GB2184346A

GB2184346A - Electrically operated fruit juicer

Info

Publication number: GB2184346A
Application number: GB08626402A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Borgmann; Egon Kunde
Original assignee: Robert Krups GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Robert Krups GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1985-12-20
Filing date: 1986-11-05
Publication date: 1987-06-24
Also published as: FR2591880A1; DE3545227C2; GB8626402D0; GB2184346B; FR2591880B1; DE3545227A1

Abstract

An appliance for processing and preparing food has an implement shaft (42, Fig. 1) which is drivable by an electric motor and whose upper end projects upwardly through the bottom wall of a receiving container and a sleeve like projection 51 thereon, and a drive sleeve 52 is mounted on the implement shaft. A basket 300 mounted on the receiving container has an apertured bottom wall 301 and an opening 302 through which extends a driving member 321. The driving member 321 is coupled to the upper end of the drive sleeve 52 and on its portion which extends through the opening 302 into the basket 300 has a pinion 340 which co-operates with a ring of teeth 345 on inner wall of a pressing cone 334 mounted in the basket 334 thereby to rotate the pressing cone 334. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Electrically operated appliance for processing and preparing food The invention relates to an electrically operated appliance for processing and preparing food.

Such an appliance may comprise a casing for mounting an electric motor and associated switching and control means, an implement shaft drivable by the electric motor and the upper end of which projects upwardly through the bottom wall of a receiving container and a sleeve-like projection thereon, a drive sleeve mounted on the implement shaft and a basket mounted on the receiving container and provided with an apertured bottom.

An electrically operated appliance of that kind is proposed in German patent application No. P 35 30 651.3 which is not a prior publication. In that proposed construction the basket disposed on the receiving container has a central opening thereon which is of non-round cross-section and on the boundary walls of which a planetary wheel housing is non-rotatably mounted; engaging through the housing is an entrainment member which in turn can be coupled to the free end of the drive sleeve and which has a sun wheel which co-operates with a planet wheel whose carrier is coupled to a pressing cone to provide a rotary drive therefor. In that proposed construction of electrically operated appliance, an adapter which is normally required in a food processor can be removed and in place thereof the entrainment member can be fitted onto the free end of the drive sleeve.Instead of the normal cover with a filling connection therein, the basket with its apertured bottom can be fitted onto the receiving container, for a juice squeezing operation. The planetary wheel transmission in the proposed prior design of the electrically operated appliance ensures that the pressing cone rotates only at a comparatively low speed. The arrangement is generally such as to provide that the speed of rotation of the pressing cone is reduced to about one fifth to one sixth that of the drive shaft. The juice produced is collected in the receiving container provided in the appliance so that there is no need to use an additional container for collecting the juice.

The proposed construction of such an electrically operated appliance operates satisfactorily and has the advantages referred to above.

However, a comparatively high level of expenditure is required insofar as it is necessary to use a planetary wheel transmission arrangement to drive the pressing cone.

According to the invention there is provided an electrically operated appliance for processing and preparing food comprising a casing for mounting an electric motor and associated switching and control means, an implement shaft drivable by the electric motor and the upper end of which projects upwardly through the bottom wall of a receiving container and a sleeve-like projection thereon, a drive sleeve mounted on the implement shaft and a basket mountable on the receiving container, having an apertured bottom and an opening through which passes an entrainment member, wherein the entrainment member is coupled to the upper end of the drive sleeve and, on its portion which projects through the opening into the basket, is provided with a tooth arrangement which co-operates with a counter-tooth arrangement provided on a pressing cone mounted in the basket to rotate the pressing cone.

Such a construction does not require an additional planetary transmission.

Thus the entrainment member itself is provided with a tooth arrangement and the pressing cone member is provided with the counter-tooth arrangement co-operating therewith.

