Movable Operating Unit for Hygienic Food Dispensing Machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machines for making and dispensing semiliquid and semisolid food products, such as soft ice cream, have inefficient cleaning and filling operations due to the elevated position of the operating unit, which complicates hygiene maintenance and accessibility.
Innovation Solution
A machine with a movable operating unit that can be lowered to a base level, equipped with a telescopic structure and linear guides, allowing for easier cleaning and filling, and featuring a protective element to prevent contamination when not in use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the operating unit is positioned at the top of the frame, then the machine structure is stable and compact, but cleaning and filling operations become difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The operating unit is made movable between a raised position (for normal operation) and a lowered position (for cleaning and filling). This dynamic repositioning allows the unit to adapt to different operational requirements, making cleaning and filling operations as easy as ground-level operations while maintaining the benefits of elevated positioning during normal use.
Solution Approach 2:
The machine is divided into a stationary base and a movable operating unit that can be independently repositioned. This segmentation allows the operating unit to be moved for cleaning purposes without affecting the overall structural stability of the base, resolving the contradiction between ease of cleaning and structural complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the operating unit is positioned at the top of the frame, then the machine has a compact footprint, but accessibility for filling and cleaning is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The operating unit can dynamically change its vertical position between raised and lowered states. When lowered, it provides excellent accessibility for filling and cleaning operations at ground level. When raised, it maintains a compact vertical profile, thus resolving the contradiction between accessibility and machine footprint.
3Ease of operation
If the containment tank lid is placed at the top of the machine frame, then the structure is compact, but filling operations become inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The containment tank lid is integrated with the movable operating unit, allowing it to be lowered to ground level for convenient filling operations. This dynamic repositioning eliminates the need for operators to reach high locations, making filling as easy as ground-level operations while maintaining structural compactness when raised.
Data Source
AI summary
A machine for making and dispensing semiliquid and/or semisolid food products comprises a frame (2) furnished with a base (4) and an operating unit (6) for processing at least one mixture for making and dispensing the products. The operating unit (6) is movable at least between a raised position and a lowered position relative to the base (4) through the agency of a respective movement means (8).