Spice Grinder Locking Arm for Low-Torque Jar Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spice mill systems with rigid projections for locking fail to provide adequate protection against unscrewing, especially for small jars, and require excessive assembly torque for large jars due to the need for deformation to 'snap over' the reverse rotation lock, making them difficult to assemble and secure.
Innovation Solution
A spice mill with a resilient arm that moves outwardly about an imaginary pivot point to slide over a ramped projection on the glass jar, snapping back to securely block reverse rotation, and featuring a contact edge for enhanced locking, optionally cut at an angle and integrated with the screw-on part.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigid projections are used for locking the spice mill to the glass jar, then the anti-twist device provides protection against unscrewing, but for small jars at the lower tolerance limit, the locking protection is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the mechanical parameter of the locking component from rigid to resilient, allowing the arm to deform elastically. This enables the locking mechanism to adapt to tolerance variations in small jars while maintaining reliable locking through the resilient nature of the arm that snaps back into place
2Reliability
If rigid projections are used for locking the spice mill to the glass jar, then the anti-twist device provides protection against unscrewing, but for large jars at the upper tolerance limit, enormous assembly torques are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the mechanical parameter of the locking component from rigid to resilient, allowing the arm to deform elastically during assembly. This absorbs the tolerance variations in large jars without requiring enormous assembly torques, as the resilient arm flexes to accommodate the projection and then snaps back into the locked position
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic behavior to the locking mechanism by making the arm resilient rather than rigid. The arm dynamically deforms during the assembly process to accommodate tolerance variations and then returns to its original position, providing locking without requiring excessive force
3Reliability
If the projection on the spice grinder snaps over the projection on the glass, then the spice mill is locked against reverse rotation, but large deformation and stretching of the plastic part is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the mechanical parameter of the locking component from rigid to resilient, allowing the arm to deform elastically rather than requiring large plastic deformation and stretching. The resilient arm flexes to accommodate the projection and then snaps back, providing reverse rotation blocking with minimal material deformation
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
The dynamic system ensures secure locking without the need for excessive deformation or assembly torque, allowing easy screwing onto jars and preventing unscrewing, while maintaining ease of assembly and use.
Implementation Method 1
the resilient arm moves outwards in a resilient manner about an imaginary pivot point and slides over the ramped projection
Implementation Method 2
the resilient arm moves outwards in a resilient manner about an imaginary pivot point and slides over the ramped projection. When screwing on a spice mill designed according to the invention, the resilient arm slides easily over the projection on the glass, then snaps back and securely blocks the spice mill from turning back
Data Source
Figure 1a~2
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AI summary
A spice mill is to be screwed onto a glass jar (13) containing the spice, the jar (13) having at least one outwardly projecting projection (15) which interacts with an inwardly projecting projection (12) on the screw-on part (10) of the spice mill in such a way that, after the two projections (12, 15) have moved past each other when screwing the spice mill onto the jar (13), back-tightening is prevented. The projection (12) arranged on the screw-on part (10) of the spice mill is a spring-loaded arm. This ensures a reliable action without overloading the screw-on part.