Food Processor Sidewall Cleaning Mechanism for Continuous Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food processing devices require users to stop processing and manually scrape the bowl walls to remove stuck foodstuff, disrupting the processing flow and leading to uneven processing.
Innovation Solution
A food processor with a sidewall cleaning mechanism featuring a rotatable knob, drive gear, and wiper blades that can be actuated during processing to scrape the interior bowl walls, ensuring continuous operation and uniform processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual scraping of bowl walls is performed to remove stuck foodstuff, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but processing continuity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The wiper blade assembly is designed to be self-actuating through the food processing operation itself. As the cutting tool rotates and processes food, the force generated by the food being pushed against the wiper blade automatically activates the cleaning mechanism, eliminating the need for separate manual intervention while maintaining processing continuity
Solution Approach 2:
The wiper blade is positioned to contact the bowl wall before foodstuff can accumulate and stick. The cleaning action occurs continuously during processing, preventing food buildup rather than addressing it after the fact, thereby maintaining both cleaning effectiveness and processing continuity
2Manufacturing precision
If manual scraping of bowl walls is performed to remove stuck foodstuff, then uniform processing is improved, but operational efficiency is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The wiper blade maintains continuous contact with the bowl wall throughout the food processing operation. This continuous cleaning action ensures that foodstuff is uniformly processed without interruption, as the wiper constantly removes material that would otherwise stick to the bowl and create uneven processing results
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning mechanism utilizes the natural forces generated during food processing to activate the wiper blade. The food itself provides the activating force, making the system self-regulating and ensuring uniform processing without requiring external operational intervention that would reduce 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 continuous food processing without manual intervention, ensuring uniform processing by allowing the wiper blades to rotate and scrape the bowl walls, improving operational efficiency and user convenience.
Implementation Method 1
at least one wiper blade attached to the second annulus and configured to contact an interior sidewall of a bowl of the food processor to scrape food therefrom
Data Source
AI summary
A food processor includes a base, a motor disposed within the base, a drive shaft operatively connected to the motor and extending outwardly from the base, the output shaft being rotatable upon actuation of the motor, a bowl mounted on the base for containing food items, a lid for covering the bowl and having an opening therein, and a sidewall cleaning mechanism operable to scrape an interior sidewall of the bowl while the lid is engaged with the bowl.