It is of particular advantage that in both cases the tooth arrangement can be produced directly in the manufacture of the two parts, that is to say when manufacturing the entrainment member on the one hand and when manufacturing the pressing cone member on the other hand. In order in that arrangement to ensure that the pressing cone does not rotate at an excessively high speed in the basket, the tooth arrangement of the entrainment member for example comprises a total of thirteen teeth while the co-operating tooth arrangement of the pressing cone has seventy three teeth. That provides for a reduction in the speed of rotation of the rotating pressing cone, in comparison with that of the implement shaft.

The counter tooth arrangement preferably comprises a ring of teeth provided on the inside wall of and formed integral with the pressing cone.

Preferably the entrainment member is produced in one piece, advantageously of a plastics material, and has a lower hollow cylinder co-operating with the insulating sleeve and an upper hollow cylinder which is adjoined by the tooth arrangement. The lower hollow cylinder is provided with such coupling means as correspond to those provided at the outside surface of the drive sleeve. That permits the entrainment member to be easily fitted onto the upper end of the drive sleeve.

It is recommended that disposed adjoining the tooth arrangement of the entrainment member is a forward free end which is reduced in respect of diameter compared with the upper hoilow cylinder and which engages guidingly into an annular space in the pressing cone. Such a guide arrangement can ensure that the two co-operating tooth arrangements on the entrainment member and the pressing cone securely remain in their position of mutal engagement.

It is desirable for the annular space to be formed on the one hand by regions of the inside wali of the pressing cone and an inner boundary wall thereof. The above-mentioned boundary wall can be moulded integral with the remainder of the pressing cone so that there is no need for separate manufacture and subsequent assembly thereof.

Preferably the bottom wall of the basket, at the middle thereof, has a mounting sleeve for receiving the forward end of a projection of the pressing cone member and the opening for the entrainment member is provided in the bottom wall of the basket laterally of the mounting sleeve. That means that the opening is disposed eccentrically relative to the centre, with respect to the basket, while the mounting sleeve is arranged at the centre of the basket. The opening for the entrainment member is of such a configuration in three-dimensional terms that the upper parts of the entrainment member can be easily and simply passed therethrough so that, as is desired, they can project into the interior of the basket and can there co-operate with the tooth arrangement on the pressing cone and with the guide wall portions respectively.It is desirable in that respect for the aperture to be of approximately oval configuration in plan view.

The projection on the pressing cone which engages into the mounting sleeve in the basket is preferably formed directly on the inside wall surface of the pressing cone. When considered in cross-section, it is preferably of a star-like or radiating configuration, wherein the length of the limb portions of that configuration are the same as each other. It is generally provided that the arrangement uses only four limb portions which each include an angle of 90" relative to each other.

The forward free end of the central projection of the pressing cone co-operates with the flat floor of the mounting sleeve. It is thereby supported against the floor of the sleeve. In order to reduce friction, the forward free end of the projection on the pressing cone is rounded and is preferably of a circular configuration.

A projection may be arranged on the outside surface of the pressing cone, more specifically being disposed at the underside in the direct vicinity of the filter bottom of the basket. The projection can serve to apply a pressure to the pulp of the fruit which has been pressed out. The projection may also be used as a handle.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partly sectioned front view of an electrically operated appliance according to the invention for processing and preparing food, with a basket fitted onto a receiving container, in the working position thereof; Figure 2 is a view on an enlarged scale in partly broken-away form in section through the appiiance of Figure 1, wherein, as in Figure 1, the section is taken through a pressing cone member in different planes; and Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 111- 111 in Figure 1.

It should first be mentioned that the accompanying drawings only show those parts of the appliance which are important in regard to understanding the invention. In particular the drawings do not show the electrical supply lines, circuit arrangements and switching and control means co-operating therewith. It should be expressly mentioned that all parts of the appliance which are not shown in the drawings can be of per se known design.

