Food Grinder Cutting Element Removal via Inversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food processing devices, particularly meat mincers, pose a risk of injury during maintenance due to the difficulty in safely removing cutting elements from the drive mechanism, which can lead to accidental start-up and potential limb loss.
Innovation Solution
The cutting elements are designed to be completely decoupled from the drive means and can be removed through the outlet side using a push-off tool, ensuring safety and simplifying the cleaning process by allowing automatic separation and easy disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the grinder is firmly connected to the device and cutting elements are removed using pull-off tools, then the cutting elements can be removed for cleaning, but the operator faces significant risk of injury from accidental device start-up
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of pulling cutting elements out through the inlet side as in conventional devices, the patent enables cutting elements to be pushed out through the outlet side. This inversion of the removal direction allows the grinder to be disconnected from the drive means first, eliminating the risk of accidental start-up during element removal, while still enabling effective cleaning access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates the grinder into independently removable components: the grinder housing can be detached from the drive means, and the cutting elements can be separately removed through the outlet. This segmentation allows safe disconnection of the drive connection before handling cutting elements, eliminating the safety hazard while maintaining ease of maintenance.
2Ease of operation
If pull-off tools are used to remove cutting elements through the inlet side, then cutting elements can be extracted, but the tools are difficult to handle and require complex manual manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by pushing cutting elements out through the outlet side rather than pulling them through the inlet side. This allows use of simple push tools instead of complex pull-off tools, significantly reducing tool complexity and improving ease of handling while achieving the same maintenance objective.
3Device complexity
If the grinder remains connected to the drive means during cutting element removal, then the device structure is simplified, but safety precautions must be continuously monitored to prevent accidental start-up
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the grinder system into a drive means portion and a grinder portion that can be independently disconnected. The grinder can be separated from the drive shaft, allowing cutting element removal to occur with the drive connection broken, thereby eliminating accidental start-up risk without requiring complex interlocking safety mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables preliminary disconnection of the grinder from the drive means before removing cutting elements. By performing this separation action first, the safety hazard of accidental start-up is eliminated before the maintenance operation begins, removing the need for continuous safety monitoring during element removal.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
The device has a grinder (5) including a housing (6) provided with an input part (13) and an outlet (11). The housing includes cutting elements for mincing foodstuffs. A drive element drives the cutting elements mounted within the housing such that the cutting elements are extended through the outlet by force applied to the input part of the housing. A pressure extraction tool (19) includes a guide section (23) extended into the housing to displace the cutting elements. An opening is formed on the input part of the housing. An independent claim is also included for a method for cleaning a grinder of a foodstuffs transporting and processing device.