Transmission unit for a food processor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gear units for food processors are not compact or space-saving, leading to imbalances and vibrations, and they face issues with shrinkage-related problems during the production of plastic injection-molded and die-cast parts.
Innovation Solution
A gear unit design featuring multiple transmission stages arranged one above the other, with a rotatable carrier unit and coupling pieces, utilizing planetary gear stages for symmetrical load distribution and eliminating intermediate walls to achieve a compact, space-saving, and vibration-free design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If gear stages are arranged side by side horizontally, then the gear unit can accommodate multiple transmission stages, but the gear unit becomes large in horizontal dimension and occupies more space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies vertical stacking of gear stages instead of horizontal arrangement. Multiple planetary gear stages are arranged one above the other in the vertical direction, transforming the spatial layout from horizontal to vertical. This dimensionality change allows the gear unit to accommodate multiple transmission stages while minimizing horizontal footprint and occupying less space in the food processor.
2Area of stationary object
If asymmetric gear arrangement is used, then space utilization may be improved, but imbalances and vibrations occur during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs symmetric arrangement of planetary gear stages both horizontally and vertically. Each planetary gear stage consists of a central sun gear, planet gears arranged symmetrically around it, and a ring gear. This symmetric configuration ensures balanced load distribution and minimizes vibrations and imbalances during operation, while the vertical stacking provides compact space utilization.
3Productivity
If plastic injection-molded parts are used for gear components, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but asymmetrical shrinkage occurs during production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses symmetric geometric design of gear components that are injection-molded from plastic. The symmetric arrangement of gear teeth, planetary gears, and housing features ensures uniform cooling and shrinkage during injection molding. This symmetry compensates for the inherent asymmetrical shrinkage tendency of plastic materials, maintaining manufacturing precision while benefiting from efficient injection molding production.
4Strength
If intermediate walls are added to separate gear stages, then structural support is improved, but the gear unit becomes more complex and less compact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple planetary gear stages within a single common housing without intermediate walls separating them. The housing provides unified structural support for all gear stages, and the planet gears of adjacent stages are positioned to support each other mechanically. This merging approach eliminates the need for additional intermediate walls, reducing structural complexity while maintaining adequate support for all transmission stages.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a transmission unit (4) which comprises a drive-side input shaft (12) and one or more output-side first output shafts (5, 18) which exit on an upper face of the transmission unit. The transmission unit additionally comprises a rotatable support unit (23) which is arranged in the lower region of the transmission unit and one or more coupling pieces (22, 24, 52, 53, 58, 61) which are mounted in the rotatable support unit for output-side second output shafts. The transmission unit has three or more transmission stages (7, 8, 9, 10, 45, 46, 54) which are arranged one over the other and which are designed to convert a rotation of the drive-side input shaft (12) into a respective rotation of the output-side first output shafts (5, 18), the coupling pieces (22, 24, 52, 53, 58, 61) for output-side second output shafts, and the rotatable support unit (23). In this manner, a particularly space-saving and compact design of the transmission unit is made possible.