Grinding device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing grinding devices with fixed hoppers face difficulties in cleaning and maintenance, and do not allow for easy and quick changes in the type of product being ground, leading to contamination and impractical user access.
Innovation Solution
A grinding device with a removable hopper that can be easily taken out and inserted without touching the food products, featuring a closing device that rotates to prevent spillage and a clamping mechanism for secure attachment, along with detection devices to ensure proper positioning and prevent contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a fixed hopper is used in the grinding device, then the structure is simple and stable, but cleaning and maintenance become difficult and product changes are not easy
Solution Approach 1:
The hopper is divided into a removable upper portion and a fixed lower portion. The removable portion can be easily detached for cleaning and product replacement, while the fixed lower portion remains in the housing compartment. This segmentation allows easy access to the grinding means and facilitates thorough cleaning without disassembling the entire device.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper hopper portion is extracted as a separate removable component from the housing compartment. This extraction enables users to remove the hopper for cleaning and to quickly change products by simply replacing the upper portion, eliminating the need to manually empty the entire hopper or disassemble the grinding device.
2Ease of operation
If a removable hopper is provided to facilitate cleaning, then cleaning becomes easier, but the user must insert hands inside the hopper which is impractical and unhygienic
Solution Approach 1:
The upper hopper portion containing the food products is completely extracted from the housing compartment as a removable unit. Users can remove this portion and clean it externally or replace it without inserting hands into the hopper or contacting the grinding means, thereby maintaining hygiene and safety while facilitating easy cleaning and product changes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the hopper is made removable for frequent product changes, then product versatility improves, but contamination between old and new products may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The hopper is segmented into a removable upper portion and a fixed lower portion containing the grinding means. Before introducing new products, users can remove the upper portion, empty and clean it completely, and then replace it with a fresh portion containing the new product. This segmentation enables thorough cleaning between product changes and prevents contamination, while allowing frequent product type changes.
4Productivity
If a closing device with holes is provided for product passage, then product flow to grinding means is enabled, but product spillage occurs when hopper is removed
Solution Approach 1:
The closing device is made rotatable relative to the hopper body, dynamically changing its configuration. During grinding operation, the device rotates to a position where holes align with the housing compartment opening, enabling product flow. When the hopper is removed for cleaning or product change, the device rotates to a closed position that seals the holes, preventing product spillage. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between maintaining product flow and preventing spillage.
Data Source
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AI summary
A grinding device (10) for grinding food products, comprises a housing compartment (12), grinding means (13) and a hopper (14) removably associated with the housing compartment (12), wherein the hopper (14) comprises a container (18) having at least one selectively openable and closable lower aperture (21).