GB2411134A

GB2411134A - Food processor with multi-functional cutting tool

Info

Publication number: GB2411134A
Application number: GB0403633A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wei-Chih Lin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-02-18
Filing date: 2004-02-18
Publication date: 2005-08-24
Anticipated expiration: 2024-02-18
Also published as: GB2411134B; GB0403633D0

Abstract

A food processor comprises a base 20 containing a motor, a compartment 30 and a lid section 50. Threaded spindle 22 emerges from base 20 and receives in order, spill shield 91, strainer basket 90 and cutting tool 40. Cutting tool 40 consists of a disk with radial serrated cutters 412 and peripheral grinding layer 411 on one surface thereof Lid section 50 includes chute 53 which has a flange 56 with second grinding layer 57 disposed thereon. Chute 53 may receive one of a number of pushers 61, 71, which may be configured to impede access by the food to various regions of the cutting tool. In use, base 20, compartment 30 and lid 50 are secured together such that grinding layers 411 and 57 may co-operate with one another. To juice or crush an item of food, pusher 60 is used to urge the food portion against the whole of the cutting tool 40, including the grinding layers 411 and cutters 412. For coarser cutting, tubular pusher 70 is used. This pusher is configured to obscure grinding layer 411 of the cutting tool and thus the food is urged against cutters 412 only.

Description

2411 134 TITLE: A PEELING, GRINDING, BREAKING AND BLENDING DEVICE FOR

FOOD, VEGETABLES AND FRUITS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the invention

The present invention is related to a peeling, grinding, breaking and blending device for food, vegetables and fruits, and especially to such a device which can save storing space and simplify operation procedure, and is applicable to use as a food processor having the twin functions of squeezing juice and grinding food.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Following advancing of times, especially progressing development in industry and commerce and high development of earth, people need much more energy on their work, and yet get less and less physical exercises. As a result, they gradually feel degradation of their body functions that threats their health. The importance of exercises, hence are not only deeply recognized, but the healthfulness of food and beverages are also more required.

In the eating and drinking respect, balance is very important. In view of this, there have been various food processors for grinding food and for squeezing juice in order that people can obtain nutritious supplements from them quickly. However, the principle of a common food processor is to have food chopped and blended by high speed turning of cutting knives. Thereby, after high speed cutting, nutrients in the food are rapidly oxidized and lost; and if the fibers in the food are too coarse, they are hard to be absorbed by a human body even after the food are chopped and breaking. Such food processors thereby are undesired.

And more, a conventional food processor such as the food processor l depicted in Figs. 1 and 2, includes a set of elements 2 and two different sets of cooperating cutting combinations (3, 4), they can cut vegetables and fruits with low speed, and can grind foods and beans with coarser fibers, the food processor though has a variety of functions for use, it has the following flaws: 1. The food processor stated has numerous members in combinations in order to get various functions; it needs quite a large storing space.

2. When in using a different function, the structure assembled from the members must be dismantled before mounting another set of elements; the dismantling and mounting work is quite time consuming when in need of such changing of function.

3. The food processor does not have the function of grinding when in cutting vegetables and fruits as well as squeezing juice, the nutrients in the fruit peels and seeds can not be released, this make a large loss in taking nutrients.

4. In grinding bean foods, the food processor is having an upper set of grinding teeth and a lower set of grinding teeth able of engaging with each other directly to grind; when in use, due to the lager granules of the beans, they are hard to enter the grinding area, and when the upper and lower sets of grinding teeth having nothing to grind, they will be blocked and can not operate. This not only makes a user inconvenient, but also makes the transmitting motor fail or even burn to induce danger.

In view of these, to overcome the above flaws, the food processor of the present invention with its members simplified is developed by the inventor of the present invention based on his professional experience of years and continuous studying.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a peeling, grinding, breaking and blending device for food, vegetables and fruits, it allows direct changing for another set of elements without dismantling l0 the entire structure when in performing different work from one to the other between squeezing juice from vegetables and fruits and grinding beans, thus different functions can be performed easily.

The secondary object of the present invention is to provide a peeling, grinding, breaking and blending device for food, vegetables and fruits, it allows performing functions of cutting and grinding, and can avoid blocking and inability of operating of the upper and lower sets of grinding teeth due to the overly large granules of the beans.

