Roaster Bowl Lift and Steam Venting for Safer Nut Glazing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing roasting and glazing equipment for nuts is either cumbersome or unsafe, particularly in emptying roasted products, handling steam during glazing and cleaning, and minimizing waste such as sugar balls, which can be hazardous and increase operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A roasting and glazing apparatus with a bowl assembly rotatably coupled to a housing via a lever arm shaft, featuring a cantilever arm and pistons to safely raise and lower the roaster bowl, a cover with metering holes to control steam release, and an agitator design to minimize scrap and even coating, facilitating easy operation and cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a heavy cooking bowl is used for roasting and glazing nuts, then the bowl can accommodate large batches of nuts, but it becomes difficult and unsafe to lift and empty the bowl
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a counterbalance mechanism with springs and levers that provide upward force to offset the weight of the heavy cooking bowl. This allows a single operator to safely lift and maneuver the bowl containing large batches of nuts without requiring two people, directly resolving the contradiction between batch size capacity and handling safety.
2Manufacturing precision
If water is added to the hot bowl during glazing, then the nuts can be properly glazed, but a large burst of steam is created that may burn the operator
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cover with a controlled steam vent as an intermediary between the water addition and the operator. The steam vent restricts and directs steam escape away from the operator's hands and face, allowing water to be added for proper glazing while preventing steam burns.
3Productivity
If the bowl is made very large to handle big batches, then productivity increases, but the bowl becomes cumbersome and requires two people to empty
Solution Approach 1:
The counterbalance mechanism with springs and levers reduces the effective weight the operator must manage, allowing a single person to handle the large-capacity bowl safely. This resolves the contradiction by enabling high productivity through large batch processing without increasing handling complexity to require multiple operators.
4Ease of manufacture
If sugar water is poured out to clean the bowl, then cleaning is effective, but sugar is dispersed onto surrounding surfaces causing damage and cleanup
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a detachable pour tray as an intermediary to catch and contain the sugar water during the cleaning process. The tray is positioned to receive the poured sugar water and prevent it from splashing or spilling onto surrounding surfaces, thereby maintaining cleaning effectiveness while eliminating sugar dispersion damage.
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 apparatus ensures safe and efficient operation, reduces waste, prevents scalding from steam, and minimizes sugar dispersion, allowing non-skilled personnel to produce high-quality roasted and glazed nuts with reduced operational complexity and cleanup.
Implementation Method 1
a heater adapted to selectively heat the roaster bowl
Implementation Method 2
the addition of water during a nut glazing step often results in the creation of a large burst of steam
Implementation Method 3
The first piston is coupled to the bowl support and configured to provide, when engaged, a counterforce to the weight of the bowl assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A roasting and glazing apparatus comprising a housing, a bowl assembly having a bowl support and a roaster bowl, an agitator rotatably mounted within the roaster bowl, a heater to heat the roaster bowl, and a cantilever arm disposed external to the housing. The cantilever arm, when moved, moves the roaster bowl between fully lowered and fully raised positions. A first piston is coupled to the bowl support and provides, when engaged, a counterforce to the weight of the bowl assembly. The first piston is engaged at least during the raising of the roaster bowl. A second piston provides a counterforce during the lowering of the roaster bowl from a partially lowered position to the fully towered position. The second piston is not engaged during lowering of the roaster howl from the fully raised position to the partially lowered position. After producing roasted and glazed nuts using the apparatus, the roaster bowl is raised to facilitate removal of the roasted and glazed nuts, and then the roaster bowl is lowered. After the roaster bowl is lowered to the partially lowered position, the engagement of the second piston results in additional downward force to further lower the roaster bowl thus preventing injury or damage during the final lowering of the roaster howl into its fully lowered position.