GB2081115A

GB2081115A - A whisk for a domestic food mixer or processor

Info

Publication number: GB2081115A
Application number: GB8020638A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Thorn Domestic Appliances Electrical Ltd
Current assignee: Electrical and Musical Industries Ltd
Priority date: 1980-06-24
Filing date: 1980-06-24
Publication date: 1982-02-17

Abstract

A paddle 12, 14 extending radially from a hub is apertured at 20 so that some of the food in the bowl is pushed around whilst some of the food passes through the aperture or apertures. This produces a differential shearing action on the food that enhances the whisking. The whisk is particularly effective upon eggs and can be used to whisk a single egg. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A whisk for a domestic food mixing device The present invention relates to a whisk for a domestic food mixing device, especially but not exclusively, a food mixing device of the type known a a food processor.

Many designs of food mixing device have been proposed in the past. In recent years, so-called food processors have been produced in which the mixing bowl is of a very "square" shape, having a flat circular base and an annular upstanding wall which meets the base in a relatively small radius of curvature. Such a construction is satisfactory, but when one attempts to whisk items such as eggs, it is difficult to provide a whisk which is capable of whisking a single egg or alternatively quite a large number of eggs.

It is now proposed, according to the present invention, to provide a whisk for a domestic food mixing device having a bowl, said whisk comprising a hub securable to a rotatable shaft of the food mixing device, at least one radially extending paddle mounted on said blade, the paddle having at least one aperture therein.

With this construction, the paddle rotates, usually fairly rapidly, for example at 500 rpm, within the food substance, for example, eggs, being whisked.

There is, in effect, a differential between the action on certain parts of the food being mixed and other parts. Some of the material being whisked will simply be swept by the paddle itself, while the remainder can pass through the aperture and it is this differential shearing action produced, which causes an effective whisking action. Because the paddle can be arranged to be close to the bottom of the bowl, and can be arranged to extend close to the sides of the bowl, it is perfectly possible to whisk a single egg in the bowl. Equally, the paddle can operate on a large number of eggs at the same time.

Advantageously, there are a plurality of radially spaced apertures in the or each paddle. A large number of apertures, of course, produces a greater number of differential shearing operations.

If there are a plurality of paddles, these are preferably equi-angularly spaced around the hub, to give dynamic balancing of the whisk. There are preferably two paddles provided to extend in diametrally opposite directions. As indicated, the lower edge of the paddles are preferably so shaped that they conform to the bottom of the bowl and the radially outer edges of the paddle or paddles are shaped to conform to the shape of the inside of the side of the bowl.

Desirably, the upper side of the or each paddle has a recess therein, preferably or curvilinear, e.g. circu lar profile. With this arrangement, a proportion of the material being whisked will pass over the top of the paddle, through the recess, this enhancing the shearing effect.

Preferably the upper edge is inclined at an angle, during rotation of the whisk, to urge the food being whisked downwardly. This prevents the whisked material frothing up too much. Preferably the radially outermost portions are inclined downwardly in this way.

While the paddles of the whisk can be made of any material, it is preferred that they should be made of a plastics material, since this will not cause any damage to the bowl.

In order that the present invention may more readily be understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of one embodiment of whisk according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a side elevation of the whisk of Figure 1.

The whisk illustrated includes a hub 10 provided with a central bore 11 shaped to conform to the shape of the drive shaft of the mixing device (not shown). The hub 10 is provided with two radially extending paddles 12 and 14, these extending in diametrally opposite directions.

The bottom edges 13 and 15 of the paddles 12 and 14 respectively, are arranged in a common plane which is substantially at right angles to the axis 16 of the hub 10. Similarly, the outer edges of the paddles, indicated by the reference numerals 17 and 18 respectively, are disposed parallel to the axis 16 at an equal distance therefrom.

It will be seen that the paddles each have four apertures 20 therein, these apertures being radially spaced from one another. The upper edge of each paddle is provided with a recess 21, 22, the radially outer portion of the top of the paddle being angled downwardly, for example at 50 to the horizontal, as shown at 23. It will be appreciated that the recess moves smoothly into these bent down portions 23 in a curvilinear, preferably circular form.

In use, the whisk is attached to the shaft ofthe mixing device and the arrangement is such that the lower edges 13, 15 are closely adjacent to the bottom of the bowl and the side edges 17, 18 are closely adjacent to the inside of the side of the bowl. As the whisk is rotated, with the bent down portions 23 leading, there will be a strong shearing action on any egg or similar material being whisked by the action of the paddles passing therethrough. There will be differential shearing action caused by some of the material being whisked passing through the aperturves 20. If there is a substantial quantity of material being whisked in the bowl, for example, there are two or three or more eggs, then some of these will flow over the recesses 21, 22 to give a further differential shearing. The portions 23 will prevent the material frothing up too violently.

