Voice-Controlled Food Processing for Sanitary Hands-Free Operation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Food processing systems face challenges in maintaining sanitary conditions and improving terminal manipulability, as workers often need to detach their hands from food to operate manipulation terminals, and unaccustomed workers struggle with machine manipulation and navigating complex screens.

Innovation Solution

A food processing system that incorporates a sound input device and sound recognition technology, allowing workers to control food work devices using voice commands, which enables hands-free operation and simplifies screen navigation and motion failure handling through voice-activated processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If workers operate manipulation terminals with their hands, then they can control the food work device, but they cannot maintain sanitary conditions as hands must be detached from food

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesanitary conditionsVSAvoidterminal manipulability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical operation of the manipulation terminal with voice-based acoustic input. The sound input device captures voice commands, which are processed by sound recognition circuitry to control the food work device, eliminating the need for physical contact with the terminal and maintaining sanitary conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the manipulation terminal has complex screens and functions, then it provides comprehensive control, but unaccustomed workers struggle to navigate and manipulate it

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol functionalityVSAvoidterminal manipulability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables workers to issue commands naturally through voice without needing to learn complex terminal navigation. The sound recognition circuitry interprets voice inputs and automatically translates them into appropriate control signals for the food work device, making the system adaptable to workers of all skill levels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If workers physically interact with the manipulation terminal to handle motion failures, then they can address issues, but they compromise sanitary conditions by touching the terminal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesanitary conditionsVSAvoidmotion failure handling

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces physical interaction with the manipulation terminal during motion failure handling with voice-based acoustic input. Workers can report and manage motion failures through voice commands captured by the sound input device, eliminating the need to touch the terminal and maintaining sanitary conditions while addressing issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11238861B2Food processing system

Publication Date: 2022.02.01 YASKAWA DENKI KK

AI summary

A food processing system includes a food work device that performs predetermined work on a food, controller circuitry that controls the food work device, a sound input device that receives a sound made by a worker, and sound recognition circuitry that obtains and recognizes the input sound and, based on the recognized input sound, instructs the controller circuitry to control the food work device to perform predetermined processing.