GB2475542A - Collapsible whisk attachment - Google Patents

Abstract

A whisk, typically an attachment for an electric appliance, comprises a shaft or handle 2 having a two-part collar 3, and several wires or other elongate elements 4, 5, each bent so that together they form a cage-like tool, with each end of each wire being attached to a respective location on the collar. The two parts of the collar 6, 7 are capable of relative rotation, with the ends of some of the wires 8 being attached to one collar part and the ends of other wires 9 being attached to the other, allowing the whisk to be converted, by rotation of the collar parts, from a conventional whisk shape for usage into an opened and less three-dimensional structure for cleaning, storage and packaging. Preferably, the collar parts can be latched together, at least when in their operational condition, so that they are not relatively displaced during use of the tool.

Description

WHISKS

This invention relates to whisks, and it relates in particular (though not exclusively) to whisks configured for use as attachments to electrically driven kitchen appliances such as blenders and food mixers.

Whisks are well-known and widely employed in the preparation of foodstuffs and drinks. By and large, they comprise a shaft or handle fitted with a circular boss which supports both ends of several elongated elements of wire, plastics or other materials. Typically, each element is bent so as to proceed transversely and axially away from the boss, transversely across the axis of the shaft or handle of the whisk and then transversely and axially back to the boss; the ends of the various elements being disposed circumferentially around the boss such that, in total, they form a somewhat onion-shaped tool which has proved to be simple, reliable and effective in operation, whether used by hand or attached to a powered kitchen appliance. Accordingly, aside from changes to the bending patterns of the elongated elements, leading to changes in the overall shape of the tool (some of these changes being style or design related and some dictated by function), and changes in the materials used for the principal components, whisks have changed very little over the years.

Despite the tacit acceptance that whisk design has been optimised, however, problems associated with their use remain. In particular, the onion-shaped, cage-like structures which they present are difficult to clean, especially when used with sticky or glutinous ingredients. Moreover, their three-dimensional profile requires a good deal of storage space; a problem which also applies to economically packaging such tools for sale and distribution.

It is an object of this invention to address at least one of the aforementioned problems.

According to the invention there is provided a whisk comprising a shaft or handle bearing, at or near one end thereof, a collar means, and a plurality of elongate elements bent or otherwise configured to form a cage-like and somewhat onion-shaped tool, with each end of each said element being attached to a respective location on the collar means; the whisk being characterised in that the collar means comprises at least two collars capable of relative rotation, the ends of some of said elements being attached to one of said collars and the ends of others of said elements being attached to another of said collars. By this means, the whisk can be converted, simply by relative rotation of the collars, from one condition, in which the elements form a conventional whisk shape for usage, and into another condition, in which the elements form an opened and less three-dimensional structure, for cleaning, storage and packaging.

In one preferred embodiment, two collars are employed; each supporting both ends of about one half of the total number of elongated elements.

However, it is not essential for the collars to carry equal numbers of elements, and the elements may be unequally distributed, depending upon the overall cleaning and/or storage characteristics achieved in relation to particular shaping, materials choices and/or functional or operational characteristics.

In other embodiments, three or more collars may be used.

It is preferred that the collars are latched in their relative conditions for operation and cleaning/storage, and further preferred that positive and tactile latching means are provided, at least in the operative condition, such that a user is readily able to discern when the tool is ready for use, and moreover such that the collars will not tend to become relatively displaced during use of the tool.

It will be appreciated that, in utilising the elongated elements to make up the three-dimensional, onion-like shape for the whisk, individual elements are disposed at respective positions so that, in total, they make up the required three-dimensional form. Thus, individual elements are disposed in sequence around the form and it is preferred that the elements attached to each collar comprise respective groups of neighbouring elements in the sequence, rather than having alternate, sequential elements attached to different collars. This provides for better alignment between the elements attached to different collars when the whisk is moved into its cleaning/storage condition, and enables the cleaning/storage configuration to be optimised without compromising the operational format of the whisk.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, one embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows a whisk according to one example of the invention, disposed in an operational condition; and Figure 2 shows the whisk disposed in its cleaning/storage condition.

Referring now to the drawings, the whisk 1 comprises a shaft 2, by means of which it can be fitted to a drive outlet of an electrically powered kitchen appliance, such as a hand blender or a food mixer, neither of which are shown, as their details are not relevant to this invention. If the whisk were intended for manual usage, it will be appreciated that the shaft 2 would be replaced by a handle.

Reverting to the drawings, the shaft 2 bears, at or near one end thereof, a collar means 3 which supports a plurality of elongate elements, such as 4 and 5, each of which is bent or otherwise configured such that the elements define, in total, a three-dimensional tool which is cage-like and somewhat onion-shaped. Each end of each element such as 4 or 5 is attached to a respective location on the collar means 3; the arrangement in this example being such that the two ends of each element such as 4 or 5 are disposed substantially diametrically opposite one another on the collar means 3.