1. Four a domestic food mixing device having a drive motor four rotating a drive shaft and a bowl to contain food to be mixed, a whisk comprising a hub securable to said shaft and at least one paddle extending from said hub in a radial direction with respect to the axis of rotation of the shaft, the whisk

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A whisk for a domestic food mixing device The present invention relates to a whisk for a domestic food mixing device, especially but not exclusively, a food mixing device of the type known a a food processor. Many designs of food mixing device have been proposed in the past. In recent years, so-called food processors have been produced in which the mixing bowl is of a very "square" shape, having a flat circular base and an annular upstanding wall which meets the base in a relatively small radius of curvature. Such a construction is satisfactory, but when one attempts to whisk items such as eggs, it is difficult to provide a whisk which is capable of whisking a single egg or alternatively quite a large number of eggs. It is now proposed, according to the present invention, to provide a whisk for a domestic food mixing device having a bowl, said whisk comprising a hub securable to a rotatable shaft of the food mixing device, at least one radially extending paddle mounted on said blade, the paddle having at least one aperture therein. With this construction, the paddle rotates, usually fairly rapidly, for example at 500 rpm, within the food substance, for example, eggs, being whisked. There is, in effect, a differential between the action on certain parts of the food being mixed and other parts. Some of the material being whisked will simply be swept by the paddle itself, while the remainder can pass through the aperture and it is this differential shearing action produced, which causes an effective whisking action. Because the paddle can be arranged to be close to the bottom of the bowl, and can be arranged to extend close to the sides of the bowl, it is perfectly possible to whisk a single egg in the bowl. Equally, the paddle can operate on a large number of eggs at the same time. Advantageously, there are a plurality of radially spaced apertures in the or each paddle. A large number of apertures, of course, produces a greater number of differential shearing operations. If there are a plurality of paddles, these are preferably equi-angularly spaced around the hub, to give dynamic balancing of the whisk. There are preferably two paddles provided to extend in diametrally opposite directions. As indicated, the lower edge of the paddles are preferably so shaped that they conform to the bottom of the bowl and the radially outer edges of the paddle or paddles are shaped to conform to the shape of the inside of the side of the bowl. Desirably, the upper side of the or each paddle has a recess therein, preferably or curvilinear, e.g. circu lar profile. With this arrangement, a proportion of the material being whisked will pass over the top of the paddle, through the recess, this enhancing the shearing effect. Preferably the upper edge is inclined at an angle, during rotation of the whisk, to urge the food being whisked downwardly. This prevents the whisked material frothing up too much. Preferably the radially outermost portions are inclined downwardly in this way. While the paddles of the whisk can be made of any material, it is preferred that they should be made of a plastics material, since this will not cause any damage to the bowl. In order that the present invention may more readily be understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of one embodiment of whisk according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a side elevation of the whisk of Figure 1. The whisk illustrated includes a hub 10 provided with a central bore 11 shaped to conform to the shape of the drive shaft of the mixing device (not shown). The hub 10 is provided with two radially extending paddles 12 and 14, these extending in diametrally opposite directions. The bottom edges 13 and 15 of the paddles 12 and 14 respectively, are arranged in a common plane which is substantially at right angles to the axis 16 of the hub 10. Similarly, the outer edges of the paddles, indicated by the reference numerals 17 and 18 respectively, are disposed parallel to the axis 16 at an equal distance therefrom. It will be seen that the paddles each have four apertures 20 therein, these apertures being radially spaced from one another. The upper edge of each paddle is provided with a recess 21, 22, the radially outer portion of the top of the paddle being angled downwardly, for example at 50 to the horizontal, as shown at 23. It will be appreciated that the recess moves smoothly into these bent down portions 23 in a curvilinear, preferably circular form. In use, the whisk is attached to the shaft ofthe mixing device and the arrangement is such that the lower edges 13, 15 are closely adjacent to the bottom of the bowl and the side edges 17, 18 are closely adjacent to the inside of the side of the bowl. As the whisk is rotated, with the bent down portions 23 leading, there will be a strong shearing action on any egg or similar material being whisked by the action of the paddles passing therethrough. There will be differential shearing action caused by some of the material being whisked passing through the aperturves 20. If there is a substantial quantity of material being whisked in the bowl, for example, there are two or three or more eggs, then some of these will flow over the recesses 21, 22 to give a further differential shearing. The portions 23 will prevent the material frothing up too violently. CLAIMS

1. Four a domestic food mixing device having a drive motor four rotating a drive shaft and a bowl to contain food to be mixed, a whisk comprising a hub securable to said shaft and at least one paddle extending from said hub in a radial direction with respect to the axis of rotation of the shaft, the whisk being disposed during operation so that the paddle lies within said bowl, and the paddle being formed with at least one aperture through which the food being mixed can pass during rotation of the paddle by means of said motor.

2. A whisk according to Claim 1 wherein said at least one paddle is formed with a flat lower surface which, in operation, lies closely adjacent the base of said bowl.

3. A whisk according to either of claims 1 or 2 wherein said at least one paddle has its radially outer extremity formed with a flat surface which, in operation, lies closely adjacent a side of the bowl.

4. A whisk according to any preceding claim wherein said at least one paddle is formed with a plurality of apertures.

5. A whisk according to Claim 4 wherein said apertures are radially spaced.

6. A whisk according to any preceding claim including a plurality of said paddles.

7. A whisk according to Claim 6 wherein said paddles are equi-angularly spaced around said hub.

8. A whisk according to any preceding claim wherein the upper edge of the or each paddle is formed with a recess of curvilinear profile.

9. A whisk according to any preceding claim wherein the upper edge of the radially outermost portion of the or each paddle is inclined to urge the food being whisked down towards the base of said bowl.

10. Awhisk, according to any preceding claim, constructed of plastics material.

11. A whisk substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings or modified as herein described.