Horizontal-Axis Hook Mixer Design for Unobstructed Ingredient Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household appliance mixing arrangements are inefficient for handling high viscosity ingredients, complex in construction, and difficult to assemble, disassemble, and clean, with issues of leakage and obstruction during use.
Innovation Solution
A mixing arrangement with a mixing container having an open top and a hook that rotates around a substantially horizontal axis, featuring a sole attachment portion and an oblate spheroid inner surface, which reduces leakage risk, facilitates easy attachment and detachment, and allows unobstructed ingredient addition, along with a protuberance to prevent sticking and enhance mixing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a vertical hook rotation arrangement is used, then the mixing arrangement is stable, but the open top becomes obstructed for ingredient addition
Solution Approach 1:
The hook rotation axis is inverted from vertical to horizontal orientation. This inversion allows the drive arrangement to be positioned below the mixing container rather than above, eliminating obstruction to the open top while maintaining stability through the horizontal rotation mechanism
2Reliability
If multiple shaft apertures are used for hook attachment, then the hook can be securely attached, but leakage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The design extracts the attachment function to a single aperture location, eliminating the need for multiple shaft apertures. The sole attachment portion passes through one aperture and abuts the inner surface, providing secure attachment while minimizing leakage paths by reducing the number of penetration points
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple attachment functions are merged into a single attachment portion that combines both the attachment element and sealing function. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components and apertures required, thereby reducing leakage risk while maintaining attachment security
3Shape
If a semi-spherical mixing container is used, then the container shape is aesthetically pleasing, but the hook length increases reducing rigidity
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing container employs local quality variation with a semi-spherical upper portion for aesthetic appeal and a flattened lower portion for functional efficiency. This localized geometric modification reduces the required hook length while maintaining the desirable overall container shape, thereby preserving hook rigidity
4Ease of operation
If the drive arrangement is positioned above the mixing container, then the hook can be attached, but the open top is obstructed for users
Solution Approach 1:
The drive arrangement position is inverted from above to below the mixing container. This spatial inversion eliminates obstruction to the open top, allowing unimpeded access for ingredient addition while the horizontal hook rotation enables the drive mechanism to be positioned below without compromising mixing functionality
Data Source
AI summary
A household mixer appliance having a mixing container with an inner surface and an open top, a drive arrangement and a hook. The hook has a sole attachment portion which, when attached to the drive arrangement, abuts a first inner surface portion of the mixing container inner surface. The sole attachment portion is attachable to the drive arrangement via a through hole in the first inner surface portion such that the hook is rotatable around a substantially horizontal axis of rotation within the mixing container when the hook is attached to the drive arrangement.