Nut Butter and Nut Milk Blender With Integrated Screening
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing nut milk and nut butter are inefficient, resulting in significant waste of nut pulp, require a time-consuming soaking step, and are difficult to clean, with existing appliances failing to adequately process raw nuts without adding oils or leaving behind chunks.
Innovation Solution
A small appliance with a mixing container and cutting device featuring blades positioned for efficient nut butter formation and subsequent blending with water to create nut milk, minimizing waste and eliminating the need for soaking, with a built-in screen for straining leftover particles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If nuts are soaked overnight in water to soften them for better emulsification, then the nuts will blend more easily and extract nutrients better, but the process becomes time-consuming and much of the nut nutrients are lost when draining the soaking water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-soaking nuts in a concentrated salt solution (brine) before blending. This preliminary treatment softens the nuts and prepares them for emulsification, allowing the blending process to proceed more efficiently without requiring extended soaking times in subsequent steps. The salt solution penetration pre-softens the nut structure, reducing the mechanical energy and time needed for blending.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of the soaking medium from plain water to a concentrated salt solution (brine). This parameter change serves multiple functions: it softens the nuts through osmotic pressure, begins the extraction process by drawing out moisture and fats, and creates a more favorable environment for emulsification. The salt concentration parameter is specifically optimized to achieve softening without excessive nutrient loss.
2Ease of manufacture
If nuts are soaked and drained before blending, then blending becomes easier, but significant nut pulp is left behind in the straining bag resulting in nutrient waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies continuity of useful action by maintaining the nut particles in suspension throughout the blending and extraction process. Instead of allowing particles to settle or be discarded as pulp, the high-speed blending continuously re-suspends particles, and the extraction process continues to draw nutrients from all particle sizes. This continuous action ensures that even fine particles that would normally be discarded as pulp contribute their nutrients to the final product.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies excessive action by using high-speed blending that thoroughly breaks down nut particles to a very fine consistency, exceeding what is normally required. This excessive mechanical action reduces particle size to the point where even particles that would traditionally be considered pulp are fully emulsified and suspended in the final product, eliminating waste.
3Productivity
If existing nut butter devices are used to process raw nuts, then nut butter can be produced, but oils must be added and the devices leave behind chunks of unbuttered nut pieces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-soaking nuts in brine to soften them and begin fat extraction before the buttering process. This preliminary treatment reduces the hardness and moisture content of the nuts, making them more susceptible to the mechanical action of the buttering device. As a result, the buttering process achieves more complete particle breakdown without leaving chunks, and requires less added oil to facilitate the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the moisture and fat content parameters of the nuts through brine soaking before buttering. The salt solution draws moisture out and begins extracting fats, creating a pre-conditioned state that improves the efficiency and completeness of the subsequent buttering process. This parameter change allows for more thorough particle breakdown and better emulsification without requiring additional oils.
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
Enables efficient production of nut milk and nut butter in two steps with minimal waste, no need for soaking, and easy cleaning, effectively pulverizing nuts into smooth butter without leftover chunks or added oils, while ensuring all nutrients are incorporated into the milk.
Implementation Method 1
a cutting device having one or more blades positioned a clearance distance from the inner walls of the mixing container
Implementation Method 2
One or more screens may be provided to strain leftover nut skins and any nut pulp that was not ground small enough to go into suspension in the water during a mixing step
Implementation Method 3
Once the nut butter is formed, water is added and blended with the nut butter to create nut milk
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A device (300) for producing nut butter and/or nut milk from nuts. The device (300) may comprise a base (301) having a motor, an outer container (316) positioned above the base (301), a mixing container (309) positioned within the outer container, and a cutting device (304) positioned within the mixing container (309) and configured to be driven by the motor during operation. The mixing container (309) has inner sidewalls (310) and at least one screen (314), the inner sidewalls (310) being substantially vertical and the at least one screen (314) having a plurality of holes particularly sized to allow emulsified nut milk to freely pass therethrough. The cutting device (304) may comprise a central hub and at least two blades (306), the at least two blades (306) vertically offset and each having a blade tip (307), each blade tip (307) positioned a certain radial distance from the inner sidewalls (310) of the mixing container (309). A method for producing nut butter and/or nut milk is further described.