Dicing Grid Cleaning Tool with Leverage Mechanism for Food Processors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dicing grids in food processors often become inoperable due to food items, especially tough or starchy ones, becoming wedged or stuck, leading to inefficient slicing and increased torque requirements that exceed the drive train's capacity.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning tool with a body, anchor arm, and handle designed to engage with a dicing grid accessory, allowing for increased leverage and force to dislodge stuck food items, combined with a dicing grid accessory featuring anchor holes and apertures for efficient cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a dicing grid is used to process food items quickly and efficiently, then productivity is improved, but food items can become wedged or stuck in the dicing grid causing it to become inoperable
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning tool extracts the lodged food item from the dicing grid aperture by inserting a cleaning boss through the aperture and applying leverage force to push the food item out in the reverse direction of processing
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning tool acts as an intermediary device between the user and the lodged food item, using the anchor arm and handle to amplify user force and the cleaning boss to physically dislodge the food item from the aperture
2Reliability
If force is applied to dislodge lodged food items from the dicing grid, then reliability is improved, but the force required may exceed the permissible torque of the drive train
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning tool changes the dimension of force application by using a lever arm (handle extending from the anchor arm) to amplify force, converting a small rotational torque applied by the user into a large linear force at the cleaning boss that contacts the lodged food item
3Productivity
If smaller blockages occur in the dicing grid, then productivity is reduced due to slow pressing of food items, but the dicing grid remains operational
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning tool performs preliminary action by removing small food particles and blockages from the dicing grid apertures before they accumulate and cause significant resistance, maintaining optimal slicing speed and preventing progression to complete blockage
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
Effectively removes stuck food items from the dicing grid, ensuring smooth slicing and reducing torque requirements, thereby maintaining the dicing grid's functionality and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a handle extending from the body opposite the anchor arm, such that, when the anchor arm is engaged with the anchor hole the handle provides leverage to increase the available force at the plurality of bosses as the bosses travel into the plurality of apertures
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning tool for cleaning a dicing grid accessory of a food processor, the dicing grid accessory having a dicing grid with a plurality of apertures, and an anchor hole located adjacent to the dicing grid, the cleaning tool having:a body having a plurality of bosses dimensioned to be receivable by the plurality of apertures;an anchor arm extending from the body, the anchor arm having a shape that conforms to the anchor hole of the dicing grid accessory and being releasably engageable with the anchor hole, such that, when the anchor arm is engaged with the anchor hole, the body is located with respect to the dicing grid and is pivotable about the anchor hole to allow the plurality of bosses to move into the plurality of apertures; anda handle extending from the body opposite the anchor arm, such that, when the anchor arm is engaged with the anchor hole the handle provides leverage to increase the available force at the plurality of bosses as the bosses travel into the plurality of apertures.