Fruit or vegetable peeler

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vegetable peelers lack the flexibility to adjust the angle of the pendulum blade relative to the handle, limiting their ability to efficiently peel various shapes and sizes of fruits and vegetables, as they can only be set at fixed angles or require complex and cumbersome mechanisms that are prone to user error.

Innovation Solution

A vegetable peeler with a semicircular blade holder and a handle head featuring complementary, curved profile formations allows for continuous adjustment of the blade's angle by interlocking in a displaceable and positionable manner, enabling multiple adjustable settings without the need for separate components, ensuring secure locking to prevent backlash.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If fixed angle settings are used for the pendulum blade, then the device structure is simple, but the adaptability to different produce shapes is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different produce shapesVSAvoiddevice structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The blade holder is made adjustable relative to the handle, allowing the pendulum blade angle to be dynamically changed according to different peeling needs. The blade holder can be positioned at multiple angles (0°, 45°, 90°) relative to the handle longitudinal axis, transforming a static structure into a dynamic one that adapts to different produce geometries

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The peeler is divided into separable components: the handle, the blade holder, and the pendulum blade. The blade holder can be independently adjusted and locked at different angular positions relative to the handle, allowing modular adjustment of the blade orientation without redesigning the entire device

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple fixed angle positions are provided, then the versatility improves, but the device becomes more complex and cumbersome

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of angle settingsVSAvoidadjustment mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The blade holder is made adjustable relative to the handle, allowing the pendulum blade angle to be dynamically changed according to different peeling needs. The blade holder can be positioned at multiple angles (0°, 45°, 90°) relative to the handle longitudinal axis, transforming a static structure into a dynamic one that adapts to different produce geometries

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The blade holder incorporates a self-locking mechanism with a locking element that automatically engages with locking positions on the handle. The user simply needs to press a release element to adjust the angle, and the mechanism automatically locks into place, eliminating the need for complex manual locking procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If a complex adjustment mechanism is used to achieve multiple angles, then the adaptability improves, but the reliability decreases due to potential user error and component loss

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblade angle adjustabilityVSAvoidadjustment stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The blade holder incorporates a self-locking mechanism with a locking element that automatically engages with locking positions on the handle. The user simply needs to press a release element to adjust the angle, and the mechanism automatically locks into place, eliminating the need for complex manual locking procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

A spring element acts as an intermediary between the locking element and the blade holder, providing automatic engagement force and ensuring positive locking. The spring maintains constant pressure on the locking element, ensuring reliable engagement without requiring additional adjustment steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3123906B1Fruit or vegetable peeler
Publication Date: 2020.09.02 SCHWARZ KITCHEN SELECTION SA
  • EP3123906B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1c
  • EP3123906B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b

AI summary

A vegetable peeler (1) has a handle (10) and a blade holder (11) arranged on a handle head (101) of the handle (10) and having an adjustable pendulum blade (110), the pendulum blade (110) rotating at an angle (α) between a blade swing axis direction (K) and a handle longitudinal axis direction (L) of the handle (10) is arranged adjustable. The blade holder (11) is essentially semi-circular and is provided with a blade holder profile formed on the outer circumference (113) of the blade holder (11). Furthermore, there is a handle head profile on the handle head (101) that is complementary to the blade holder profile, such that the blade holder profile and the handle head profile can be slid and positioned in one another so that the blade holder (11) can be continuously adjusted on the handle (10) for adjustment of the angle (α).