FR2681279A1 - Hopper for introducing food substances into an appliance for processing food - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the invention, the hopper (4) includes, at its upper part, a groove (6) intended to receive a collar (2) bearing a hollow tube (3). Applications: obtaining hoppers with variable internal diameters.

Description

HOPPER FOR INTRODUCING FOOD INTO AN APPARATUS
FOOD PROCESSING.

The present invention relates to a hopper for introducing food into a food processing appliance, such as a vegetable cutter, for example intended in particular but not exclusively for professional appliances, that is to say appliances having to work. at high rates.

The need for such rates arises, in particular, from the seasonal nature of vegetable or agricultural production and from the need to process fruit or vegetables very quickly, especially in canneries in order to avoid their degradation.

Food processing devices are well known and usually include an electric motor which can drive in rotation, successively, a multiplicity of tools mounted on the motor shaft, inside a tank. These devices make it possible to cut, mince and / or mix food products.

For reasons of safety and hygiene, the tank is closed by a cover and this cover has at least one eccentric hopper, chimney or chute for introducing foodstuffs and possibly ingredients projecting from the upper part of the cover and opening out. in the tank at its bottom. This hopper is necessary on the one hand for safety reasons and on the other hand to guide the solid products perpendicular to the working plane of the tools.

The problem which arises and which is resolved by the invention stems from the fact that the products to be treated are of different dimensions and it is clear that the introduction of a cabbage cannot be done by a chute intended for the introduction of carrots.

It has already been proposed to provide tubes or hoppers of different diameters on the cover, but, since their number is limited, the hopper is rarely well suited to a given size of product. On the other hand, this solution is expensive.

The object of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks.

According to the present invention, the hopper for introducing food into a food processing apparatus comprises at least one hollow hopper integral with the cover and opening at the bottom of the latter is characterized in that the hopper has at its top a groove for the introduction of a flange inside which is fixed a hollow tube into which a pusher can penetrate.

It is thus possible to vary the inside diameter of the hopper by mounting inside it various tubes of different diameters, the external diameter of the flange being of course constant to ensure the positioning of the tube.

The invention is not limited to the single case of a circular section hopper but can be applied to any other section.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear during the description which follows of particular embodiments given by way of nonlimiting examples with reference to the figures which represent - FIG. 1, a hopper according to the invention in Which one is
mounted a first tube; - Figure 2, the same hopper inside which is
mounted a second tube.

In Figure 1 there is a cover 5, for example aluminum comprising one or more hoppers 4. These hoppers are constituted by hollow cylindrical chimneys and can have a diameter for example of 75 mm. At the upper part of the hopper there is also provided a circular groove 6, the function of which is to receive a ring or collar 2, for example made of acetal resin. Inside the ring 2 is integrated the upper part of a guide tube 3. The guide tube 3 is used for the passage of products which are pushed by a pusher 1.

The only difference between Figures 1 and 2 is that the diameter of the tubes 3 is different. In FIG. 1, the diameter of the tube 3 is large while it is much smaller in FIG. 2.

In practice, each hopper is associated with a set of tubes of different diameters and, for example of ten different diameters, which are mounted in the hoppers as required. Of course, each tube is associated with a pusher of corresponding diameter.

The hoppers themselves can either be integral with the cover and come to be molded therewith, or are mounted inside the latter also by means of a lower flange 7. In practice, two hoppers have proved to be sufficient.

It is thus possible to suitably adapt the diameter of the tubes to the dimensions of the products, which saves time during the processing thereof.

It goes without saying that many variants can be introduced, in particular by substitution of technically equivalent means without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (2)

1. Hopper for introducing food into a  food processing comprising a cover forming  a tank, said cover comprising at least one hopper  hollow food inlet protruding from the surface  top of the lid and opening into the tank at the  lower part of the cover, characterized in that the  hopper (4) has at its upper part a groove (6)  for the introduction of a flange (2) inside  which is fixed a hollow tube (3) whose height is  substantially equal to that of the hopper (4) in which  can penetrate a pusher (1). 2. Hopper according to claim 1, characterized in that  that it has at its lower part a collar  lower (7) fixing the hopper (4) on the  cover (5).