Spice Grinder Closure and Partition for Fresh Pepper Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spice grinders fail to indicate if the product has been tampered with and allow partially ground peppercorns and pepper to fall back into the container, resulting in a mixture of freshly and previously ground pepper when used over time.
Innovation Solution
A spice grinder design featuring a tamper-evident closure component with a removable part and a retainer, interlocking ribs and grooves for adjustable spacing between teeth, and a partition to limit the return of unground spice into the container, ensuring only ground pepper is dispensed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional spice grinder design is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but there is no indication of tampering and partially ground pepper falls back into the container
Solution Approach 1:
The closure component is divided into multiple segments: a first closure component with a bore, a second closure component with openings, and a third closure component that seals the openings. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while collectively providing tamper indication capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The second closure component acts as an intermediary element between the first and third closure components. It provides the openings for ground spice to pass through while being sealed by the third component, creating a controlled pathway that indicates tampering when disturbed.
2Productivity
If the grinder allows ground spice to fall back into the container, then the structure is simple, but the dispensed pepper is a mixture of freshly and previously ground pepper
Solution Approach 1:
The first closure component is segmented into a main body with a bore and a partition structure within the bore. The partition creates separate zones: an upper grinding zone and a lower collection zone, preventing mixed pepper from falling back into the container.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition structure extracts and removes the problematic mixed pepper from the grinding path, allowing only freshly ground pepper to be dispensed through the controlled opening while preventing the return of partially ground material.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the second component is rotatable with respect to the first component, then grinding function is achieved, but the teeth spacing is fixed and cannot be adjusted
Solution Approach 1:
The grinder transitions from a static fixed-teeth-spacing design to a dynamic adjustable design. The second closure component can be rotated to different angular positions, changing the relative spacing between its teeth and the first component's teeth, allowing adaptability for different grinding coarseness requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanism allows periodic repositioning of the second component at discrete angular intervals. Each position provides a different teeth spacing configuration, enabling the user to select the appropriate grinding coarseness for different spice types and applications.
Data Source
AI summary
A spice grinder 14 is disclosed which comprises a first static component 12 including means for attaching it to a container 10, and a second rotatable component 16 which fits on the first component 12. The first component 12 has a tapering bore 26 with teeth 28 projecting inwardly from the surface of the bore 26, and the second component 16 has a toothed portion 44 in the bore. Grinding takes place in the gap between the teeth 28 44 of the components 12 16 when the second component 16 is rotated with respect to the first component 12. The second component 16 includes a transverse closure partition 34 with a set of openings 42 in it through which ground spice falls from the grinder 14 when it is in an inverted position, and a tamper evident closure component 54 seals off the openings 42. The grinder 14 can also include a stop element 88 secured to the second component 16. The stop element 88 encounters the first component 12 if an attempt is made to pull the second component 16 of the first component 12.