The appliance shown comprises a casing 30 in which an electric motor and control and switching means are disposed. The casing 30 has a casing base portion 31 and is of substantially L-shaped configuration. A receiving container which is generally identified by reference numeral 32 is supported on the surface of the base portion 31 which is beside the casing 30. The container 32 which is advantageously made from a transparent plastics material is supported in known fashion on the base portion 31 and secured to prevent it from being iifted therefrom and to prevent longitudinai sliding movement thereover. The container 32 has a handle 33 formed thereon.

A cover with a filling connection, which is used in normal operation of the appliance, is removed from the container 32 when an operation of squeezing juice from a piece of fruit is to be effected, and is replaced by a basket which is generally identified by reference numeral 300 and the design of which will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

Disposed in the casing 30 is a per se known electric motor which is not visible in Figure 1 of the drawings. However, Figure 1 shows a motor cover 36 which substantially encloses the motor with the exception of its lower region which is towards the base portion 31.

The electric motor has a motor shaft 37 whose free end projects into a hollow space in the base portion 31 and there carries a pulley 38 co-operating with a belt, preferably a toothed belt 39. The toothed belt 39 is passed around a drive pulley 40 of substantially larger diameter. In the illustrated embodiment, the drive pulley 40 is formed at the same time as a fan wheel and at its peripheral surface has a plurality of teeth which co-operate in per se known manner with teeth on the toothed belt 39.

The drive pulley 40 which is in the form of a fan wheel is arranged on the lower end of an implement shaft 42, which lower end projects into the hollow space in the base portion 31.

The base portion 31 is of a two-part configuration, and the two parts can be held to gether by known means which are therefore not shown in the drawings. A lower part which is not identified in greater detail, of the base portion 31 of the casing, rests on a surface, for example a table top. An upper part 45 of the base portion 31 has a flush opening 47 therein through which the implement shaft 42 extends. The flush opening 47 is disposed in a top wall 46 of the upper part 45 of the base portion 31, which top wall 46 biends into a peripheral wall of the upper part 45 by way of a step. At its underside, the container 32 has projections 49 which are integral with and project downwards from a bottom wall 50 of the container 32.The projections 49 which are disposed at a spacing from each other co-operate with the outside surface of the above-mentioned step so that the container 32 cannot be displaced transversely on the base portion 31. Also formed integral with the bottom wall 50 of the container 32 is an upwardly extending sleeve-like projection 51. The upper end of the implement shaft 42 projects into the sleeve-like projection 51. The implement shaft 42 has stepped reductions in its diameter and has two fixing regions which are not shown in the drawing and which may be for example in the form of knurled or milled portions on its outside surface. The fixing portions serve to provide a firm connection to a drive sleeve which is generally identified by reference numeral 52 and which is made in one piece from a plastics material and which is closed in an upward direction.The lower end of the drive sleeve 52 which is disposed beneath the bottom wall 50 of the container 32 is in the form of a flange which is arranged in a space between the top wall 46 of the base portion 31 and the bottom wall 50 of the container 32. The flange ensures that any liquid which, in use of the electrically operated appliance, ieaks through the sleeve-like projection 51 from the container 32 into the space between the top wall 46 and the bottom wall 50 of the container 32 is thrown outwardly.

Provided on the outside of the drive sleeve 52 are coupling splines 55 which co-operate with coupling splines 323 of an entrainment member generally identified by reference numeral 321.

As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2, disposed on the container 32, in place of the cover which would normally be provided, is a basket 300 with an apertured bottom wall 301. The apertured bottom wall 301 of the basket 300 has a multiplicity of apertures 306, as can best be seen from Figure 3 of the drawings. That means that the major part of the bottom wall 301 of the basket 300 is in the form of a filter or sieve. Figure 3 also shows that the apertures 306 are disposed in a regular arrangement, including slots which are disposed on a circular arc. The slots are of smaller dimensions adjacent the centre of the bottom wall 301 than in the areas thereof which are more remote from the centre.Disposed in a part of the peripheral wall of the basket 300 which is above the container 32 are further slots which are normal to the firstmentioned slots and which are of the same configuration as each other. They are disposed substantially radially and are at the same spacings from each other. On the other hand that part of the bottom wall 301 which is identified by reference numeral 349 does not have any slots therein since that part is not over the container 32, as can best be seen from Figure 2.

