Adjustable Food Processor Disk and Blade for Slice Thickness Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional food processors lack an efficient mechanism to adjust the cutting thickness of food items, limiting their versatility in processing different types and sizes of food.
Innovation Solution
A food processing device with a rotating disk and cutting blade assembly that includes an adjustment mechanism, where a rotating disk is upwardly and downwardly moveable relative to the cutting blade, allowing for adjustable cutting thickness through a user-operated control knob and threaded sleeve system, and a ramp guides food items from an upper compartment to a lower compartment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed cutting blade assembly is used, then the structure is simple, but the cutting thickness cannot be adjusted
Solution Approach 1:
The blade assembly is designed with dynamic adjustability, allowing the cutting blade to move vertically relative to the rotating disk. The control knob enables users to adjust the position of the cutting blade, changing the cutting thickness dynamically. This transforms a static structure into a dynamic one that can adapt to different cutting requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade assembly is divided into separable components: the cutting blade, the rotating disk, and the control mechanism. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of each component, particularly the cutting blade's vertical position, enabling thickness adjustment without redesigning the entire assembly.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single fixed cutting position is used, then the device is simple to manufacture, but it cannot process different sizes of food items
Solution Approach 1:
The blade assembly is designed as a multi-functional unit that can process various sizes and types of food items by adjusting the cutting blade position. The same assembly structure serves multiple cutting thickness requirements, making the device universal rather than specialized for a single function.
3Ease of operation
If the cutting blade is fixed relative to the rotating disk, then the structure is stable, but the cutting thickness cannot be varied
Solution Approach 1:
The control knob mechanism allows the user to directly adjust the cutting blade position through a simple manual operation. The threaded connection between the control knob and the blade assembly provides self-contained adjustment capability, enabling users to control cutting thickness without requiring external tools or complex mechanisms.
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 precise control over the cutting thickness of food items, allowing for both thicker and thinner pieces to be produced, enhancing the device's versatility and user experience.
Implementation Method 1
a threaded sleeve coupled to the rotating disk and is positioned in the control knob
Data Source
AI summary
A food processor includes a bowl with a removable lid. Food items are advanced into the bowl through a feed tube formed in the lid where they are cut by a cutting blade. A rotating disk is adjustable relative to the blade assembly to vary the thickness of the food items cut by the blade assembly. A mounting arm is positioned below the cutting blade and has a ramp defined therein. The food processor includes an adjustment assembly operable to move the rotating disk relative to the cutting blade.