GB2230428A

GB2230428A - Food processor

Info

Publication number: GB2230428A
Application number: GB9001780A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John William Mcclean
Original assignee: Breville R&D Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Breville R&D Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1989-04-19
Filing date: 1990-01-25
Publication date: 1990-10-24
Also published as: FR2646075A1; CA2006822A1; GB9001780D0

Abstract

A portable food processor comprises a blade type processing unit (not shown) and a disc type slicing/shredding unit (27) which are interchangeably mountable between a base (10) and a cover (18), the interchangeable units being of different heights. The cover (18) is provided with a projecting lug (31) which can enter either of the slots (32) or (33) in order to raise an electrical contact to a position where the push button (23) can then actuate the drive motor. <IMAGE>

Description

DESCRIPTION A PORTABLE FOOD PROCESSOR The present invention relates to a portable food processor which is adapted for the general processing of foodstuffs and also for the slicing and shredding of foodstuffs.

The object of the invention is to provide a small compact portable machine that is capable of functioning both as a food processor and as a slicer and shredder by the provision of a basic unit that can be set up in two different configurations one of which adapts it to food processing and the other to slicing and shredding.

The present invention consists in a portable food processor characterised in that it comprises a basic unit consisting of a base constructed and arranged to stand on a work surface, an electric motor contained within the base arranged to drive either a slicing or shredding unit or a food processing unit and an upwardly projecting handle portion by which the apparatus may be lifted attached to the base, there being associated with the base and removable therefrom an upper portion including a feed tube through which foodstuffs can be fed vertically, the base and the upper portion being constructed so that the upper portion can be assembled to the base in two different configurations in one of which the basic unit receives a food processing unit consisting of a container having a food processing blade rotatable therein to be driven by said electric motor and in the other of which the basic unit receives a slicing or shredding unit including a substantially horizontally arranged disc arranged to be driven through said electric motor, the disc being associated with means defining a space connected to an outlet member constructed and arranged to deliver material sliced or shredded by the disc in a downward direction to a receptacle, the slicing or shredding unit and the food processor unit being of different heights.It is preferred that means are provided for controlling the operation of the electric motor including a manually operable switch and a set of contacts, means on said upper portion coacting with said switch whereby in both said configurations the contacts cannot be closed manually unless the upper portion is properly engaged with the base and with either the slicing or shredding unit or the food processing unit.

In order that the nature of the invention may be better understood a preferred form thereof is hereinafter described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a food processor in which the invention is embodied in the first configuration with a food processing unit in place; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the basic unit in the other configuration with a slicing and shredding member in position; and Figures 3, 4 and 5 are sectional views illustrating the operation of the switch controlling the electric motor.

In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings the basic unit consists of a base 10 moulded in plastic material having feet 11 by means of which it is supported on a level working surface.

Within the base 10 is an electric motor 13 which drives shaft 14 through a gear box 15 and also drives a fan 16.

To the base there is permanently attached an upstanding handle portion 17 by means of which the whole apparatus can be lifted.

To the top of the base 10 there is removably attached an upper portion 18 which is connected to the base by means of a bayonet joint such that the upper portion is fixed to the base by a slight relative rotation and disengaged by rotation in the opposite direction.

The upper portion consists of a cover 19 on which is mounted a feed tube 21 through which food to be sliced, grated or processed may be pressed by the cylindrical presser 22 that fits closely within the feed tube 21. The motor is controlled by an electric switch operating button 23 that may be operated by a user when holding the handle 17.

The upper portion 18 and the base 10 are arranged in such a way that they may be assembled as shown in Fig. 1 or as shown in Fig. 2. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 there is a greater space between the lower end of the feed tube 21 and the base to receive a food processor unit 24 consisting of a cylindrical container 25 having within it a rotatable blade 26 driven by means of the motor shaft 14. The cover 19 fits closely over the cylindrical container 25 of the food processing unit 24. The food processor works in a quite conventional manner and does not require detailed description.

