Drive coupling for a food processing device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food processing devices require complex disassembly to replace worn-out drive couplings, as the entire motor shaft rotates when trying to loosen the coupling, making the process cumbersome and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A drive coupling assembly featuring an adapter with a threaded bore connected to the motor shaft and a coupler body with a spring-biased ball plunger mechanism, allowing for easy attachment and detachment without disassembling the device, enabling quick replacement of the coupler body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a threaded drive coupling is used to couple the motor shaft to the blade shaft, then the coupling becomes tighter during motor rotation, but the coupling cannot be easily removed without disassembling the entire device
Solution Approach 1:
The drive coupling is divided into two separate components: an adapter that threads onto the motor shaft and remains fixed, and a coupler body that attaches to and detaches from the adapter. This segmentation allows the coupler body to be replaced independently without removing the adapter or disassembling the motor, thereby maintaining coupling reliability while dramatically improving ease of repair.
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter serves as an intermediary component between the motor shaft and the coupler body. It provides a stable mounting interface that remains attached to the motor shaft, while allowing the coupler body to be easily attached and detached. This intermediary structure resolves the contradiction by providing both secure connection and easy replacement capability.
2Strength
If the drive coupling is threaded onto the motor shaft, then the coupling maintains secure connection during operation, but the entire motor shaft rotates when attempting to loosen the coupling
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the coupling into an adapter (fixed to motor shaft) and coupler body (removable), the system maintains strong connection during operation through the threaded adapter while enabling easy removal of just the coupler body without rotating the motor shaft.
Solution Approach 2:
The problematic feature of motor shaft rotation during coupling removal is eliminated by extracting the removable coupler body from the fixed adapter. This allows the coupler body to be removed without affecting the motor shaft, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining connection strength through the remaining adapter.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a traditional threaded coupling is used, then the coupling provides stable mechanical connection, but replacement requires extensive disassembly and reassembly of the device
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling system is segmented into a permanently attached adapter and a removable coupler body. This segmentation maintains stable mechanical connection through the threaded adapter while reducing replacement time to merely detaching and reattaching the coupler body, eliminating the need for extensive disassembly and reassembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter acts as an intermediary that provides stable mechanical connection to the motor shaft while enabling quick replacement of the coupler body. This intermediary structure eliminates the time loss associated with traditional coupling replacement by avoiding the need to disassemble the motor or other device components.
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
Facilitates rapid and straightforward replacement of the drive coupling, eliminating the need for extensive disassembly, thus improving maintenance efficiency and reducing downtime.
Implementation Method 1
a coupler body having an upwardly-facing opening configured to receive a shaft of a blade of a food processing container of the food processing device, and a retaining mechanism configured to retain the coupler body on the adapter
Data Source
AI summary
A drive coupling assembly for a food processing device includes an adapter having a connection mechanism for connection of the adapter to a drive shaft of a motor of a food processing device, and a coupler body having an aperture and an opening, the opening being configured to receive a shaft of a blade of a food processing container, and the aperture being configured to releasably receive the adapter.