Emulsification system with serrated knives
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional emulsification systems face issues with blockages due to bone and sinew resistance, leading to frequent downtime and clogging, especially in pet food processing where bones are present, and the inability to effectively cut through connective tissue and cartilage.
Innovation Solution
An emulsification system with rotating cutting assemblies and serrated knives that extend from a hub, where each knife has a cutting edge and side surface with serrations, allowing for efficient cutting of food products as they pass through screens, preventing blockages and maintaining flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional smooth knives are used in emulsification systems, then the device structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the knives cannot effectively cut through connective tissue, cartilage, and bone, leading to blockages and frequent downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The knife blade is designed with serrations only at the cutting edge portion where contact with food material occurs, while the rest of the blade maintains a simple structure. This localized complexity provides enhanced cutting capability for connective tissue and bone without significantly increasing overall device complexity or manufacturing difficulty.
2Manufacturing precision
If small hole screens are used to achieve fine emulsification, then the emulsification quality is improved, but the holes become blocked frequently by bone and sinew, requiring frequent cleaning and causing downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The serrated knives perform preliminary cutting and size reduction of food material, particularly bone and connective tissue, before the material reaches the screen. This pre-processing action reduces the likelihood of blockages in the screen holes, allowing the use of smaller hole sizes for finer emulsification while maintaining processing continuity and reducing cleaning frequency.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If the cutting knife has a simple smooth edge, then the knife is easy to manufacture and replace, but it dulls quickly when cutting resistant materials like sinew and cartilage
Solution Approach 1:
Serrations are applied only to the cutting edge portion of the knife blade where actual cutting occurs, rather than the entire blade. This localized feature extends knife service life when cutting resistant materials while keeping the manufacturing process relatively simple and the overall knife structure easy to produce and replace.
4Adaptability or versatility
If bone and connective tissue are allowed in the food mixture for pet food applications, then product variety and nutritional value are improved, but the screen holes become blocked, leading to frequent downtime for cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The serrated knives perform preliminary size reduction and cutting of bone and connective tissue before these materials reach the screen. This pre-processing action enables the system to handle diverse pet food formulations with varying bone and tissue content while maintaining processing efficiency and reducing downtime associated with screen blockages and cleaning.
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 system effectively processes food products by reducing blockages and maintaining flow, allowing for larger hole sizes in screens while preventing knife dulling and ensuring consistent cutting, thus enhancing processing efficiency and reducing downtime.
Implementation Method 1
one or more cutting assemblies that are disposed about the shaft and within the housing, the one or more cutting assemblies fixed to the shaft such that each cutting assembly rotates with rotation of the shaft
Implementation Method 2
The cutting edge and the side surface each form a plurality of serrations along at least a portion of a length thereof
Data Source
AI summary
A cutting knife for a rotating emulsion system is provided. The knife includes a body with a bottom surface and a leading portion, the bottom surface and the leading portion collectively form a cutting edge. The body further comprises a portion that is configured to be inserted within a slot within a cutting assembly with the bottom surface and a portion of the leading portion extending outward from the slot, the cutting assembly configured to be rotated by a shaft that extends through a center hole in the cutting assembly and is fixed to the cutting assembly, wherein the leading portion is a surface of the body that faces the direction of rotation of the body as the cutting assembly is rotated, The cutting edge and the leading portion each form a plurality of serrations along at least a portion of a length thereof.