Modular stirrer for liquid and semi-liquid food products
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disposable stirrers for liquid and semi-liquid food products made of plastic have a high environmental impact due to slow biodegradability and are not compatible with new biodegradable materials, requiring new stirring machines, which is wasteful and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A modular stirrer with a biodegradable stirring element and a fixing body that uses elastic coupling means to securely attach to a rotary shaft, allowing for effective mixing and easy installation on existing machines, reducing environmental impact and resource waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If disposable plastic stirring elements are used, then ease of manufacture and low cost are achieved, but environmental impact increases due to slow biodegradability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameter of the stirring element from conventional plastic to biodegradable materials such as cellulose, paper, or bioplastics. This material substitution maintains the disposable nature and ease of manufacture while fundamentally improving the environmental degradation characteristics, allowing the stirring element to break down naturally after use.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite material structures where biodegradable materials are combined with appropriate coatings or treatments to achieve both environmental compatibility and functional requirements. The stirring element may use layered or composite constructions that maintain structural integrity during use while ensuring biodegradability after disposal.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If new biodegradable materials are used for stirring elements, then environmental impact is reduced, but compatibility with existing stirring machines and manufacturing complexity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention designs the biodegradable stirring element with a universal engagement interface that is compatible with existing rotary shafts and stirring machine mechanisms. The element maintains the same geometric coupling features as conventional plastic elements, allowing it to function in existing machines without modification while achieving biodegradability.
Solution Approach 2:
The stirring element is designed as a modular component with distinct functional zones: a biodegradable body portion for mixing, a standardized engagement portion for machine compatibility, and a user-friendly handle section. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently while ensuring overall compatibility with existing systems.
3Strength
If the stirring element is made robust for effective mixing of viscous products, then mixing performance is improved, but difficulty of disposal and environmental persistence increase
Solution Approach 1:
The stirring element is designed with dynamic structural characteristics that provide high strength and rigidity during the mixing operation to effectively handle viscous products. After use, the element transitions to a biodegradable state where natural degradation processes gradually reduce its structural integrity, transforming it from a robust functional tool to a decomposable material that returns to the environment.
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 modular stirrer provides effective mixing and consumption of liquid or semi-liquid food products with a low environmental impact, while being compatible with existing stirring machines, thus reducing waste and environmental harm.
Implementation Method 1
a first coupling means (4) comprising at least one elastic element (4E), configured for retaining the stirring element (2)
Implementation Method 2
the second coupling means (5) comprise at least one elastically compliant tab (5A) connected at one end to the seat (6)
Data Source
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AI summary
Described is a modular stirrer (1) for liquid or semi-liquid food products which can be fixed to a rotary shaft (101) of a stirring machine (100) comprising a stirring element (2) shaped in the form of a teaspoon and a fixing body (3), equipped with first means (4) for coupling to said stirring element (2) and second means (5) for coupling to the rotary shaft (101).