The entrainment member 321 is provided on its region which extends into the basket 300 with a tooth arrangement 340 co-operating with a ring of teeth 345 provided on a pressing cone 334.

The- entrainment member 321 is produced in one piece from plastics material. It comprises a lower hollow cylinder 322 co-operating with the drive sleeve 52, and an upper hollow cylinder 325 which includes the tooth arrangement 340.

Figure 3 of the drawings also shows that a free end 341 of the entrainment member 321 adjoining the tooth arrangement 340 on the entrainment member 321 is reduced in diameter. The end 341 engages guidingly in an annular space 342 in the pressing cone 334.

In the illustrated embodiment, the ring of teeth 345 are formed integral with the lower inner wall of the pressing cone 334. Disposed above the ring of teeth 345 of the pressing cone 334 is a boundary wall 344. A further boundary wall 343 is arranged at a spacing therefrom. The annular space 342 into which the front free end 341 of the entrainment member 321 engages is formed between the two walls 343 and 344.

It should also be added that the lower hollow cylinder 322 of the entrainment member 321 is provided on its inside walls with the splines 323 co-operating with the splines 55 on the drive sleeve 52. Disposed at the junction between the lower hollow cylinder portion 322 and the upper hollow cylinder portion of the entrainment member 321 is an annular masking flange 324 which covers the upper opening of the sleeve-like projection 51 of the container 32. That therefore prevents juice which drips away from the bottom wall 301 from penetrating into the interior of the sleeve-like projection 51.

The basket 300 is a one-piece plastics body defining a large volume receiving space and has a handle 307. In the operating position of the basket 300, the handle 307 lies above the handle 33 of the container 32. Formed on a lower region of the outside surface of the basket 33 is a hook 308 which in the working position of the basket 300 engages into a slot 310 which is of L-shaped cross-section, in the region of the upper boundary edge of the con tainer 32, as can be seen from Figure 2. In order to fix the working position of the basket 300, the hook 308 is provided on its upper boundary surface at a position indicated at 309 with a locking or retaining means cooperating in known fashion with a further locking or retaining means (not identified) on the container 32.

Diametrically opposite the hook 308 of the basket 300 is a projecting enlargement portion 311 which acts as a component of a safety arrangement. That means that it is only when the portion 3llengages into a slot in the adjacent casing 300 that parts of the switching means disposed therein are actuated, to put the appliance into a readiness condition. It is only when the appliance has been put into its readiness condition that the motor can be switched on and thus the working shaft and the components associated therewith can rotate.

As shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the basket 300 has an upper part which projects out of the container 32, is substantially in the form of a hollow cylinder and, as viewed in Figure 2, has a portion which extends towards the left away from the outside peripheral casing portion 350, the outwardly projecting portion being closed by a flat cover 351. The flat cover 351 is of a sickle-like configuration in plan view. The enlargement portion 311 is disposed in the middle of the sickle-like region, projecting outwardly therefrom (see in that respect Figure 2 of the drawings).

The working implement associated with the basket 300 is the pressing cone 334 which is hollow, thus providing an internal space or cavity 336. A projection 335 extends into the space 336 and extends substantially over the entire length of the pressing cone 334. The projection 335 is of a star-like configuration in cross-section and has a rounded front end 347. The projection 335 engages by means of its front end 347 in a receiving sleeve 348 which is disposed in the middle of the bottom wall 301. The illustrated embodiment uses a construction in which the sleeve 348 is formed or moulded on the basket 300, that is to say, the receiving sleeve 348 and the basket 300 are made in one piece. The rounded front end 347 of the projection 335 bears against the floor of the sleeve 348. The end of the projection 335 is rounded in order to reduce friction.

