Security locking system for a kitchen device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Kitchen devices experience knife lifting and bouncing during processing of solid food ingredients like ice and frozen strawberries, leading to shock loads, potential damage, and user safety risks due to existing coupling devices' inability to securely hold tools under high forces.
Innovation Solution
A security locking system with blocking regions on the coupling device's outer surface, positioned above the tool's upper edge, prevents disengagement by counteracting axial forces, and a mounting slope ensures easy and secure tool positioning, minimizing user intervention and preventing unwanted rotational positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional coupling device with drive edge and kickback edge is used, then the tool can be received free of play and rotated in any direction, but the tool can be disengaged when high axial forces occur during processing of hard food ingredients
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device is segmented into multiple functional regions: the drive edge and kickback edge for rotational engagement, and additional blocking regions positioned above the tool's upper edge to prevent axial disengagement. This segmentation allows each region to address specific aspects of tool retention, solving the contradiction between reliable fixation and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking regions extend the engagement mechanism from the traditional two-dimensional radial engagement (drive and kickback edges) into the third axial dimension by positioning blocking regions directly above the tool's upper edge. This dimensional extension prevents tool disengagement during high axial forces while maintaining simple radial installation through the drive and kickback edges.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the tool is securely locked to prevent lifting, then safety is improved, but the installation process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking regions are pre-positioned on the coupling device in a fixed configuration before tool installation. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when the tool is installed via the simple drive and kickback edge mechanism, the blocking regions are already in place to prevent axial lifting and bouncing, thereby improving safety without adding complexity to the installation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking regions automatically engage with the tool's upper edge upon installation, providing self-activating protection against lifting and bouncing forces. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for additional complex locking steps or user intervention to activate safety features, thus improving safety while maintaining simplicity.
3Reliability
If blocking regions are added to prevent tool disengagement, then reliability under high forces is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking regions are merged with the circumferential outer surface of the coupling device, forming an integrated structure rather than separate components. This merging approach improves tool retention under axial forces while minimizing the increase in device complexity by utilizing the existing outer surface geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The circumferential outer surface of the coupling device serves multiple functions: it provides the drive edge for rotational engagement, the kickback edge for reverse rotation engagement, and the blocking regions for axial force resistance. This multi-functionality improves reliability under various loading conditions while avoiding the need for separate dedicated components, thus limiting the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A security locking system for a kitchen device (13) that is adapted for coupling to a drive unit of the kitchen appliance (13) in order to drive a tool (10) in a rotary manner around a rotation axis (2), wherein the coupling device (1) has a circumferential outer surface (3) comprising at least one receiving region (4) for receiving the tool (10) and wherein the at least one receiving region (4) has a first engagement region (5) and a second engagement region (6) such that the tool (10) can be received along the rotation axis (2) in a manner substantially free of play and irrespective of the direction of rotation (7), wherein the first engagement region (5) has a drive edge (5a) and the second engagement region (6) has a kickback edge (6a), wherein the drive edge (5a) and the kickback edge (6a) run antiparallel to each other, wherein the security locking system comprises one or more blocking regions (21) positioned on the circumferential outer surface (3) of the coupling device (1) directly above, preferably in contact with, the upper edge (22) of the tool (10) in operating position in order to prevent the tool (10) to be disengaged from the coupling device (1) when high forces arise during operation as a result of the processing of hard food ingredients, such as ice, frozen strawberries and carrots.