Food Processor Wiper Assembly for Continuous Wall Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Food processors face issues with food sticking to the container walls during processing, leading to uneven results and requiring manual cleaning, as well as the need to prevent the lid from rotating and becoming coated with food, which is not dishwasher safe.
Innovation Solution
A food processing assembly with a wiper mechanism that is rotatable and independently controlled from the processing tool, allowing for continuous operation while wiping the inner container walls and preventing lid rotation, using a wiper with arms that extend between ribs on the container to restrict uncontrolled rotation and attach to the lid for sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a wiper mechanism is added to continuously wipe the inner container walls during processing, then food processing uniformity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wiper mechanism is integrated with the existing lid structure of the food processor. The wiper arms are mounted on the lid and rotate together with it, combining the lid's sealing function with the wiper's cleaning function into a single integrated assembly, thereby adding the wiping capability without significantly increasing overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The lid is designed to serve multiple functions: it seals the container, prevents food from reaching the drive mechanism, and now also rotates to drive the wiper arms that clean the inner container walls. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated components for each function
2Ease of manufacture
If the lid is secured against rotation to prevent coating, then ease of cleaning is improved, but device complexity increases due to anti-rotation mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The lid structure is segmented into two distinct functional zones: an upper stationary portion that remains fixed to prevent food coating and simplifies cleaning, and a lower rotating portion that carries the wiper arms to clean the container walls. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function without interfering with the other
Solution Approach 2:
A rib structure on the inner container wall acts as an intermediary element that engages with the wiper arms. These ribs restrict the rotation of the wiper mechanism to specific angular positions, preventing uncontrolled spinning while allowing the wiper to effectively scrape the container walls during the permitted rotation range
3Productivity
If the wiper is made rotatable to clean container walls, then productivity is improved, but reliability decreases due to uncontrolled spinning
Solution Approach 1:
The rib structure on the container wall serves as a mechanical intermediary that controls the wiper's rotation. The ribs engage with corresponding features on the wiper arms, allowing rotation only within a controlled angular range and preventing uncontrolled spinning, thereby ensuring reliable and predictable wiper operation
Solution Approach 2:
The rib structure is pre-configured on the container wall to counteract any tendency of the wiper to spin uncontrollably. By engaging the wiper arms at predetermined positions, the ribs apply counteracting forces that limit rotation to the desired range, preventing harmful uncontrolled motion before it can occur
Data Source
AI summary
There is disclosed a food processing assembly. The assembly includes: a lid for a container, wherein the lid is adapted to receive a drive for driving a tool within the container; and a wiper for wiping an inner wall of the container.