Frozen Herb Dispenser with Screw-Fed Cutting Grid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for dispensing frozen herbs tend to cause fragmentation due to agglomeration from water vapor condensation and refreezing, and existing solutions like pepper mills are not suitable for handling fine herbs without crushing them.
Innovation Solution
A device with a rotor and stator design featuring a cutting grid, a locked piston, and a removable cover that allows for easy assembly and disassembly, using a screw thread and radial stops to prevent axial movement of the drive screw, facilitating the dispensing of unfragmented frozen herbs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If frozen herbs are packaged divided and abundant, then they are easy to dispense, but they defrost quickly and agglomerate due to water vapor condensation
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the herbs into a compact monolithic block structure within the container, maintaining them as a unified mass rather than loose individual pieces. This segmentation approach allows the herbs to be stored compactly while preventing the agglomeration and defrosting issues that occur with divided packaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The device employs a flexible or deformable container structure that can adapt to the herb block shape and provide sealing. This flexible enclosure minimizes air contact and prevents water vapor condensation on the herb surfaces, thereby maintaining stability without requiring rigid divided packaging.
2Productivity
If a pepper mill principle is used to crush hard grains, then dispensing is achieved, but the herbs are quickly crushed and not cut into small pieces
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a crushing mechanism like a pepper mill that applies compressive forces, the invention inverts the approach by using a cutting mechanism with a blade that moves through the herb block. This inversion of the mechanical action principle enables precise cutting into small pieces while maintaining dispensing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The device employs a dynamic cutting mechanism where the blade moves relative to the herb block, potentially with variable speed or oscillating motion. This dynamic approach allows the blade to efficiently cut through the frozen herbs, producing small uniform pieces at high speed without the crushing effect of static grinding mechanisms.
3Ease of manufacture
If the piston and drive screw assembly is disassembled for butter placement, then the monolithic body can be placed, but this maneuver is impossible with sprigs of herbs
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates a pre-configured loading mechanism where the container or herb block is prepared in advance for insertion. The piston and drive screw assembly is designed to accommodate pre-prepared herb blocks that can be loaded without disassembly, eliminating the need for complex assembly maneuvers while maintaining ease of loading.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a nested structure where the herb block is inserted into the container in a compact form, and the piston assembly is designed to fit within the same space. This nesting approach allows all components to coexist in a compact configuration without requiring disassembly for loading, making the process feasible for herb sprigs.
4Volume of moving object
If the device is made compact, then freezer space is optimized, but the piston and cutting mechanism may not have sufficient space for effective operation
Solution Approach 1:
The device transitions from a horizontal or radial dispensing configuration to a vertical arrangement, utilizing the vertical dimension within the compact container. The piston moves vertically to push herbs against a stationary or rotating cutting blade, enabling effective cutting and dispensing operations within a minimal footprint that optimizes freezer space.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the piston, drive screw, and cutting mechanism into a highly integrated compact assembly where components share space and functional elements serve multiple purposes. The drive screw simultaneously provides both the driving force for the piston and the rotational motion for the cutting blade, maximizing functionality within minimal volume.
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 device effectively prevents fragmentation by minimizing contact with ambient air and allowing for efficient dispensing of frozen herbs without crushing, while being compact and easy to use, optimizing volume and maintaining herb quality.
Implementation Method 1
a drive screw (6) integral in rotation with the rotor, a piston (5) locked in rotation on the stator (3) and cooperating with the drive screw (6) to push the herbs towards the grid
Implementation Method 2
a rotor (2) provided with a cutting grid (2A) guided in rotation on a stator (3)
Implementation Method 3
the piston (5) comprises means making it possible to block said piston in rotation on the stator while coupling it with the drive screw (6)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for the fragmented dispensing of deep-frozen herbs, that comprises at the base thereof a rotor (2) with a cutting grid (2A), rotatingly guided on a stator (3) including a hollow body defining a chamber (4) capable of housing the herbs, a piston (5) locked in rotation on the stator and interacting with a driving screw rotatingly connected to the rotor for urging the herbs towards the grid, wherein said device is characterised in that the top of the stator is closed by a removable lid (7) and in that the piston includes a means (8) for blocking said piston in rotation on the stator while coupling the same with the driving screw without axially displacing the driving screw for extracting it from the stator.