Food Processor Feed Tube Assembly With Spring Food Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food processing devices lack ease of use and expanded functionality in securing food items during processing, as they often result in food items falling into the work bowl too quickly, leading to inefficient processing.
Innovation Solution
A feed tube assembly with a first member and a second member, where the first member includes a channel and a flat spring that extends into the channel to securely hold food items, allowing for controlled passage into the work bowl, utilizing a large and small food pusher for various item sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If food items are placed in the feed tube for processing, then the processing function is enabled, but the food items fall into the work bowl too quickly causing inefficient processing
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism changes the physical state of food item retention from passive gravitational fall to active controlled release. By introducing elastic potential energy storage and release, the system transforms the parameter of food item movement from uncontrolled to controlled, allowing efficient processing while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring acts as an intermediary element between the feed tube and work bowl, mediating the passage of food items. This intermediary mechanism provides the missing control function, enabling both processing efficiency and operational ease by regulating food item release timing.
2Reliability
If a simple feed tube is used, then the device structure is simple, but food items cannot be secured during processing
Solution Approach 1:
The feed tube structure transitions from static to dynamic by incorporating a movable spring mechanism. This dynamic element provides the reliability needed to secure food items during processing, while the spring's elastic nature keeps the added complexity minimal and manageable.
3Productivity
If food items are released quickly into the work bowl, then the processing speed is high, but the processing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism creates periodic action in food item release, alternating between holding and releasing states. This periodic release pattern optimizes processing efficiency by ensuring food items are released at appropriate intervals rather than all at once, maintaining effective processing speed while improving overall efficiency.
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 feed tube assembly effectively secures food items within the channel, preventing them from falling too quickly into the work bowl, allowing for more controlled and efficient processing by using the spring's bias to manage the flow of items into the bowl.
Implementation Method 1
a flat spring that extends into the channel to secure food items within the channel
Data Source
AI summary
A feed tube assembly for a food processor is provided. The feed tube assembly includes a first member having a channel therethrough configured to be slidably received in a feed tube of a food processor, and a second member slidably received in the channel of the first member. The first member also includes a flat spring that extends into the channel to secure food items within the channel.