Spice Mill Threaded Adjustment for Continuous Grind Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spice mills face difficulties in adjusting the degree of grinding due to cumbersome force application and unclear indication of the grinding setting, making it hard for users to adjust the grinder in a simple and user-friendly manner.
Innovation Solution
A spice mill design featuring a thread on the adjusting element that connects to a container with a counter-thread, allowing for precise adjustment of the rotor's position through rotation, eliminating the need for circumferential grooves and incorporating anti-reverse locking elements to secure the adjustment element, ensuring easy adjustment and preventing accidental unscrewing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If circumferential grooves spaced apart longitudinally are used to define specific grind sizes, then discrete grind settings are achieved, but the force required to adjust the grinder becomes cumbersome and difficult to apply
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical groove-based adjustment system with a magnetic field-based system. The rotor contains magnetic elements arranged in circumferential grooves, and the stator contains corresponding magnetic elements. By rotating the rotor relative to the stator, different magnetic pole configurations are achieved, providing discrete grind settings without requiring physical grooves that engage with adjustment mechanisms. This substitution eliminates the need for cumbersome mechanical adjustment forces while maintaining precise grind size control.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple circumferential grooves are provided at different positions, then different grind sizes can be selected, but it becomes difficult for users to see which grind setting the grinder is currently in
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates visual indicators that change or become visible based on the rotor's rotational position. These indicators allow users to easily see which grind setting is currently active by observing the position of the rotor relative to the stator. The visual feedback mechanism enables users to identify the current grind setting without having to understand complex mechanical positions or feel for different groove configurations.
3Ease of operation
If the adjusting element can be freely rotated for continuous adjustment, then smooth and precise adjustment is enabled, but the adjusting element may be completely unscrewed from the container
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a stop mechanism that prevents the rotor from rotating beyond a certain position where the adjusting element would completely unscrew from the container. This stop mechanism applies preliminary anti-action by physically limiting the rotational range before complete detachment can occur. The stop ensures that the adjusting element remains retained on the container while still allowing continuous rotation for smooth and precise grind size adjustment within the safe operational range.
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 simple, precise, and secure adjustment of the grinding degree with a continuous range of settings, ensuring the grinder can be easily unscrewed and preventing accidental detachment, thus enhancing user experience and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the spring element is elastically deformed over the ramp surface and slides over the projection
Implementation Method 2
the rotational movement of the adjusting element is effectively converted into a linear movement of the actuating unit and thus of the rotor
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a spice mill (2) having a container (9) and having a grinder (1) which comprises the following: a stator (6), wherein the stator (6) can be connected to the container (9) and the position of the stator (6), when connected, is substantially defined in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the grinder (1) relative to the container (9); an actuating unit (4), which has a rotor (5), wherein the rotor (5) is arranged at least in portions within the stator (6) and is mounted rotatably relative to the stator (6), wherein the rotor (5) is connected for conjoint rotation to an actuating element (4a) and the actuating element (4a) is rotatably connected to an adjusting element (3) and is secured in the direction of the longitudinal axis (18), wherein the adjusting element (3) has a thread by means of which it can be connected to the container (9) such that the position of the rotor (5) is adjustable in the direction of the longitudinal axis (18) by means of a rotation of the adjusting element (3) relative to the container (9).