Food Processor Eccentric Cup and Cutter Design for Enhanced Turbulence

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing food processors have poor stirring performance due to regular shapes of the cutter head and cup body, leading to inadequate turbulence and food shattering, which affects the taste and user experience.

Innovation Solution

The food processor features an eccentric design where the cup body and cutter head contours are non-circular, with central axes adjusted for mutual eccentricity, and a tapering cup body with a larger upper cross-section area, enhancing whirl effect and food shattering performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If regular shapes are used for cutter head and cup body with collinear central axes, then manufacturing is simple and structure is stable, but stirring performance and turbulence effect are poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestirring performanceVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry by designing the cup body and cutter head with non-circular cross-sections (e.g., oval, triangular, or other irregular shapes) instead of regular circular shapes. The central axes of the cutter head and cup body are intentionally made non-collinear (offset from each other), creating an asymmetric configuration that generates stronger turbulence and whirl effects during operation, thereby improving stirring performance while accepting increased structural complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes curvature by employing non-circular curved cross-sections for both the cup body and cutter head (such as oval or elliptical shapes). This curved geometry, combined with the offset central axes, creates more effective fluid dynamics and turbulence patterns compared to straight-edged or regular shapes, enhancing the stirring effect while maintaining manufacturability through standard forming processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Reliability

If regular circular contours are used for cutter head and cup body, then manufacturing precision is easier to achieve, but food shattering effect and turbulence are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefood shattering effectVSAvoidcontour precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs asymmetric non-circular contours for the cutter head and cup body, where the cross-sectional shapes differ from standard circles and their central axes are offset. This asymmetric design creates more effective turbulence and shearing forces that improve food shattering, while the contours are designed to be manufacturable using standard molding or machining processes, balancing precision requirements with performance benefits

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

3Reliability

If central axes of cutter head, cutter, and cup body are collinear, then device structure is simple and stable, but whirl effect and stirring performance are poor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewhirl effectVSAvoidaxis positioning complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent deliberately positions the central axis of the cutter head offset from the central axis of the cup body, creating a non-collinear configuration. This asymmetric axis positioning generates a whirl effect as the cutter rotates within the offset configuration, significantly improving stirring performance. The offset distance is optimized to balance whirl effect generation with structural stability and ease of assembly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dimensional complexity by offsetting the central axes in a radial direction rather than maintaining collinearity. This creates a three-dimensional whirl pattern in the food processing zone, transforming the flow dynamics from simple radial motion to complex three-dimensional turbulent flow, thereby enhancing the whirl effect and stirring performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

This design improves the whirl effect and stirring performance, resulting in better food shattering and taste, enhancing user experience by increasing turbulence and shattering efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

the turbulent effect and the stirring performance are poor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTurbulence: Turbulence

Data Source

PatentEP3476262B1Food processor
Publication Date: 2022.08.03 GUANGDONG MIDEA CONSUMER ELECTRICS MFG CO LTD
  • EP3476262B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3476262B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3476262B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The disclosure provides a food processor, comprising of: a cutter head, on which a cutter is arranged, the intersecting line of the side wall of the cutter head and the cross section of the cutter head is a cutter head contour line, the largest inscribed circle or the smallest circumscribed circle of the cutter head contour line is a cutter head base circle, and the central axis of the cutter head penetrates the center of the cutter head base circle; and a cup body arranged on the cutter head, wherein the intersecting line of the cup wall of the cup body and the cross section of the cup wall is a cup body contour line, the largest inscribed circle or the smallest circumscribed circle of the cup body contour line is a cup body base circle, and the central axis of the cup body penetrates the center of the cup body base circle; wherein the distances between different points on the same cup body contour line and the center of the cup body base circle are unequal; and the distances between different points on the same cutter head contour line and the center of the cutter head base circle are equal or unequal.