Food Slicer Blocking Mechanism for Safe Carriage Tipping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing slicing machines pose a risk of injury during cleaning due to the exposed cutting edge, and current designs are either complex or require multiple components to ensure safety.
Innovation Solution
A slicing machine with a blocking mechanism that prevents the carriage from swinging out during operation, using a dual protection system involving a blocking slide and two blocking elements, allowing safe cleaning with a simple and compact design by requiring two safety settings to be met before the carriage can be swung out.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a blocking mechanism with multiple components (bolt, guide, pivoting lever, adjustment dial) is used to prevent carriage swinging, then safety during cleaning is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking mechanism is segmented into two independent blocking elements (first blocking element and second blocking element) that act upon the blocking slide from different directions. This segmentation allows each element to be simple in design while collectively providing robust safety protection, resolving the contradiction between safety and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking slide serves as an intermediary component that mediates between the two blocking elements and the carriage. It translates the blocking action from the two elements into effective prevention of carriage swinging, enabling safety with minimal complexity by using this intermediate blocking component.
2Device complexity
If a simple blocking mechanism with fewer components is used, then device complexity is reduced, but safety during cleaning may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking mechanism applies local quality by having two blocking elements act at different locations on the blocking slide. The first blocking element prevents movement in one direction while the second blocking element prevents movement in another direction, providing comprehensive safety protection with simple local components rather than a complex unified structure.
3Ease of operation
If the carriage can be freely swung out for cleaning, then ease of operation is improved, but risk of injury from exposed cutting edge increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking mechanism applies preliminary anti-action by preventing the carriage from swinging out unless specific safety conditions are met. The two blocking elements are positioned to automatically engage and block the blocking slide, preventing accidental carriage movement and protecting against cutting edge exposure before cleaning operations begin.
Solution Approach 2:
The system requires preliminary action by the operator to disengage both blocking elements before the carriage can be swung out for cleaning. This preliminary action ensures that the operator is consciously aware of the safety procedure and intentionally releasing the blocks, thereby maintaining safety while enabling cleaning access.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a slicing machine (1) for cutting food slices by means of a carriage (2) that can be moved back and forth and a rotating cutting blade (11), wherein the slice thickness can be adjusted by means of a stop plate (12). For cleaning purposes, the carriage (2) can be emptied by tipping the carriage. In order to reduce the risk of injury during cleaning work, a blocking device is provided, which allows the carriage to be emptied by tipping the carriage only in a certain position and while the stop plate is blocked. Said safety feature is provided by means of a blocking slide (41), on which two mechanical safety precaution elements act independently.