To achieve the above stated objects of the present invention, the peeling, grinding, breaking and blending device for food, vegetables and fruits of the present invention comprises a base having an operating motor therein, a lower cover, a filtering net, a cutting and grinding disk, and an upper cover. The lower cover is mounted on the upper end of the base and has a receiving space for receiving the filtering net and the cutting and grinding disk, while the upper cover is mounted on the upper end of lower cover. The base is provided therein with an operating motor, and is provided on the upper end thereof with a connecting portion rotatable synchronically with the operating motor. The connecting portion is upwardly connected with the cutting and grinding disk and has the filtering net clamp therebetween. It is characterized in that the cutting disk and the grinding disk is combined as a cutting and grinding disk provided on the upper surface inside thereof with a plurality of toothed knives, and provided on the upper surface peripherally thereof and outside of the toothed knives with a grinding layer. The upper cover is provided with a through hole extending therethrough downwardly from above, the through hole has on the bottom thereof an annular grinding layer. The through hole can be used for replacing a first combination set by a second combination set. The second combination set is provided with a feed-in hole and has an impediment layer on the bottom end thereof. Thereby, when using the function of squeezing juice, vegetables and fruits are placed in through the through hole of the upper cover, the toothed knives of the cutting and grinding disk perform cutting, and the grinding layer provided outside of the toothed knives performs grinding together with the annular grinding layer of the upper cover. When grinding food, the second combination set is placed from above the upper cover to take the place of the first combination set, then food is placed in through the feed-in hole of the second combination set, the speed of displacement of the food is retarded by the impediment layer in favor of direct cutting and grinding.

The present invention will be apparent after reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof in reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. I is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a conventional food processor; Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of another conventional food processor; Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a nearly completely assembled embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing use of the embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing another mode of use of the embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 7 is a schematic sectional view showing use of the present invention in juice squeezing from vegetables and fruits; Fig. 8 is a schematic sectional view showing use of the present invention in food grinding.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring firstly to Figs. 3-6 depicting a most preferred embodiment of a peeling, grinding, breaking and blending device 10 for food, vegetables and fruits of the present invention, the present invention comprises: a base 20, a lower cover 30, a cutting and grinding disk 40, an upper cover 50, a first combination set 60 and a second combination set 70. l

The base 20 is in the shape of a cylinder, it is provided on the upper end peripherally thereof with a plurality of symmetrically arranged first engaging members 21, and is provided therein with an operating motor 25 (as shown in Fig. 5). The operating motor 25 is 5provided on the upper end thereof with an external thread 22 as a connecting portion that protrudes out of the upper end of the base 20.

The lower cover 30 is mounted on the base 20, it is provided with a juice outlet 31 and has therein a receiving room 32. The lower cover 30 is provided on the bottom of the periphery thereof with a plurality of 10symmetrically arranged first protruding portions 33 for engaging the first engaging members 21 of the base 20; and is provided on the top of the periphery thereof with a plurality of symmetrically arranged second engaging members 34.

The cutting and grinding disk 40 includes an acting portion 41 and 15a fixing portion 42. The acting portion 41 has on the upper end thereof a plurality of screw holes 411; the fixing portion 42 has a plurality of screw holes 421 in correspondence with those of the acting portion 41 (as shown in Fig. 6), and is screw-connected integrally with the acting portion 41. The fixing portion 42 is provided in the middle on the 20bottom end thereof with an inner screw hole 422 to be connected with the external thread 22 provided on the upper end of the base 20, and thereby it can be synchronically rotated with the operating motor 25.

The acting portion 41 is provided on the upper surface inside thereof with a plurality of toothed knives 412 arranged equidistantly around the 25circle of the acting portion 41; the toothed knives 412 is provided outside thereof with a grinding layer 413. The screw holes 411 on the acting portion 41 form a plurality of insertion connecting portions 414 after screw connecting, when a specified tool (not shown) is inserted therein, it can be used to rotate the cutting and grinding disk 40 to fix the base 20 or to be released from the base 20.

The cutting and grinding disk 40 and the base 20 clamp therebetween a filtering net 90 for filtering juice and a plastic disk 91 for preventing juice from leaking and dropping down. The cutting and grinding disk 40, the filtering net 90 and the plastic disk 91 are all lO received in the receiving room 32 of the lower cover 30.

The upper cover 50 covers the lower cover 30, it is extended outwardly toward one side thereof to form two arciform protrusions 5 l, and is provided on two lateral sides thereof with two symmetrically arranged protrusions 52 for engaging the second engaging members 34 of the lower cover 30. The upper cover 50 is provided in the middle on the bottom end thereof with a pipe 53 protruding outwardly, the pipe 53 is provided therein with a through hole 54 extending therethrough downwardly from above, the through hole 54 has a plurality of connecting grooves 55, the pipe 53 is protruded outwardly to form an annular flange 56 having on the bottom end thereof an annular grinding layer 57.

The first combination set 60 is a stepped cylinder, its upper cylinder portion 61 is used as a holding portion, and its lower cylinder portion 62 is allowed to place in the through hole 54 of the upper cover 50.