In the configuration of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2, the food processor unit 24 is replaced by a slicing or shredding unit 27 which consists of a plastic body containing a steel slicing or shredding disc 28 and having a downwardly facing outlet 30. In this configuration the upper portion 18 and the base 10 are in similar relative positions but the upper portion is lowered in relation to the base to accommodate the shallower slicing or shredding unit 27 the disc 28 being arranged to be rotated by the drive shaft 14 and to deliver grated material to the space 29 whence it passes out through the outlet 30. As is best seen in Fig. 2, the upper portion 18 is provided with a projecting lug 3 that fits within an upper slot 32 in the first configuration of Fig. 1 and into slot 33 in the second configuration of Fig. 2.The cover 19 in this configuration fits closely over the slicing or shredding unit 27.

The construction and operation of the switch controlling the electric motor 13 is illustrated in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 the last three figures being a sectional view of the handle portion in the direction of the arrow A of Fig. 1. The switch itself consists of contacts 34 and 35. When these contacts are closed the motor is energised. The upper contact 34 can be moved down by depressing the switch button 23 which acts through the rod 36. This rod is biased upwardly by the spring 37 so that when the operating button 23 is released the contact 34 moves upwardly.

The lower contact 35 is connected to the rod 38 which is biased'downwardly by the spring 39. The rod 38 has on it two projections 41 and 42 which are arranged respectively opposite the slots 32 and 33.

In fig. 3 the contacts 34 and 35 are fully separated the rod 36 being held upwardly by the spring 37 and the rod 38 being held downwardly by the spring 39.

Figure 4 illustrates the situation in which the operating button 23 has been pressed to lower the contact 34 but in which the upper portion 18 has not been engaged with the base 10. As is seen the contact 34 cannot be depressed far enough to make contact with the contact 35. If however, as is illustrated in Figure 5, the projecting lug 31 attached to the upper portion 18 is projecting into either the slot 32 or the slot 33 this lug interacts with either the projection 41 or the projection 42 on the rod 38 to lift the lower contact 35 so that a contact is made between the contacts 34 and 35. In this position if the operating button 23 is released the contact 34 rises and the motor is switched off. Thus the operation of the motor can be pulsed by pressing and releasing the operating button 23.

The arrangement above guards against the possibility of the motor being operated when the cover 19 is not in position leaving either the rotatable blade 26 or the slicing or shredding disc 27 exposed.

In order to carry out food processing the food processing unit 24 is inserted in postion on the base 10 and the rotatable blade 26 is engaged with the drive shaft 14. The upper portion is then set in place and rotated slightly to bring the projecting lug 31 into the slot 32. The food processing unit is then held firmly in position and food for processing may be inserted through the feed tube 21.

To carry out slicing or shredding, the food processing unit may be readily removed by reversing the steps described above and replaced by the slicing or shredding unit 27 which, being shallower than the food processer unit 24, requires that the u --.er portion 18 and the cover 19 should be lowered in relation to the base, permitting the projecting lug 31 to be inserted in the slot 33.

The invention thus provides a very simple and portable form of apparatus for carrying out either food processing or shredding or slicing.

Claims

1. A portable food processor characterised in that it comprises a basic unit consisting of a base constructed and arranged to stand on a work surface, an electric motor contained within the base arranged to drive either a slicing or shredding unit or a food processing unit and an upwardly projecting handle portion by which the apparatus may be lifted attached to the base, there being associated with the base and removable therefrom an upper portion including a feed tube through which foodstuffs can be fed vertically, the base and the upper portion being constructed so that the upper portion can be assembled to the base in two different configurations in one of which the basic unit receives a food processing unit consisting of a container having a food processing blade rotatable therein to be driven by said electric motor and in the other of which the basic unit receives a slicing or shredding unit including a substantially horizontally arranged disc arranged to be driven through said electric motor, the disc being associated with means defining a space connected to an outlet member constructed and arranged to deliver material sliced or shredded by the disc in a downward direction to a receptacle, the slicing or shredding unit and the food processor unit being of different heights.

2. A portable food processor as claimed in claim 1 wherein means are provided for controlling the operation of the electric motor including a manually operable switch and a set of contacts, means on said upper portion coacting with said switch whereby in both said configurations the contacts cannot be closed manually unless the upper portion is properly engaged with the base and with either the slicing or shredding unit or the food processing unit.

3. A portable food processor as claimed in claim 2 wherein the manually operable switch and the set of contacts are contained within the handle portion, a switch button being provided on the handle portion for manual operation.

4. A portable food processor substantially as described hereinbefore with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.