GB2305598A

GB2305598A - Food processor

Info

Publication number: GB2305598A
Application number: GB9519129A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin John Nicholson
Original assignee: Kenwood Marks Ltd
Current assignee: Kenwood Marks Ltd
Priority date: 1995-09-19
Filing date: 1995-09-19
Publication date: 1997-04-16
Also published as: GB9519129D0

Abstract

In a food processor, a removable food processing container is mounted on a base section 3 and has a lid 5. A spindle 11 has a plate 12 with a notch 14 into which a projection 13 on the lid 5 engages when the lid is turned to lock it onto the container. The base section 3 contains coupling means comprising a driver gear 21 driven by an electric motor (not shown) and an output gear 19 to drive a rotatable output shaft 20 upon which a food processing tool (not shown) can be removably mounted. An idler gear 18 is engageable with the gears 19,21 simultaneously and is rotatably mounted on a pivotal arm 16. Interengagement of the projection 13 and notch 14 turns the spindle 11 which pivots arm 16 and engages the idler gear 18 with gears 19,21 to enable drive to be transmitted from the motor to the shaft 20.

Description

FOOD PROCESSOR This invention relates to a food processor of the type comprising a body having a base, a container removably mounted on the base over a drive output for driving a food processing tool within the container, and a removable lid for the container. The processing tool may be designed to shred, chop, slice, or otherwise prepare food placed in the container.

Since the processing tool may have sharp blades which rotate at high speed, it is essential for safety reasons that such a processor can only operate when the lid is correctly in place on the container. In a known food processor, in order to provide a safety interlock, a part of the lid operates an electromechanical switch when the lid is correctly placed on the container, the switch connecting power to the electric motor of the food processor.

It is an object of the invention to provide a food processor having a simple and reliable alternative type of safety interlock.

Accordingly, the invention consists in a food processor comprising a body, a container removably mounted on the body, a removable lid for the container, a rotational drive output extending from the body into the container for driving a processing tool mounted inside the container, a motor mounted in the body for driving the drive output, and means for disengageably coupling the motor to the drive output, said coupling means being arranged to interengage the motor and drive output only whilst the lid is positioned on the container.

Preferably, the coupling means comprises a gearing arrangement including a driver gear drivable by the motor and an output gear operable to drive the drive output. The coupling means may also include an idler gear movable into engagement with the driver and output gears in order to couple together the motor and drive output. The coupling means may be arranged to effect the engagement of the idler gear with both the driver and output gears simultaneously.

Advantageously, the driver gear may be mounted coaxially with the output gear, the idler gear being generally cylindrical and having a length sufficient to engage with both the coaxial driver and output gears simultaneously. The drive output preferably comprises a rotatable shaft upon which the food processing tool is mounted, and the driver and output gears may be mounted coaxially with the rotational axis of the shaft.

Preferably, the lid has a part which mechanically operates the coupling means to couple the motor to the drive output whenever the lid is positioned on the container. The lid part may comprise a projection on the rim thereof, the projection being arranged to operate the coupling means when the lid is positioned on the container and turned relative to the container to a locked position.

In a specific arrangement, connecting means are provided between the lid part and the coupling means to enable the lid part to operate the coupling means. The connecting means may comprise a pivotal arm connected to the idler gear and an elongate member located between the lid part and the pivotal arm such that when the lid part is brought into engagement with the elongate member, the elongate member causes pivotal movement of the arm which in turn moves the idler gear into engagement with the driver and output gears.

The connecting means may also be arranged such that when the lid part is moved out of engagement with the elongate member the idler gear is disengaged from the driver and output gears.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a food processor according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of components of the food processor shown in Figure 1, with the lid in an unlocked position; Figure 3 is a view as in Figure 2, but with the lid in a locked position, and Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of certain compo nents of the food processor in the positions shown in Figures 2 and 3 respectively.

Referring to the Figures, the food processor comprises a body 1 having a base 2 and a removable food processing container 4 which is shown mounted on an upper base section 3. A lid 5 for the container 3 includes a feed tube 6 for feeding foodstuffs into the container.

A hollow cylinder 7 extends upwardly from the base section 3 beside the container 4 to substantially the same height as the top of the container and has a housing 8 mounted on its upper end.

Figures 2 and 3 show the internal components of the base section 3, cylinder 7 and housing 8, and for clarity do not show the container 4. A spindle 11, which is rotatably housed in the cylinder 7, has a plate 12 fixed to its upper end. The plate 12 has a notch 14 in its outer edge, into which a projection 13 on the rim of the lid 5 is arranged to engage as described in more detail hereinbelow. The lower end of the spindle 11 extends into the base section 3 and is provided with a projecting member 15.

