Adaptable Slicing Guide With Spring-Actuated Doors

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing slicing guides are not conducive for slicing multiple small fruits with different shapes and diameters, as they are designed primarily for single food items like bagels and are not adaptable for varied sizes and shapes.

Innovation Solution

A slicing guide with a shell, side walls, and moveable doors that include a slot for a knife, where the doors are urged towards the slot by a spring or sloped surface, allowing for easy alignment and cutting of multiple small items, and can be used for various items beyond just small fruits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a slicing guide is designed for single food items like bagels, then it provides stable holding and slicing guidance, but it cannot accommodate multiple small fruits with different shapes and diameters

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to slice multiple items with different shapes and sizesVSAvoidstructural complexity of the slicing guide

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The door is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to adjust its position dynamically. The spring mechanism enables the door to move between engaged and disengaged positions, adapting to different fruit sizes and shapes while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The slicing guide changes the positional parameter of the door through spring actuation. By varying the door's position along the downwardly sloped surface, the device accommodates different fruit dimensions without requiring multiple specialized guides

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the door is made moveable to accommodate different fruit sizes, then adaptability improves, but the stability and positioning accuracy during slicing may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadjustability for different fruit sizesVSAvoidstability of door positioning during slicing

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The spring is pre-loaded to exert a force that automatically engages the door with the downwardly sloped surface. This preliminary action ensures the door is held firmly in position before slicing begins, preventing movement during the slicing operation while still allowing position adjustment between different fruit sizes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The downwardly sloped surface provides a curved or inclined engagement surface that works with the spring force to maintain stable door positioning. The geometric relationship between the sloped surface and spring creates a self-centering effect that enhances positioning reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a spring mechanism is added to urge the door toward the second side wall, then the door can adapt to different fruit sizes, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverange of motion for door to accommodate different diametersVSAvoidnumber of components in the slicing guide

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The spring serves multiple functions: it urges the door toward the second side wall to accommodate different fruit sizes, maintains door engagement with the downwardly sloped surface for stability, and allows the door to be removable for cleaning. This multi-functionality justifies the addition of a single spring component

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

Enables efficient and precise cutting of multiple small fruits and other items by providing a stable and adaptable platform that accommodates different shapes and sizes, facilitating easy loading and unloading while maintaining cleanliness and ease of use.

Implementation Method 1

a first spring contacting the first side wall of the shell and the first door. The first spring urges the first door in a direction toward the second side wall

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSpring force: Spring

Implementation Method 2

At least one of the base and the shell includes a downwardly sloped surface sloped downwardly from the first side wall in a direction toward the slot. The first door cooperates with the downwardly sloped surface so as to urge a lower end of the first door in the direction toward the slot when resting on the downwardly sloped surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS9211651B2Slicing guide

Publication Date: 2015.12.15 KAZ EUROPE SA

AI summary

A slicing guide includes a shell including a first side wall and an opposing second side wall, a first door received in the shell between the first side wall and a second side wall, and a base or spring connected with the shell. The base, the spring or the shell biases or urges the first door toward the second side wall.