Spring-Returned Blade Assembly for Hand-Held Food Processors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hand-held food processors often lack sufficient torque and rotational momentum for effective food processing, and existing blade assemblies are suboptimal, with blades typically exposed after use, requiring user intervention for rearrangement.
Innovation Solution
A blade assembly with a hub coupled to a drive shaft, featuring a first blade that rotates between positions and is biased by a coil spring to return to a phase alignment with a second fixed blade after use, allowing automatic rearrangement without user contact and maximizing momentum for efficient processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a hand crank drive mechanism is used, then the device can be hand-powered, but it lacks sufficient torque and rotational momentum for effective food processing
Solution Approach 1:
The first blade is made rotatable relative to the hub rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position during rotation. This enables the blade to optimize its orientation for cutting while maintaining rotational momentum, improving food processing effectiveness without requiring increased power input.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing member (spring) pre-positions the first blade in a retracted or optimized orientation before rotation begins. This preliminary positioning ensures the blade is ready to engage food items effectively from the start of rotation, maximizing the utilization of available torque and rotational momentum.
2Extent of automation
If the blade is fixedly coupled to the hub, then the structure is simple, but the blade cannot be automatically rearranged into a covered configuration after use
Solution Approach 1:
The first blade is designed to automatically return to its initial position (first position) after the hub stops rotating, using the biasing member to self-retract without user intervention. This enables automatic blade coverage and rearrangement, improving safety and convenience while minimizing the need for complex manual operation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable coupling between the first blade and hub allows the blade to move between different positions (first and second positions) during operation and automatically return to the first position after use. This dynamic capability enables automatic rearrangement into a covered configuration without requiring additional actuators or complex mechanisms.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the first blade remains in the second position after use, then the blade is exposed and requires user contact for rearrangement, but returning to the first position ensures blade coverage and safety
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing member automatically returns the first blade to the first position (retracted/covers position) when the hub ceases rotation, eliminating the need for user intervention to cover the blade. This self-service mechanism reduces user exposure to sharp blades and improves safety without adding operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing member continuously exerts a force to return the blade to the safe first position, counteracting any tendency of the blade to remain in the exposed second position. This preliminary counter-action ensures the blade is automatically covered after use, preventing harmful exposure and eliminating the need for user contact with the blade.
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 solution provides enhanced torque and rotational momentum for effective food processing, ensuring blades are safely covered after use, reducing user exposure and improving processing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing member configured to bias the first blade toward the first position such that, when the hub ceases to rotate after use the first bladed returns to the first position
Implementation Method 2
the biasing member includes a coil spring having a first end and a second end, the coil spring being fixedly coupled to the hub toward the first end and being fixedly coupled to the first blade toward the second end
Data Source
AI summary
A blade assembly for use with a food processor includes a hub configured to be coupled to a drive shaft of the food processor, a first blade rotatably coupled to the hub and configured to rotate with respect to the hub at least up to a predetermined angle with respect to a second blade, which is fixedly coupled to the hub. The first blade is rotatable between a first position in which it is in phase with the second blade for receiving a blade guard protecting both blades, and a second position, in which the first blade is out of phase with the second blade for optimally processing a food item in the food processor, the blade assembly also including a biasing member for returning the first blade to the first position after use.