Vegetable Dehydrator

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vegetable dehydrators are electrically driven, with a heavy motor component at the top and a large upper end, making them inconvenient for carrying, especially for picnics, and they have a poor drainage effect.

Innovation Solution

A vegetable dehydrator design featuring a barrel body and an upper cover with a dehydration basket and separator plate, utilizing a driving mechanism with a tension spring and gears to rotate the dehydration basket, mimicking a washing machine's dehydration method, and incorporating a brake structure for stopping rotation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If an electric motor component is placed at the top to drive the dehydration basket, then the dehydration function is achieved, but the device becomes heavy and occupies large upper space

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedehydration functionVSAvoiddevice weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the electric motor component from the device, replacing it with a manual driving mechanism. The dehydration function is achieved through manual rotation of the dehydration basket by users, eliminating the heavy motor while maintaining the core dehydration capability through mechanical rotation that generates centrifugal force.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the electric motor-driven mechanical system with a purely manual mechanical system. Instead of using electrical power to rotate the dehydration basket, users directly rotate the basket by hand, substituting the electric-mechanical conversion system with a direct mechanical operation that achieves the same centrifugal dehydration effect.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Extent of automation

If an electric motor component is placed at the top to drive the dehydration basket, then the dehydration function is achieved, but the upper end of the device occupies large space

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedehydration functionVSAvoidupper end volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the electric motor component from the device, replacing it with a manual driving mechanism. The dehydration function is achieved through manual rotation of the dehydration basket by users, eliminating the heavy motor while maintaining the core dehydration capability through mechanical rotation that generates centrifugal force.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the electric motor-driven mechanical system with a purely manual mechanical system. Instead of using electrical power to rotate the dehydration basket, users directly rotate the basket by hand, substituting the electric-mechanical conversion system with a direct mechanical operation that achieves the same centrifugal dehydration effect.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If a traditional draining basket is used for vegetable drainage, then the drainage function is achieved, but the process is time-consuming and drainage effect is poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrainage functionVSAvoiddrainage time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes mechanical rotation to generate centrifugal force that acts on the vegetables and water. When the dehydration basket is rotated, the centrifugal force pushes water outward through the perforations in the basket, creating an efficient drainage effect that is much faster and more effective than passive gravitational drainage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #18Mechanical vibration

Solution Approach 2:

The patent leverages the phase transition principle by using centrifugal force to separate liquid water from solid vegetables. The rotational motion creates a force field that drives the liquid phase (water) through the basket walls while retaining the solid phase (vegetables), achieving rapid separation and drainage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

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 design allows for efficient dehydration of vegetables by centrifugal force, improving drainage and reducing the device's height and weight, making it more portable and convenient to use.

Implementation Method 1

The device allows for efficient dehydration of vegetables by centrifugal force

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 2

mimicking a washing machine's dehydration method

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCentrifugal separation: Centrifugal Separation

Data Source

PatentUS20250031910A1Vegetable Dehydrator

Publication Date: 2025.01.30 KITCHEN BRIGHTS LTD

AI summary

The present invention discloses a vegetable dehydrator, which includes a barrel body and an upper cover, wherein the upper cover is detachably engaged with a top of the barrel body, a dehydration basket and a separator plate are provided between the barrel body and the upper cover, a top of the dehydration basket is clamped and fixed with the separator plate, and a center of an inner bottom surface of the barrel body is provided with a limiting protrusion which supports and makes the dehydration basket to rotate freely on a tip of the limiting protrusion. According to the present invention, a knob and a driving mechanism are provided, hands are released after the knob is twisted, and a buckle fixed above the dehydration basket is driven by gears due to a tension of a tension spring, so that the dehydration basket can rotate.