The second combination set 70 can be used alternately with the first combination set 60, and is a stepped cylinder, its upper cylinder portion 71 is used as a holding portion, and its lower cylinder portion 72 is provided on the periphery thereof with a plurality of stubs 73; the stubs 73 when being put into the inner side of through hole 54 of the upper cover 54 by cooperation of the connecting grooves 55 with the and the stubs 73, the upper cover SO can be connected with the lower cylinder portion 72. The second combination set 70 is provided coaxially thereof with a feed-in hole 74, it has an impediment layer 75 lO on the bottom end thereof, the impediment layer 75 is tapered inwardly to have a truncated conical shape.

Referring to Fig. 7, when using the function of squeezing juice, vegetables and fruits are placed in through the through hole 54 of the upper cover 50 then the lower cylinder potion 62 is used to press down the vegetables and fruits; and the toothed knives 412 of the cutting and grinding disk 40 perform cutting to make the vegetables and fruits fine shreds and juice, the grinding layer 413 provided outside of the toothed knives 412 performs grinding together with the annular grinding layer 57 of the upper cover 50, thereby the fine shreds are once more processed to render the finally obtained juice to pass the filtering net 90 and flow out of the juice outlet 31, while the coarse fibers that are hard to be absorbed by human bodies are sprayed into a dregs receiver 80 for collection. When in grinding food (such as soy beans), the second combination set 70 is placed from above the upper cover 50 to take the place of the first combination set 60, then food is placed in through the feed-in hole 74, the speed of displacement of the food is impeded and retarded by the impediment layer 75 with a tapered truncated conical shape, and the food is cut into fine dregs, then is again ground (as shown in Fig. 8).

The present invention thereby has the following advantages: 1. The present invention allows direct changing between the first combination set and the second combination set for different use for squeezing juice and grinding beans respectively without dismantling the entire structure, thus operation of changing members is simplified, and components are simplified too to effectively reduce the space for storing.

2. The present invention performs cutting by using toothed knives provided on the upper surface inside of the cutting and grinding disk and the grinding layer provided peripherally of the cutting and grinding disk; no matter the vegetables and fruits are to be squeezed out juice or the beans are to be ground, the vegetables and fruits can be cut into fine shreds and then ground, this not only can substantially release the nutrients of them, but also can avoid blocking of the grinding layers due to the overly large granules of the beans during grinding.

In conclusion, the present invention can get the expected objects thereof to provide to a peeling, grinding, breaking and blending device for food, vegetables and fruits, which device can save receiving space and simplify operation procedure, and has the twin functions of squeezing juice and grinding food.

Claims

CLAIM S: 1. A peeling, grinding, breaking and blending device for food,

vegetables and fruits, said device comprises a base having an operating motor therein, a lower cover, a filtering net, a cutting and grinding disk and a upper cover, wherein said lower cover mounted on the upper end of the said base and having a receiving room for receiving said filtering net and said cutting and grinding disk; said upper cover mounted on the upper end of said low cover; further, a connecting portion is provided on the upper end thereof said base rotatable synchronically with said operating motor; said connecting portion is upwardly connected with said cutting and grinding disk and has said filtering net clamp therebetween; it is characterized by that a cutting disk and a grinding disk is combined as said cutting and grinding disk provided on the upper surface inside thereof with a plurality of toothed knives, and provided on the upper surface peripherally thereof and outside of the toothed knives with a grinding layer; said upper cover is provided with a through hole extending therethrough downwardly from above, said through hole has on the bottom thereof an annular grinding layer and can be used for replacing a first combination set by a second combination set; said second combination set is provided with a feed-in hole and has an impediment layer on the bottom end thereof.
2. The device as in claim l, wherein said first combination set and said second combination set each has an end as a holding portion, and the other end of each is placed in said through hole of said upper cover when said first combination set and said second combination set are changed with each other.
3. The device as in claim 1, wherein said second combination set is provided on the periphery thereof with a plurality of stubs, and said upper cover is provided with a plurality of connecting grooves in corresponding respectively to said stubs for connecting of said first combination set and said second combination set with said upper cover.
4. The device as in claim 1, wherein said impediment layer of said second combination set is tapered inwardly to have a truncated conical shape.
5. The device as in claim 1, wherein said base is provided on said upper end peripherally thereof with a plurality of engaging members; said lower cover is provided on the periphery thereof with a plurality of symmetrically arranged protruding portions for engaging said engaging members.
6. The device as in claim 1, wherein said lower cover is provided on the periphery thereof with a plurality of engaging members, said upper cover is provided with a plurality of protrusions for engaging with said second engaging members of said lower cover.
7. The device as stated herein with reference to as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.