Horizontal Mixer Hook Quick-Release Sealing for Easy Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household appliance mixing arrangements are inefficient for handling high viscosity ingredients, have complex constructions, and are time-consuming to assemble, disassemble, and clean.
Innovation Solution
A mixing arrangement with an open-top container and a hook that rotates horizontally, featuring a quick-release attachment mechanism and sealing to prevent ingredient leakage, allowing for easy attachment and detachment of the hook and facilitating easy access for adding ingredients during mixing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a through shaft with multiple stirrer-pairs is used to mix ingredients, then mixing capability is provided, but the construction becomes complex and assembly/disassembly/cleaning becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing apparatus is divided into separate functional components: a single horizontal shaft with one stirrer pair, and separate hook elements that can be attached as needed. This segmentation simplifies the basic construction while maintaining versatility through modular attachment, directly resolving the contradiction between mixing capability and construction complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The horizontal shaft is designed as a universal mounting platform that can accommodate different hook types and configurations. The shaft itself serves multiple functions: supporting the stirrer pair, providing mounting points for hooks, and enabling both stirring and kneading operations through different attachments, thereby maintaining versatility without increasing construction complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If a through shaft with multiple stirrer-pairs is used for mixing, then mixing function is achieved, but assembly, disassembly and cleaning become time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the stirrer pair and hooks as independent attachable components rather than fixed multi-stirrer construction, the user can quickly attach only the necessary components for the current task and remove them for cleaning, significantly reducing assembly and cleaning time while maintaining full mixing functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static fixed construction to a dynamic reconfigurable system where components can be quickly attached and detached. The horizontal shaft with mounting points enables rapid reconfiguration for different mixing tasks, reducing the time penalty associated with assembly and cleaning
3Reliability
If the hook is vertically arranged and attached above the mixing container, then planetary motion is achieved, but access for adding ingredients becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of attaching the mixing element vertically from above, the invention inverts the arrangement by using a horizontal shaft that allows hooks to operate within easy access of the mixing container opening. This inversion maintains effective mixing action while dramatically improving ease of operation for adding ingredients
4Ease of operation
If a quick-release-hook-attachment arrangement is used, then ease of attachment and detachment is achieved, but sealing against ingredient leakage becomes critical
Solution Approach 1:
A sealing element is introduced as an intermediary component between the quick-release hook attachment and the mixing container. This mediator maintains the ease of quick-release attachment while preventing ingredient leakage, resolving the contradiction between operational ease and sealing reliability
Data Source
AI summary
A household mixer appliance having an open top mixing container, a hook and a drive arrangement. The mixing container has a side wall portion with a through hole for the drive arrangement and the hook is arranged to be rotatable around an axis of rotation within the mixing container via the drive arrangement. A seal is arranged between the drive arrangement and the side wall portion of the mixing container, and the drive arrangement includes a quick-release mechanism to which the hook is attachable.