Food processor and food processing method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food processors that steam and blend food in a single vessel face issues such as food being dipped in water during steaming, incomplete blending due to improper blade height, and increased cleaning burden, especially when processing small quantities like baby food.
Innovation Solution
A food processor design featuring a vessel with a steaming system, a support to retain food above the base during steaming, and a blender blade at the base, driven by a common axis to rotate and release the food centrifugally for blending, allowing for automated processing and optimized steaming and blending without user intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the blade is positioned low to enable blending of small food quantities, then blending completeness is improved, but food is dipped in water during steaming
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into two distinct functional zones: an upper steaming zone with a support structure and a lower blending zone with a blade. This spatial segmentation allows the food to be steamed separately from the water and then transferred to the blade for blending, eliminating the contradiction between blending completeness and preventing water contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is positioned vertically above the blade, creating a vertical dimension for steaming while maintaining the horizontal blade position for blending. This dimensional arrangement allows the food to be elevated during steaming to avoid water contact, then released onto the blade for complete blending of small quantities.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the blade area is increased to support food during steaming, then steaming stability is improved, but cleaning burden increases due to more food adhesion
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is designed as a separate, removable component from the blade assembly. This segmentation allows the support to be optimized for steaming stability with sufficient area, while the blade remains separate and easier to clean. The support can be detached and cleaned independently, reducing the overall cleaning burden.
Solution Approach 2:
The food support function is extracted from the blade, placing it on a separate support structure positioned above the blade. This extraction allows the blade to be smaller and easier to clean, while the support structure handles the food during steaming, resolving the contradiction between steaming stability and cleaning ease.
3Ease of operation
If manual intervention is added to tip the basket onto the blade, then food transfer is achieved, but automation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is designed to rotate about the common vertical axis, transforming from a static support during steaming to a dynamic rotating component that uses centrifugal force to release food onto the blade. This dynamic transformation enables automatic food transfer without manual intervention, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating support structure automatically releases the food onto the blade through centrifugal force during rotation, making the system self-servicing for the food transfer function. This eliminates the need for manual tipping of the basket, maintaining automation while ensuring complete food transfer to the blade for blending.
4Productivity
If the support is positioned high for optimum steaming, then steaming efficiency is improved, but food remains uncut at the bottom during blending
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure transitions from a static high-positioned support during steaming to a rotating component that releases food directly onto the blade. This dynamic action ensures that even though the support is positioned high for steaming efficiency, the food is completely transferred onto the blade for thorough blending, eliminating uncut food at the bottom.
Solution Approach 2:
The food is extracted from the high-positioned support and deposited onto the blade through rotation. This extraction mechanism ensures that the food does not remain on the support during blending, allowing complete blending to occur on the blade while the support remains positioned high for optimal steaming 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
Enables efficient and automated steaming and blending of food in the same vessel, minimizing contact with water, reducing processing time, and simplifying cleaning, while accommodating various food quantities and sizes.
Implementation Method 1
The release is achieved by rotating the support. This accelerates the food (which frictionally engages with the support) and causes the food to be displaced outwardly by centrifugal forces, so that the food falls off the support.
Implementation Method 2
a steaming system for delivering steam to the vessel for steaming the food
Implementation Method 3
The food is released by rotating the support. This accelerates the food (which frictionally engages with the support)
Data Source
AI summary
A food processor combines steaming of food on a support, and blending. The support is rotated about the same shaft as the blender blade, to release the food on the support centrifugally so that it drops to the blender blade. This enables an automated process with optimized steaming and blending.