Slotted Batter Spatula for Scraping Mixer Beater Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current utensils, such as spoons and spatulas, are inefficient and ineffective in removing batter from mixing apparatuses and their surfaces, particularly those that are difficult to reach, leading to remnants of batter remaining on equipment after use.
Innovation Solution
A slotted batter spatula with an elongated handle, a fork-shaped head having at least two parallel tines, and a slotted head cover, made from ergonomically-designed ABS and stainless steel materials with a flexible silicone head, designed for easy cleaning and effective scraping of batter from mixer beater blades and other surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional spoons or spatulas are used to remove batter from mixing apparatuses, then the utensil structure is simple, but the effectiveness in removing batter from difficult-to-reach surfaces is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The spatula head is divided into multiple slots that can independently flex and conform to the contours of mixing apparatus surfaces. Each slot acts as a separate scraping element, allowing the head to effectively reach and scrape batter from complex geometries including the backs of beaters and paddles, thereby resolving the contradiction between simple structure and effective batter removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The spatula head is constructed from flexible silicone material that can bend and adapt to difficult-to-reach surfaces. This flexibility allows the thin spatula head to conform to the contours of mixing apparatus components, enabling effective batter removal from surfaces that rigid traditional spatulas cannot access, thus improving reliability while maintaining relatively simple device structure.
2Ease of operation
If a rigid spatula head is used to scrape thick batter, then the structural strength is sufficient, but the ability to reach difficult-to-access areas is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The spatula head uses flexible silicone material that can bend and reach into tight spaces around beaters, paddles, and bowl corners while maintaining sufficient structural integrity. The flexibility allows the thin head to access difficult-to-reach areas without breaking, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The spatula combines flexible silicone material with a rigid handle, creating a composite structure where the flexible head provides access to difficult areas while the rigid handle maintains overall structural strength and stability during use with thick batters, effectively resolving the contradiction between flexibility for access and strength for handling thick materials.
3Ease of manufacture
If a solid non-perforated spatula head is used, then the structure is simple, but the cleaning efficiency and drying performance are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible silicone material inherently allows for easy cleaning as it can be rinsed and will not trap batter in hard-to-reach corners. The flexibility enables water and cleaning solutions to access all surfaces of the spatula head, improving cleaning efficiency while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that is easy to manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The solid spatula head is transformed into a perforated structure with multiple slots, extracting the solid material to create openings that facilitate water flow and drying. This extraction of material creates a structure that is still simple to manufacture but dramatically improves cleaning efficiency and drying performance by allowing water to pass through and contact all surfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a utensil that can be used to manipulate batter. In one embodiment, the utensil is a slotted batter spatula that comprises: (i) an elongated handle comprising a front end and a back end; (ii) a fork-shaped head attached to the front end of the elongated handle, said fork-shaped head having at least two substantially parallel tines; and (iii) a slotted head cover mounted over the fork-shaped head so that a slot of the head cover extends between each of the substantially parallel tines of the fork-shaped head. The present disclosure also relates to a method of manipulating batter with the slotted batter spatula. This method involves using the slotted batter spatula to lift, spread, stir, scrape, move, and/or remove batter from one or more surface.