Centrifugal Juicer Feed Chute and Filter Design for Safety and Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centrifugal juicers face issues such as rapid pulp buildup in filters, difficulty in cleaning, safety hazards due to large feed chutes, inefficient juice extraction, separation of juice, and storage challenges, among others.
Innovation Solution
A food processing device with an adjustable height base, a liquid reservoir with a translucent member for viewing, a valved outlet for controlled juice flow, and features like a rocking feed chute and a cleaning brush to prevent pulp buildup and improve safety and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the feed chute is made larger to decrease food preparation time, then convenience is improved, but safety hazard increases because a child's hand can pass through the chute and into contact with the rapidly rotating shredder disc
Solution Approach 1:
A safety interlock switch is introduced as an intermediary device that detects the position of the feed chute. When the feed chute is in the elevated position, the safety interlock switch prevents the shredder disc from rotating. This allows the feed chute to be large for convenience while maintaining safety by preventing operation when the chute is not properly positioned.
Solution Approach 2:
The feed chute is designed to automatically trigger the safety interlock switch through its own positioning. When the feed chute is elevated to the operating position, it mechanically activates the safety interlock switch, which then permits the shredder disc to rotate. The system uses the feed chute's own position to control safety, eliminating the need for separate safety monitoring.
2Productivity
If the truncated conical filter screen is used for juice separation, then juice extraction is achieved, but pulp buildup occurs quickly which reduces efficiency and makes cleaning difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The filter screen is changed from a static truncated conical shape to a dynamic flexible membrane that can be inverted. During operation, the membrane maintains the conical shape for effective filtration. When cleaning is needed, the membrane can be inverted to dislodge and remove accumulated pulp, making cleaning much easier while maintaining extraction efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid truncated conical filter screen is replaced with a flexible membrane material. This flexible membrane can be manipulated by inverting it to shake off and remove pulp buildup. The flexibility allows the same component to serve both filtration and easy cleaning functions, resolving the contradiction between extraction efficiency and cleaning difficulty.
3Ease of operation
If the pour spout is made high enough to fill normal height glasses, then usability is improved, but the juicer's height increases making it difficult to store
Solution Approach 1:
The pour spout is made height-adjustable rather than fixed. It can be elevated to a high position when juice dispensing is needed to accommodate normal height glasses. When storage is required, the pour spout can be lowered to a compact position, reducing the overall height of the juicer for easier storage. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between usability and storage convenience.
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
Enhances juice extraction efficiency, prevents pulp buildup, ensures safety by preventing hand contact with the shredder disc, and allows for easy storage and handling of juices.
Implementation Method 1
The shredded food is propelled outward radially from the center of the shredding disc by centrifugal force
Implementation Method 2
The rotation of the truncated cone filter screen through centrifugal force, forces liquids, including juices, through the filter screen and into a collection vessel, while simultaneously directing solids, such as pulp, to be propelled diagonally upward, outward
Data Source
AI summary
The subject application is directed to a food processing device to extract juice. The device includes an inlet coupled to a disintegrator. The inlet is configured to accept food items and the disintegrator configured to disintegrate food items passed through the inlet. The device further includes a separator that accepts the disintegrated food items and separates out the liquid components from the food item. The device further includes a reservoir that is coupled to the separator for accepting and holding the liquid components. The reservoir includes a translucent member for viewing of liquid levels within the reservoir, and a valved outlet. The valved outlet is configured to allow or prevent the flow of liquid from the reservoir through the valved outlet.