Hand-Held Slicer Ramp Adjustment for Precise Slice Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hand-held mandoline-type slicing devices lack adjustable mechanisms for slice thickness, and existing adjustments are often cumbersome to use.
Innovation Solution
A hand-held slicing device with a sliding adjustment mechanism, where a support structure connected to a knob allows the ramp height to be adjusted by the user's thumb, enabling precise control over slice thickness, and optional julienne blades for producing strips.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If no adjustment mechanism is provided, then the device structure remains simple, but slice thickness cannot be adjusted
Solution Approach 1:
The ramp is made adjustable rather than fixed, allowing the cutting surface to move vertically. The support structure with knob enables dynamic positioning of the ramp at different heights, providing slice thickness adjustment while maintaining a relatively simple mechanical design through a single degree of freedom movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the vertical position parameter of the ramp relative to the blade by allowing the support structure to slide along the inclined surface. This parameter change enables variation in slice thickness without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms, as the entire ramp assembly moves as one unit.
2Adaptability or versatility
If an adjustment mechanism is provided, then slice thickness can be adjusted, but the adjustment becomes awkward or inconvenient to use
Solution Approach 1:
The knob is positioned and sized to be operated by the user's thumb while holding the handle, allowing one-handed adjustment. The inclined plane geometry naturally converts the sliding motion into vertical ramp displacement, providing intuitive and effortless control without requiring additional steps or complex operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanism utilizes motion along the inclined surface (one dimension) to achieve vertical positioning (another dimension). By sliding the support structure along the slope rather than moving it directly vertically, the mechanism reduces the force required and makes adjustment more convenient while maintaining precise control.
3Manufacturing precision
If the ramp is made adjustable, then slice thickness control is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into distinct functional components: the handle, the blade assembly, the ramp, and the adjustable support structure. This segmentation allows the ramp and support to be designed as a separate adjustable module, simplifying the overall structure while enabling precise thickness control through the dedicated adjustment mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure acts as an intermediary between the fixed blade and the adjustable ramp. By introducing this intermediate element that can slide along the inclined surface, the mechanism achieves precise ramp positioning without requiring direct adjustment of the blade or complex linkage systems, thereby maintaining structural simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A hand-held slicing device having a handle connected to a slicing tray. The slicing tray includes a ramp leading to a fixed blade. The ramp is readily adjustable such that the height of the edge of the ramp most closely adjacent the blade can be raised or lowered. In one version, the ramp can be raised or lowered by sliding a support structure connected to a knob that can be slideably adjusted by the user's thumb. The device may include a series of julienne blades that are selectively extendable above the slicing ramp or retractable below the ramp.