Mixing Container Agitator With Lifting Arm for Gentle Meat Cooking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food processors are not well-suited for preparing pieces of meat, as they lack a mechanism to lift and turn food without causing damage, especially when cooking on a heated surface.
Innovation Solution
The food processor is equipped with an agitator featuring a lifting arm with a stub section that prevents cutting and a scoop section for lifting food, allowing it to be raised and turned without damage, using a non-rotatably connected vertical section with a blade edge and a control system to manage heating and stirring times to prevent over-processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional agitator with pointed edges is used, then stirring efficiency is improved, but meat pieces are cut up and damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The agitator blade is designed with different local properties: a blunt front edge (2 cm radius) that prevents cutting, and a lifting section with increased vertical distance that enables effective lifting and turning of meat pieces. This local differentiation allows the same component to perform both gentle handling and effective stirring functions.
2Manufacturing precision
If continuous stirring is applied to ensure even cooking, then cooking uniformity is improved, but meat pieces are over-processed and damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit implements periodic stirring cycles with variable intervals, switching between different stirring frequencies based on cooking stage and meat piece size. This periodic action ensures even heat distribution while avoiding continuous mechanical stress that would damage the meat.
3Productivity
If high heating power is applied to reduce cooking time, then productivity is improved, but risk of burning and overheating increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously monitors cooking progress and dynamically adjusts heating power based on detected temperature and cooking stage. This feedback mechanism allows high heating power to be applied when appropriate while automatically reducing power to prevent burning, enabling fast yet safe cooking.
4Productivity
If multiple agitator arms are added to improve stirring coverage, then mixing effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and mechanical stress increase
Solution Approach 1:
The agitator is segmented into functionally distinct sections: a blunt front edge for gentle engagement, a lifting section for raising meat pieces, and a blade section for stirring. This segmentation allows a single arm to perform multiple functions that would otherwise require multiple arms, reducing complexity while maintaining effectiveness.
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
This design enables efficient and gentle handling of meat pieces during cooking, maintaining their integrity by minimizing mechanical stress and optimizing temperature control, ensuring even cooking and preventing over-heating or over-stirring.
Implementation Method 1
a heating unit (11) for heating the mixing vessel base (10)
Implementation Method 2
an agitator (5) which can be operated via an electric drive (6)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The appliance (1) has a drive (6) for driving a stirring unit (5) in a stirred vessel (4), where a lower region of the vessel is heatable. An adjustment unit automatically adjusts stirring phases by stirring interrupting phases with respect to speed, where reduced speed is determined according to measuring data corresponding to the vessel, cooked food in the vessel or a drive of the stirring unit. The adjustment unit automatically adjusts heating phases by heating interrupting phases with respect to heat output. The stirring unit is provided with a lifting arm (15). An independent claim is also included for a method for operating a kitchen appliance.