Hand-Operated Press Curved Actuating Arm to Prevent Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hand-operated foodstuff presses, such as tortilla presses, face issues with locking actions when the actuating arm approaches 90 degrees relative to the moving plate, leading to inefficiency and user safety concerns, as they do not accommodate angular positions beyond 7-12 degrees and lack protection for the user's hand.
Innovation Solution
A manual tortilla press design featuring a curved actuating arm that cammingly coacts with the moving plate's edge, allowing operation up to 28 degrees and incorporating a protuberance to prevent finger injury, thereby avoiding locking and enabling easier handling of larger foodstuff masses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a straight actuating arm is used in the press, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the press locks when the actuating arm approaches 90 degrees relative to the moving plate, preventing operation beyond 7-12 degrees
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating arm is designed with a curved path instead of a straight line, allowing the distal end to follow an arcuate trajectory during operation. This curvature prevents the arm from approaching a 90-degree angle with the moving plate, thereby avoiding the locking effect while maintaining operational effectiveness throughout the pressing cycle
2Quantity of substance
If the actuating arm can reach 90 degrees relative to the moving plate, then larger masses of foodstuff can be pressed, but the user's hand or fingers are at risk of injury as the actuating plane approaches the plane of the moving plate
Solution Approach 1:
The curved path of the actuating arm's distal end ensures that the arm never approaches a 90-degree angle with the moving plate, maintaining a safe distance between the actuating plane and the moving plate plane throughout the entire operation, thereby eliminating the risk of hand or finger injury while still accommodating larger foodstuff masses
3Ease of operation
If the actuating arm is designed to avoid locking at 90 degrees, then the angular range of operation can be extended to 28 degrees, but the actuating arm structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating arm incorporates a curved geometry that naturally limits the angular range to approximately 28 degrees while preventing the locking effect. This curved design achieves the extended operational range without requiring additional mechanical components or complex mechanisms, maintaining relative structural simplicity
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 curved actuating arm design enhances operational efficiency by preventing locking and allows for larger foodstuff pressing, while protecting the user's hand from injury, making the press more effective and user-friendly without increasing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a curved angle of attack for the actuating arm that cammingly coacts with the edge of the moving plate to avoid the locking effect
Data Source
AI summary
A hand operated press 10 for foodstuff includes a base plate assembly 20 with a moving plate assembly 40 hingedly mounted at a predetermined points of their peripheries. An actuating arm 60 is hingedly mounted to the periphery of the base plate assembly 20 at a point opposite to where moving plate assembly 40 is hingedly mounted. A concave portion 70 in the actuating arm with a concavity facing the distal end of the moving plate comes in cammingly contact avoiding a perpendicular angle of attack. A protuberance 48 extending from the distal end 47 of the moving plate assembly 40 further ensures the cammingly contact while preventing actuating arm assembly 60 to totally collapse against the base plate assembly. A curved portion adjacent to the concave portion is prevents a user's fingers from coining in contact with the base plate assembly.