Food Waste Inlet Cover Sensing for Alignment-Free Fermentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food disposal apparatuses require careful alignment of covers to operate correctly, leading to potential contamination and user inconvenience, and they grind food waste, which is inefficient and environmentally unfriendly.
Innovation Solution
A built-in food disposal apparatus with a cover structure that allows easy recognition of cover presence without alignment, uses magnets and sensors to initiate operation, and decomposes food waste through fermentation without grinding, minimizing contamination and enhancing environmental friendliness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cover with protrusions and locking slots is used to ensure proper alignment and operation detection, then the operational reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to the need for careful alignment and the risk of contamination from embossed structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical alignment system (protrusions and locking slots) with a magnetic detection system. A magnet is embedded in the cover, and a magnetic sensor on the inlet detects its presence to confirm proper installation, eliminating the need for precise mechanical alignment and reducing contamination risks from embossed structures.
2Productivity
If food waste is ground and dehydrated sequentially to reduce volume and facilitate disposal, then the productivity of food waste processing is improved, but the object-generated harmful factors worsen due to the generation of odors from decomposing collected food waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of water from liquid to vapor through evaporation. The vaporization unit heats and evaporates water from the food waste, transforming it from a liquid state that facilitates decomposition and odor generation to a vapor state that is discharged, thereby reducing the moisture content and preventing odor issues while maintaining processing efficiency.
3Reliability
If a safety sensor using a magnet and reed switch is used to detect cover position and stop stirring when opened, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates as user attention is still required for proper alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where the magnet embedded in the cover automatically guides itself to the correct position on the inlet through magnetic attraction. The magnetic sensor detects the magnet's presence to confirm proper installation, eliminating the need for user attention or manual alignment adjustments while maintaining safety detection reliability.
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 apparatus facilitates easy operation and environmentally friendly decomposition of food waste by fermentation, reducing user intervention and preventing contamination, while avoiding grinding and its associated issues.
Implementation Method 1
uses magnets and sensors to initiate operation
Implementation Method 2
decomposes food waste through fermentation without grinding
Data Source
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AI summary
An embodiment disclosed herein provides a food disposal apparatus comprising: an inlet cover covering an inlet; an input unit which is seated inside the inlet and includes a cover guide for guiding the inlet cover; a solid-liquid separation unit which receives food from the inlet, separates liquid from the food, and drops the solid food downwards; and a decomposition unit which is disposed below the solid-liquid separation unit and includes a stirring module for stirring and mixing, with microorganisms, the food that is dropped, wherein the solid-liquid separation unit and the decomposition unit start operating when the inlet cover rotates on the cover guide. Therefore, the presence of the cover can be recognized by placing the cover on the corresponding inlet in any direction without any particular attentiveness of the part of the user. In addition, a display unit for communicating the current state is arranged in the inlet and can thus warn a user of a malfunction or notify the user of the current state.