contained.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Device complexity

If the sleeve is fixed in a single position, then the device structure is simple, but the nut may not always be directed onto a stable surface for safe shell breaking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidsafe operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces rotational dynamics to the sleeve mounting, allowing it to pivot freely on the base. This dynamic capability ensures that regardless of how the device is held or oriented, the nut will always be projected onto the stable base surface. The rotational freedom adds minimal complexity while significantly improving operational reliability and safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Force

If the elastic gripping means is tightly coupled to the sleeve, then the projection force is maximized for shell breaking, but the device becomes more complex to assemble and disassemble

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprojection forceVSAvoidassembly and disassembly

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the elastic gripping means into a separate component that can be independently coupled to the sleeve. This segmentation allows the elastic element to maintain tight coupling for maximum projection force while enabling easy assembly and disassembly of the gripping means from the sleeve. The modular design preserves the high-force capability without permanently binding the components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 device effectively breaks nut shells while ensuring safety by ensuring the shell fragments remain on the base, preventing accidental projections and enhancing user safety.

Implementation Method 1

moyens 20 de prise élastiques capables d'exercer une force dans un sens préférentiel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

dans un moyen dans lequel une force gravitationnelle règne, son deuxième extrémité est à un niveau qui est plus élevé que sa première extrémité

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravitation: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS11278156B2Device for breaking the shells of nuts

Publication Date: 2022.03.22 JACQUELOT BERTRAND

AI summary

A device for breaking the shells of nuts, such as walnuts, pecan nuts, cashew nuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, where such device includes a sleeve with a through hole along an axis, elastic gripping means which can exert a force in a preferential direction coupled to the end of the sleeve in a manner such that the preferential direction is substantially coincident with the axis of a base, and a means for rotatably mounting the sleeve with respect to the base about an axis which is perpendicular to the axis, in a manner such that the sleeve is capable of taking up a first position in which the plane of the second end of the sleeve rests substantially on the face of the base and a second position in which the plane of the end of the sleeve makes a non-zero angle with the plane of the face of the base.