Pull-Cord Disk Grater Drive for Higher Torque and Anti-Jamming

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Solution Overview

Problem

Manually operated disc graters with crank drives face limitations in torque and speed, resulting in poor performance when cutting hard or fibrous materials, often leading to material pickup or disc blocking.

Innovation Solution

A manually operated food processing device with a drive system featuring a cord pull roller and spring element, a drive wheel with external teeth engaging internal teeth of a cutting disc, and a one-way clutch, which enhances power transmission and cutting efficiency while reducing the risk of tipping and jamming.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If a crank drive is used in manually operated disc graters, then the device can be operated manually, but the cutting disc can only be driven with low torque and significantly lower speeds, resulting in poor performance when cutting hard or fibrous materials

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetorque and speed of cutting discVSAvoidmanual operation capability
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional crank drive mechanism with a cord pull roller mechanism. The cord pull roller is driven by pulling a cord, which rotates the roller and through gear engagement (drive wheel with external teeth engaging internal teeth of cutting disc) transmits rotational motion to the cutting disc. This substitution eliminates the mechanical limitations of crank drives, enabling significantly higher torque and speed while maintaining manual operation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Power

If the cord pull roller is operated manually, then the device can be driven, but the risk of tipping over increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower transmission to work unitVSAvoidstability against tipping
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent places the spring element inside a concentric recess of the cord pull roller, creating a nested structure. This nesting reduces the overall height and footprint of the drive mechanism, lowering the center of gravity and reducing the tipping risk while maintaining effective power transmission capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Quantity of substance

If the spring element is placed outside the cord pull roller, then it can be accommodated, but the overall height of the device increases and the risk of tipping over increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespace utilizationVSAvoidoverall height and tipping risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The spring element is positioned within the concentric recess of the cord pull roller, utilizing the internal space of the roller structure. This nested arrangement accommodates the spring element without increasing the overall device height, maintaining a compact and stable profile while providing necessary mechanical function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

4Device complexity

If the external teeth of the drive wheel engage with the internal teeth of the work unit, then the work unit is driven directly with reduced components, but the drive must be precisely positioned

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of componentsVSAvoidpositioning of drive wheel
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of placing the drive wheel inside the cutting disc or using a complex multi-stage transmission, the patent inverts the arrangement by positioning the drive wheel externally and engaging its external teeth with internal teeth on the cutting disc. This inverted configuration simplifies the component structure while the gear teeth geometry inherently provides positioning tolerance, reducing the need for high-precision alignment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 achieves improved cutting performance and reduced risk of injury through enhanced power transmission and secure operation, allowing for efficient processing of hard materials without the limitations of crank drives.

Implementation Method 1

the spring element is pre-tensioned and the spring element relaxes again after the pull cord is released and the pull cord is pulled in rotates in the opposite direction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The drive wheel is arranged in relation to the work unit in such a way that the external teeth of the drive wheel engage with the internal teeth of the work unit. The drive drives the drive wheel and the engagement of the external teeth of the drive wheel with the internal teeth of the work unit causes the work unit to rotate.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Advantage: Mechanical Advantage

Data Source

PatentEP2877069B1Disk grater
Publication Date: 2019.03.27 GRP SEB SCHWEIZ GMBH
  • EP2877069B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2877069B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2877069B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(c)

AI summary

The invention relates to a device (100) for processing food. The drive (2) comprises a pull-cord reel (21) having a concentric cut-out section (22) in the interior of which a spring element (23) is arranged, said spring element (23) being actively connected to the pull-cord reel. The working unit (4), which can be set rotating, is driven by the drive (2), the drive unit (4) being arranged such that the externally toothed section (62) of the drive wheel (61) engages the internally toothed section (63) of the drive unit (4) and the working unit (4) is set rotating when the drive (2) is actuated. A blocking element (10), designed to block the drive (2) in a non-operating state, and an unblocking element (11), designed to actuate the blocking element (10) to release the blocked state, contribute to achieving a high degree of operational reliability of the device.