Beside the sleeve 348, the bottom wall 301 has an aperture 302 therethrough, which is oval in plan view in the illustrated embodiment. The upper end of the entrainment member 321 engages through the aperture 302 in such a way that the tooth arrangement 340 on the entrainment member 321 can co-operate with the ring of teeth 345 on the pressing cone 334.

The outside surface of the pressing cone 334 also has a terminal flange 346 which delimits the front free opening of the pressing cone 334. Provided on a part of the flange 346, as shown in Figure 2, is an outwardly projecting projection 339 which is located in the direct vicinity of the bottom wall 301 and which can therefore co-operate with fruit pulp which has been pressed out. The projection 339 can also be used as a handle.

The pressing cone 334 is of per se known construction. It comprises a peripheral surface with raised or ridge portions 337 and depressed or trough portions 338 which blend into each other without any gap, thereby providing a closed peripheral surface. The sectional view in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings are such that the section at the left-hand half of the drawings goes through a raised or ridge portion 337 while the section at the right-hand side in Figure 2 goes through the bottom of the trough portion 338. That means that the bottom of the trough portion is visible at the right-hand side of each of Figures 1 and 2.

When the appliance is used the pressing cone 334 rotates while the basket 300 is held in position, more particularly by the abovementioned locking or retaining means 309 and co-operating locking or retaining means which releasably connect it to the container 32. As the number of teeth of the tooth arrangement 340 in the illustrated embodiment is thirteen and the number of teeth of the ring of teeth 345 on the pressing cone 334 is seventythree, the pressing cone 334 rotates relatively slowly. The user can then apply for example half of an orange or a lemon to the outside surface of the pressing cone 334 in known fashion, and press it in a direction towards the bottom of the container 32. That results in the juice being pressed from the fruit in known fashion, the juice running through the apertures 306 in the bottom wall 301 and into the container 32 where it is collected. A spout or nozzle on the container 32 then makes it easy to pour the juice out into another vessel. The residues remain lying on the bottom wall 301.

Claims

1. An electrically operated appliance for processing and preparing food comprising a casing for mounting an electric motor and associated switching and control means, an implement shaft drivable by the electric motor and the upper end of which projects upwardly through the bottom wall of a receiving container and a sleeve-like projection thereon, a drive sleeve mounted on the implement shaft and a basket mountable on the receiving container, having an apertured bottom and an opening through which passes an entrainment member, wherein the entrainment member is coupled to the upper end of the drive sleeve and, on its portion which projects through the opening into the basket, is provided with a tooth arrangement which co-operates with a counter-tooth arrangement provided on a pressing cone mounted in the basket to rotate the pressing cone.

2. An electrically operated appliance according to claim 1, in which the counter tooth arrangement comprises a ring of teeth provided on the inside wall of and formed integral with the pressing cone.

3. An electrically operated appliance according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the entrainment member is integrally made from a plastics material and has a lower hollow cylinder co-operating with the drive sleeve and an upper hollow cylinder mounting the tooth arrangement.

4. An electrically operated appliance according to claim 3, in which the tooth arrangement of the entrainment member is on a forward free end portion thereof which is reduced in diameter compared with the upper hollow cylinder and which guidingly engages into an annular space of the pressing cone.

5. An electrically operated appliance according to claim 4, in which the annular space is defined between the inside wall of the pressing cone and an inner boundary wall thereof.

6. An electrically operated appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the bottom wall of the basket, at the middle thereof, has a mounting sleeve for receiving the forward end of a projection of the pressing cone and the opening for the entrainment member is provided in the bottom wall of the basket laterally of the mounting sleeve.

7. An electrically operated appliance according to claim 6, in which the forward free end of the projection of the pressing cone co-operates with the flat floor of the mounting sleeve.

8. An electrically operated appliance for processing and preparing food substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.