Frozen Beverage Beater Bar with Polymer End Caps for Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beater bars in frozen beverage dispensers experience misalignment and wear due to oscillatory components and impact forces, leading to damage of weld seals and vibrations, particularly when dealing with semi-frozen beverages.
Innovation Solution
A beater bar design featuring a shaft with radially extending arms, polymer or plastic end caps, and scraper blades secured by these caps, where the end caps form a resilient connection with the arms and scraper blades, offsetting the angle of force transmission to reduce impact and oscillation effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid beater bar design with weld seals is used, then structural strength is maintained, but oscillatory components and impact forces cause misalignment, wear, and damage over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the end caps from rigid metal to flexible polymer/plastic, allowing the connection to accommodate oscillatory movements and impact forces without causing misalignment or wear to the weld seals, thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining structural strength and improving durability
Solution Approach 2:
The beater bar uses a composite construction combining rigid arms with flexible polymer end caps, creating a hybrid structure that maintains overall structural integrity while the flexible end caps absorb vibrations and impact forces, preventing damage to the weld seals and improving long-term reliability
2Manufacturing precision
If rigid end caps are used to secure scraper blades, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but vibrations and impact forces increase wear on the beater bar and barrel
Solution Approach 1:
The end cap material is changed from rigid to flexible polymer/plastic, which maintains precise blade attachment through the flexible connection while simultaneously reducing the transmission of vibrations and impact forces to the beater bar and barrel, thus resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and reducing harmful vibrations
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible polymer end caps act as intermediary elements between the rigid arms and scraper blades, absorbing vibrations and impact forces while maintaining secure blade attachment, thereby protecting the beater bar and barrel from wear caused by rigid connections
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
The new design minimizes force transfer and dampens vibrations, reducing wear and damage to the beater bar and barrel, enhancing durability and performance.
Implementation Method 1
polymer or plastic end caps, and scraper blades secured by these caps, where the end caps form a resilient connection with the arms and scraper blades
Implementation Method 2
The new design minimizes force transfer and dampens vibrations, reducing wear and damage to the beater bar and barrel
Data Source
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AI summary
A beater bar (18) for use within a beverage machine (10) includes a shaft (20) and a plurality of arms (36) extending radially away from the shaft (20). An end cap (38) of a plurality of end caps extends away from each arm of the plurality of arms. A scraper blade (28) is secured to the plurality of arms (36) by engagement with the plurality of end caps (38) respectively secured to the plurality of arms.