Flexible Grinder Blade for Fiber Length and Edge Contact Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional meat grinders face challenges in controlling fiber length and quality during grinding, leading to uneven texture and increased protein extraction, which affects the final product's cook shape and bite.
Innovation Solution
A flexible blade mechanism using spring pressure to maintain edge contact, combined with a grinder plate design featuring spherical and cylindrical orifices to align fibers and control fiber length through a venturi effect, reducing myosin and actin release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid blade is used for grinding meat fibers, then the blade can maintain structural strength, but the blade cannot adapt to surface irregularities and maintain consistent edge contact
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is constructed with a flexible structure comprising multiple segments or layers that can bend and conform to the grinder plate surface irregularities. This flexibility allows the cutting edge to maintain consistent contact with the meat fibers being ground, while the overall blade structure retains sufficient strength through its segmented design and mounting mechanism.
2Device complexity
If conventional grinding methods are used, then the grinding process is simple, but fiber length control is poor leading to uneven texture
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is designed to move dynamically during operation, with controlled flexing and positioning movements that optimize the shearing action on meat fibers. The blade can adjust its angle and position relative to the grinder plate, creating varying shear forces that control fiber length distribution and produce more uniform texture without requiring complex additional mechanisms.
3Productivity
If high pressure is applied during grinding to improve productivity, then grinding speed increases, but protein extraction increases leading to quality degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The grinding process utilizes periodic blade movements including forward shearing strokes and rearward resetting strokes. During the forward stroke, the blade applies shearing force to cut fibers with minimal pressure. During the rearward stroke, the blade repositions and reduces contact pressure, allowing ground material to clear and reducing cumulative protein extraction while maintaining effective grinding speed through the rhythmic action.
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 solution ensures consistent fiber alignment and shearing, resulting in improved product quality with controlled cook shape and texture by minimizing protein extraction and turbulence.
Implementation Method 1
The present invention relates to a flexible blade that uses spring pressure from the blade itself to keep an edge of the blade in contact with the shearing surface
Implementation Method 2
The space between the blade and the blade holder when pressure is applied causes the flexing of the blade
Implementation Method 3
a grinder plate design featuring spherical and cylindrical orifices to align fibers and control fiber length through a venturi effect, reducing myosin and actin release
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible blade that when it starts to wear, the blade stands itself up to continue to provide a sharpened edge.