Touch-Control Blender Housing to Prevent Accidental Operation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional blenders face issues with accidental button presses causing unintentional operations and food/liquid leakage, leading to potential damage and malfunction due to the presence of physical push buttons and gaps that allow external forces and substances to interfere with internal components.

Innovation Solution

A blender design featuring a metal outer case with integrated touch input portions that eliminate physical push buttons and gaps, utilizing touch sensors to detect user inputs and control motor operations, ensuring secure operation and preventing external interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If physical push buttons are used for user input, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to accidental presses and damage from external forces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidreliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces physical push buttons with a touch sensor that detects touch input through capacitive or resistive sensing. This eliminates mechanical moving parts that can be accidentally pressed or damaged, while maintaining ease of operation through intuitive touch interaction on the front surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The touch input portion is formed as a thin film or surface layer integrated into the front surface of the main body. This flexible, flat structure eliminates gaps and protrusions, preventing food and liquid ingress while providing a smooth surface that is easy to clean and maintain.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Ease of operation

If physical push buttons with gaps are used, then ease of operation is improved, but object-affected harmful factors worsen due to food and liquid introduction through gaps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidobject-affected harmful factors

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanical push button structure with inherent gaps is replaced by a flat touch sensor surface. This eliminates the gap problem entirely, as the touch sensor can be integrated flush with the front surface, preventing food and liquid from entering internal components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The problematic gap structure is completely removed from the design. The touch input portion is integrated directly into the front surface without creating any openings or channels that could allow food and liquid ingress, while still providing functional input capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If protruding push buttons are used, then ease of operation is improved, but strength deteriorates as buttons and internal components become vulnerable to damage from strong instantaneous forces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidstrength

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The protruding mechanical push button is replaced by a flat touch sensor surface that is integrated into the front panel. This eliminates the structural weakness of protruding elements that can be damaged by strong forces, while the touch sensor technology provides sufficient sensitivity for normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The touch input portion is merged with the front surface of the main body, creating a unified, flat structure. This integration strengthens the overall construction by eliminating separate protruding components and their associated mounting structures that would be vulnerable to damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 enhances user convenience by allowing precise control over motor operation times through touch inputs, reduces the risk of accidental operations, and protects internal components from food and liquid ingress, thereby improving reliability and durability.

Implementation Method 1

a touch sensor disposed on an inner surface of the outer case at a position corresponding to the position of the touch input portion and detecting touch manipulation input to the touch input portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTouch sensor detection:

Data Source

PatentEP3995057B1blender

Publication Date: 2023.08.02 LG ELECTRONICS INC

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AI summary

A blender, comprising a jar (10) placed onto a main body (30) comprising a motor (51) and a controller (610), wherein the main body (30) comprises an outer case (31) made of metal and defining an outer appearance of the main body (30), wherein the outer case (31) comprises a touch input portion (319) on an outer upper surface thereof,wherein a touch sensor (654) is disposed on an inner surface of the outer case (30) at a position corresponding to the position of the touch input portion (319) and is configured to detect touch manipulation input to the touch input portion (319), and wherein the controller (640, 610) is configured to determine an operation time period of the motor (51) based on a number of inputs of the touch manipulation detected by the touch sensor (654).