Powered Potato Masher Assembly With Side Extrusion Slots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing kitchen appliances, such as hand mashers and food processors, fail to efficiently mash potatoes due to issues like difficulty in removing lumps, cumbersome design, and cleaning challenges, particularly with high-speed mixers that pose safety risks and inefficiencies in mashing action.
Innovation Solution
A hand-held powered masher device with a rotating shaft and a masher assembly featuring a conical skirt with elongate slots and a mashing element with sweeping blades that extrude mashed food through side apertures, allowing for easy operation and cleaning, and a mechanism for releasing the mashing assembly for maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional hand masher is used in a saucepan, then the device is simple to operate, but hard lumps keep moving out of the way of the crushing bars making it difficult to remove all lumps
Solution Approach 1:
The mashing element is segmented into multiple crushing bars arranged radially, creating multiple crushing zones simultaneously. This segmentation allows lumps to be caught and crushed from multiple angles, preventing them from moving out of the way as with a single traditional masher.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-point crushing action to a multi-dimensional crushing approach by arranging crushing bars in a radial pattern around a central axis. This creates a three-dimensional crushing zone that captures lumps from all directions, solving the problem of lumps moving out of the way.
2Productivity
If high speed choppers and food processors are used, then lumps are broken up quickly, but the starch grains are broken down and an acceptable result is not produced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the operational parameters by using low-speed rotation instead of high-speed chopping. The crushing bars move at a slower pace, applying gradual compressive force that breaks down lumps without damaging the starch grain structure, thus maintaining acceptable mashing quality while still achieving efficient lump removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The mashing element rotates periodically at low speed, creating a rhythmic crushing action. This periodic motion allows the crushing bars to gently work through the potato, breaking down lumps over time without the violent shearing action of high-speed processors that destroys starch grains.
3Productivity
If commercial mashers with blades or plungers are used, then lumps are forced through a sieve effectively, but the device becomes large and difficult to clean
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential mashing function from the complex commercial masher structure. By using a simple rotating element with radial crushing bars instead of a large plunger or blade assembly, it achieves effective lump breaking in a compact form that is easier to clean, removing unnecessary complexity while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of forcing material through a sieve as in commercial mashers, this invention inverts the approach by using radial crushing bars to break down lumps in place. This eliminates the need for a sieve and the associated cleaning complexity, achieving lump removal through direct mechanical crushing action.
4Ease of operation
If the blade is attached to the drive shaft by a screwing bayonet fitting, then the blade can be removed for cleaning, but the torque of the reduction gearing is required to counteract the unscrewing force
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a static screwed connection to a dynamic bayonet fitting that can be quickly engaged and disengaged. The bayonet fitting allows the mashing element to be attached and removed with a simple rotational motion, eliminating the need to overcome high unscrewing forces while maintaining secure attachment during operation.
5Productivity
If high speed mixers operate at high revolutions, then mixing is efficient, but the risk of injury from inadvertent switching on is high
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the operational speed parameter from high revolutions to low-speed rotation. This reduces the kinetic energy and potential harm from inadvertent activation while maintaining effective mashing performance through the radial crushing bar design, thus eliminating the safety risk associated with high-speed mixers.
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 device efficiently mashes potatoes and similar foods by minimizing user effort and preventing lumps, with easy cleaning and safety features that prevent accidental power activation during maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
The trailing edge of each blade substantially sweeps an inner surface of the skirt element... lower portions of the blades lying in a plane defined by a lower edge of the side wall of the skirt element
Data Source
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AI summary
A hand-held masher device for mashing of potatoes and like food stuffs; said device including a power unit providing a rotating shaft output; said device further including a masher assembly extending from said power unit; said masher assembly including a skirt element and a mashing element operating within said skirt element; characterized in that mashed potato and like food stuff is extruded through apertures disposed in a side wall of said skirt element; said masher assembly including internal guide surfaces; said guide surfaces in the form of an inverted portion of a conical structure depending from an underside of a supporting annular conical wall of said skirt element, and wherein upper portions of blades of said mashing element conform to said guide surfaces.