In accordance with this example of the invention, the collar means 3 comprises two individual collars 6 and 7; these collars being capable of relative rotation. The ends of some of the elongate elements (such as 4) are attached to collar 6 and the ends of others of the elongate elements (such as 5) are attached to collar 7. The choice of which elements are to be attached to collar 6 and which to collar 7 will depend on various factors but, in general, it will be appreciated that, in utilising the elongated elements such as 4 and 5 to make up the three-dimensional, onion-like shape for the whisk, individual elements are disposed at respective positions so that, in total, they make up the required three-dimensional forni Thus, individual elements such as 4 and 5 are disposed in sequence around the form. In this connection, it is preferred that the elements such as 4 attached to collar 6 comprise a group 8 of neighbouring elements in the overall sequence, and that the elements such as 5 attached to collar 7 comprise another group 9 of neighbouring elements in the overall sequence. As compared with having alternate, sequential elements attached to the collars 6 and 7, this arrangement provides for better alignment between the elements attached to the two collars 6 and 7 when the whisk 1 is moved into its cleaning/storage condition, as shown in Figure 2, and enables the cleaning/storage configuration to be optimised without compromising the operational format of the whisk.

In any event, this example of the invention provides the means whereby the whisk can be converted, simply by relative rotation between the collars 6 and 7, from an operating or operational condition, in which the elements form a conventional whisk shape for usage, into another condition, in which the elements form an opened and less bulbous structure, for cleaning, storage and packaging.

Although, in the above-described embodiment of the invention, two collars 6 and 7 are employed; each supporting both ends of about one half of the total number of elongated elements such as 4 and 5, it is not essential for the collars to carry equal numbers of elements, and the elements may be unequally distributed, depending upon the overall cleaning and/or storage characteristics achieved in relation to particular shaping, materials choices and/or functional or operational characteristics. Moreover, in other embodiments, three or more collars may be used.

In this embodiment of the invention, means (not shown) are provided to latch the collars such as 6 and 7, at least in their in their relative conditions for operation and preferably also in their relative positions for cleaning/storage. Such means may be provided in any convenient manner, such as cantilevered arms which latch into recesses, or spring-loaded ball-like members that nm in grooves and snap into suitably shaped recesses for example. It is preferred that the latching means are configured to provide positive and tactile assurance to a user, at least in the operative condition, that the whisk 1 is ready for use, and moreover to provide sufficiently strong engagement that the collars will not tend to become relatively displaced during use of the whisk.

Preferably, where two collars such as 6 and 7 are provided, one of them is fixedly mounted to the shaft 2 and the two collars have coaxial and overlapping portions, whereby the latching components operate between the two collars. Thus, in the overlapping region of the two collars, the inwardly-facing surface of one collar is provided with one set of co-operative latching elements and the outwardly-facing surface of the other collar is provided with a complementary set of latching components. The two facing surfaces may be formed of or coated with a self-lubricating material to ensure smooth operation.

It will be appreciated that the collars are constructed and configured to resist the ingress of fluids and foodstuffs, since otherwise there would be a risk that material could become trapped in between the collars and the arrangement could prove difficult to clean.

It is preferred in some embodiments of the invention to trigger the desired relative rotation between collars by axial movement of the shaft or a related component that is slidable relative to the shaft, rather than by direct rotational mnotion of a collar.

Claims (8)

1. Claims: 1. A whisk comprising a shaft or handle bearing, at or near one end thereof, a collar means, and a plurality of elongate elements bent or otherwise configured to form a cage-like and somewhat onion-shaped tool, with each end of each said element being attached to a respective location on the collar means; the whisk being characterised in that the collar means comprises at least two collars capable of relative rotation, the ends of some of said elements being attached to one of said collars and the ends of others of said elements being attached to another of said collars.
2. 2. A whisk according to claim 1, wherein said collar means comprises two collars.
3. 3. A whisk according to claim 2, wherein each said collar supports both ends of about one half of the total number of elongated elements.
4. 4. A whisk according to any preceding claim, wherein individual elements are disposed in a predetermined sequence around the tool, and wherein the elements attached to each collar comprise respective groups of neighbouring elements in the sequence, thereby enabling the cleaning/storage configuration to be optimised without compromising the operational format of the whisk.
5. 5. A whisk according to any preceding claim, wherein latching means are provided for latching the collars are latched in their relative conditions for operation and cleaning/storage,.
6. 6. A whisk according to claim 5, wherein said latching means is configured to provide positive and tactile latching of said collars, at least in the operative condition, whereby a user is readily able to discern when the tool is ready for use, and moreover such that the collars will not tend to become relatively displaced during use of the tool.
7. 7. A whisk according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein said latching means comprises cantilevered arms conditioned to latch into recesses.
8. 8. A whisk substantially as herein described with reference to and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.