The base section 3 contains coupling means which connect drive from an electric motor (not shown) mounted in the body 1 to a rotatable output shaft 20 upon which a food processing tool (not shown) is removably mounted. The coupling means comprise a driver gear 21, which is arranged to be driven by the motor, and an output gear 19, which is arranged to drive the shaft 20. Both gears 19,21 are mounted coaxially with the shaft 20, and an idler gear 18, which is generally cylindrical, is arranged to be engageable with both the driver and output gears 21, 19 simultaneously. The idler gear 18 is rotatably mounted on an arm 16 which is pivotal about an axis 17. The gears are shown in more detail in Figures 4 and 5.

The lid 5 interfits with the container 4 such that it must firstly be placed over the container and then turned into its locked position. Figures 2 and 4 show the position of the components when the lid is placed over the container.

As the lid is turned in the direction of the arrow in Figure 2, the projection 13 engages in the notch 14 of the plate 12 and turns the spindle 11. The interengaged projection 13 and notch 14 move into the housing 8 and are prevented from turning too far by a stop 9 on the housing. Once in this position, the lid is locked on the container and cannot be removed without turning the lid back to its initial position to release the projection 13. In the locked position, the projecting member 15 causes the arm 16 to pivot about an axis 17 and thus to move the idler gear 18 into engagement with both the driver gear 21 and the output gear 19 as shown in Figures 3 and 5. In this position, when the food processor is switched on, drive is transmitted from the motor to the driver gear 21, and hence to the output gear 19 and the drive shaft 20 via the idler gear 18.The drive shaft 20, which extends through a tubular aperture (not shown) in the base of the container 4, drives the processing tool mounted on the shaft inside the container.

In order to remove the lid 5, it must firstly be turned back to the position shown in Figure 2. This moves the spindle 11 and hence the arm 16 back to their initial positions, which disengages the idler gear 18 from the gear train. Thus no drive can be transmitted to the shaft 20 and the processing tool cannot be driven until the lid 5 is replaced on the container 4 in its locked position.

The present invention therefore prevents transmission of drive from the motor to the drive shaft and thus the processing tool unless the lid is positioned, and preferably locked, on the container.

Modifications may be made to the specific embodiment which has been described without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the arm 16 and/or spindle 11 may be resiliently biased towards the position shown in Figures 2 and 4 to aid in returning the coupling means to the disengaged position as soon as the lid is unlocked.

Claims

1. A food processor comprising a body, a container removably mounted on the body, a removable lid for the container, a rotational drive output extending from the body into the container for driving a processing tool mounted inside the container, a motor mounted in the body for driving the drive output, and means for disengageably coupling the motor to the drive output, said coupling means being arranged to interengage the motor and drive output only whilst the lid is positioned on the container.

2. A food processor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lid has a part which mechanically operates the coupling means to couple the motor to the drive output whenever the lid is positioned on the container.

3. A food processor as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lid part comprises a projection on the rim thereof, the projection being arranged to operate the coupling means when the lid is positioned on the container and turned relative to the container to a locked position.

4. A food processor as claimed in claim 3, wherein connecting means are provided between the lid part and the coupling means to enable the lid part to operate the coupling means.

5. A food processor as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the coupling means comprises a gearing arrangement including a driver gear drivable by the motor and an output gear operable to drive the drive output.

6. A food processor as claimed in claim 5, wherein the coupling means includes an idler gear movable into engagement with the driver and output gears in order to couple together the motor and drive output.

7. A food processor as claimed in claim 6, wherein the coupling means is arranged to effect the engagement of the idler gear with both the driver and output gears simultaneously.

8. A food processor as claimed in claim 7, wherein the driver gear is mounted coaxially with the output gear, the idler gear being generally cylindrical and having a length sufficient to engage with both the coaxial driver and output gears simultaneously.

9. A food processor as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the drive output comprises a rotatable shaft upon which the food processing tool is mounted, and the driver and output gears are mounted coaxially with the rotational axis of the shaft.

10. A food processor as claimed in claims 4 and 6, wherein the connecting means comprises a pivotal arm connected to the idler gear and an elongate member located between the lid part and the pivotal arm such that when the lid part is brought into engagement with the elongate member, the elongate member causes pivotal movement of the arm which in turn moves the idler gear into engagement with the driver and output gears.

11. A food processor as claimed in claim 10, wherein connecting means are arranged such that when the lid part is moved out of engagement with the elongate member the idler gear is disengaged from the driver and output gears.

12. A food processor substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.