Screw assembly for food processor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food processors struggle with efficiently cutting large pieces of food materials during the juice extraction process due to the lack of convex ribs or insufficient rib size at the feeding area, leading to unsmooth operation and poor user experience.
Innovation Solution
A screw design with a feeding area, a crushing area, and spiral ribs, including a cutting section and a crushing section, where the cutting surface extends downward from the top to support and cut food materials, increasing friction and preventing slipping, allowing for smoother feeding and crushing of larger pieces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If no convex rib or small convex rib is provided at the feeding area, then the screw structure is simple, but large pieces of food materials cannot be fully cut open and tend to slip during juice extraction
Solution Approach 1:
The first spiral rib is divided into two functional sections: a cutting section with a cutting edge for cutting food materials, and a crushing section for crushing. This segmentation allows the screw to perform multiple functions (cutting and crushing) in sequence, improving the handling of large food pieces without requiring entirely separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting edge is specifically positioned at the feeding area where food materials first contact the screw. This localized feature concentrates the cutting function exactly where it is needed, while the rest of the screw maintains its spiral transport and crushing functions. The cutting edge's specific geometry (acute angle) is optimized for cutting rather than crushing.
2Productivity
If the screw rotates to squeeze food materials, then the screw can convey food to the crushing area, but food materials may slip and require auxiliary push rod operation
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting section performs preliminary cutting of food materials before they reach the crushing area. By cutting large pieces into smaller fragments in advance, the food materials are better prepared for subsequent crushing and juice extraction, improving overall efficiency without requiring auxiliary pushing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The spiral ribs provide continuous transport and continuous cutting/crushing action as the screw rotates. The cutting edge continuously engages with food materials along the feeding area, ensuring uninterrupted processing and maintaining steady flow to the crushing area without stopping or requiring auxiliary intervention.
3Reliability
If the cutting surface extends downward from the top of the screw body, then food materials are supported and friction is increased to prevent slipping, but the screw structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting surface is integrated with the first spiral rib structure, forming a unified component rather than a separate attachment. The cutting edge is formed as part of the spiral rib itself, merging the support function, cutting function, and transport function into a single integrated structure, minimizing added complexity.
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 screw design enhances the cutting efficiency of food materials, reduces the need for auxiliary pushing, and improves the overall operation by ensuring food materials are properly fed and crushed, resulting in better juice extraction and user experience.
Implementation Method 1
the cutting surface can ensure that the contact area between the food materials and the screw is increased, to increase the friction between the food materials and the screw
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments provide a screw, a food processing cup assembly, and a food processor. The screw comprises a screw body including a feeding area for feeding and a crushing area connected to the feeding area; a first spiral rib is spirally arranged on the feeding area along the axial direction of the screw body, and extending to the crushing area along a top of the screw body; a cutting surface extending from the top of the screw body to the crushing area; a plurality of second spiral ribs are disposed on the screw body at intervals along the axial direction of the screw body.