Meat Grinder Knife Outer Ring Detachable Form-Fit Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional meat grinders face challenges in maintaining the parallelism of knives and perforated discs during high-performance use, leading to confusion during disassembly and reassembly, and require costly cleaning to meet hygiene standards due to screw connections in the working area.
Innovation Solution
A cutting device with a detachably connected outer ring and knife, featuring a form-fitting connection without screw connections, allowing for easy detachment and reattachment while maintaining hygiene standards, and utilizing a feather key to secure the outer ring's diameter during assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If screw connections are used to attach the blade to the outer ring, then the connection strength is improved, but the cleaning effort and time increase due to contamination in the working area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes screw connections from the working area by using a snap-fit mechanism instead. The blade is attached to the outer ring through a deformation-based locking system where the outer ring is radially expanded to engage with the blade hub, eliminating the need for screws that would require cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the screw-mechanical connection system with a deformation-based locking mechanism. The outer ring is radially deformed to engage with grooves on the blade hub, creating a secure connection without requiring threaded fasteners that contaminate the working area.
2Manufacturing precision
If the outer ring and blade are permanently connected, then the parallel alignment is maintained, but the ability to replace or sharpen blades is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamically lockable connection between the outer ring and blade. The outer ring can be radially deformed to lock the blade in place with precise alignment, and can be deformed again to release the blade for replacement. This dynamic mechanism maintains alignment while enabling blade replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the cutting device into separable components (blade and outer ring) that can be easily detached and reattached. The blade can be removed from the outer ring for sharpening or replacement, and the deformation mechanism ensures consistent alignment upon reassembly.
3Ease of operation
If through-holes for locking pins are provided in the outer ring, then the detachable connection is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible outer ring that can be radially deformed to engage and disengage from the blade hub. This flexible shell approach eliminates the need for through-holes, locking pins, and complex fastening mechanisms, achieving detachable connection through simple radial deformation of the ring material.
4Strength
If the outer ring is designed as a closed ring, then the structural strength is improved, but the ability to easily detach the blade is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the rigid closed ring into a dynamically deformable structure. The outer ring can be radially expanded to release the blade for detachment, and returns to its original closed shape to maintain structural strength during operation. This dynamic behavior provides both strength and ease of operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a cutting device, in particular for a meat grinder, with an outer ring (20) and a rotatable knife (10) arranged inside the outer ring (20), wherein the knife (10) is detachably held on an open outer ring (20) and no screw connections are provided for this purpose, which reduces the effort required for disassembly and reassembly, taking into account hygiene requirements.