GB2573108A

GB2573108A - Kitchen appliance

Info

Publication number: GB2573108A
Application number: GB1806579.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Fields Robert
Original assignee: Kenwood Ltd
Current assignee: Kenwood Ltd
Priority date: 2018-04-23
Filing date: 2018-04-23
Publication date: 2019-10-30
Also published as: GB201806579D0

Abstract

A kitchen appliance 10 arranged to process food using a processing tool 6 comprises a vibration arrangement configured to cause vibration of the tool to remove ingredients and/or dirt therefrom. The vibration arrangement may cause vibration in response to at least one of a user input and a position of the tool, such as when the tool is moved away from a working position. The appliance may comprise a motor-torque sensor and the vibration arrangement may cause vibration in response to a predetermined torque level being exceeded. The tool may be motor driven and the vibration may be caused by oscillatory motion of the motor drive, such as repeatedly reversing the motor drive. The vibration arrangement may comprise an offset weight that is rotatable to cause vibrations or impacts the mixing tool or a mounting thereof, a solenoid configured to move a weight or impact the mixing tool or a mounting thereof or an ultrasonic transducer. A position sensor 9, such as a switch, proximity sensor, tilt sensor or accelerometer, may detect the position of the tool. The appliance may select a frequency of vibration in response to a detected food-type or tool type.

Description

Kitchen Appliance introduction

The present invention relates to a kitchen appliance, and more particularly to a kitchen appliance configured to automatically clean a mixing tool associated with the kitchen appliance.

Background

Stand-mixers, also known as kitchen machines, are kitchen appliances used to mix, beat, and otherwise process ingredients as part of food/beverage preparation. Stand mixers are typically provided with shanked tools, including whisks and beaters (collectively “mixing tools”), which are shaped to be removably attached to one or more rotary drive outlets of the stand mixer. Stand mixer rotary drive outlets may be downward facing so as to allow bowl filed with ingredients to be placed the machine for processing, and include planetary drive outlets as well as simple rotary ones.

During processing of ingredients within the bowl, both the tool and bowl may become coated in ingredients that may then have to be removed by cleaning before carrying out any further processing. Cleaning by hand is inconvenient for the user, so typically consumers prefer (where possible) to remove the tools and the bowl from the stand mixer and place them in a dishwasher so that they are cleaned automatically. However, configuring the bowl and the tool to be dishwasher-safe requires additional expenditure by the manufacturer to ensure than only dishwasher-safe materials and construction are used. Moreover even where the cleaning is done with a dishwasher the bowi/tooi is not available for further use until the cleaning cycle is complete.

It is therefore desirable to provide a stand mixer and stand mixer tools that are capable of overcoming the above-described problems.

Summary of the invention

According to the present invention, there is provided a kitchen appliance arranged to process food using a processing tool, and comprising a vibration arrangement configured, preferably selectively, to cause vibration of the tool for removing ingredients and/or dirt therefrom. This may assist with cleaning the tool when processing has finished.

The kitchen appliance may have a drive outlet such as a planetary drive outlet for removably mounting the tool, preferably a shanked tool, which may be a rotary tool, such as a mixing tool. For example, the appliance may be a stand mixer.

The vibration arrangement may be configured to cause vibration of the tool responsive to a user input, or responsive to a position of the tool, preferably when the tool moves away from a working position of the tool. There may be a motor-torque sensor, wherein the vibration arrangement is configured to cause vibration responsive to a predetermined torque level being exceeded.

Where the tool is a motor driven tool, the vibration may caused by causing oscillatory motion of the motor drive. For example, the vibration may be caused by repeatedly reversing the motor drive, preferably at least once a second, and preferably the motor is an SR motor.

The vibration arrangement may comprise at least one of: an offset weight that is rotatable to cause vibrations or impacts the mixing tool or a mounting thereof, a solenoid configured to move a weight or impact the mixing tool or its mounting to cause vibrations, an ultrasonic transducer, preferably a piezoelectric or magnetostrictive transducer, and a motor configured to drive the mixing tool in a direction of rotation that changes repeatedly so as to generate vibrations in the mixing tool.

Alternatively, or in addition, the vibration arrangement may comprise an ultrasonic transducer configured to treat the mixing tool with ultrasonic vibrations of at least about 20kHz, preferably in the range from approximately 20kHz to approximately 40kHz, and more preferably at least 60kHz. The ultrasonic transducer may be provided integrally to the tool.

The kitchen appliance may comprise a bowl for receiving ingredients for processing by the tool, and the too! may be movable relative to the bowl for removing it from the bowl. A position sensor may be configured to detect a position of the too!, with the vibration arrangement being configured to cause vibrate responsive to the detected position of the tool. The kitchen appliance may be of the type configured such that the too! is arranged to depend downwardly from the kitchen appliance in use.

The vibration arrangement may be configured to cause vibration responsive to the position sensor detecting that the tool is within the bowl, or to the position sensor detecting that the tooi has been or is being removed from the bowl, and may comprise at least one of a switch, a proximity sensor, a tilt sensor, and an accelerometer.

There may be a locking element for removably attaching the bow! to the kitchen appliance. The bowl may comprise sound insulation, for example being double-walied or comprising sound-insulation material, for example foam, configured to attenuate sound transmission in directions other than towards the tool.

The kitchen appliance may be arranged to select a frequency of vibration responsive to a detected food-type and/or a detected too! type of the tool, and may be configured to determine the food and/or tooi type based on an electronic recipe being used with the kitchen appliance, and may further be configured to determine a tool-type based on RFID recognition.

The invention also provides a tool for such a kitchen appliance.

Thus the invention also provides a too! for a kitchen appliance comprising a vibration arrangement configured, preferably selectively, to cause vibration of the too! for removing ingredients and/or dirt therefrom. The vibration arrangement may be electrically powered, and the tooi may comprise electrical contacts in the shank of the tooi for connecting to a kitchen appliance in order to power the vibration arrangement, and/or may comprise a power store for powering the vibration arrangement.

The invention described here may be implemented in heated and/or cooled machines, it may be used in a machine that is built-in to a work-top or work surface, or in a stand-aione device. The invention can also be provided as a stand-alone device, whether motor-driven or manually powered.

The invention extends to methods and/or apparatus substantially as herein described and/or as illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The invention extends to any nove! aspects or features described and/or illustrated herein. In addition, apparatus aspects may be applied to method aspects, and vice versa. Furthermore, any, some and/or all features in one aspect can be applied to any, some and/or all features in any other aspect, in any appropriate combination.

It should also be appreciated that particular combinations of the various features described and defined in any aspects of the invention can be implemented and/or supplied and/or used independently.

As used herein, means plus function features may be expressed alternatively in terms of their corresponding structure.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic, side-on drawing showing the stand mixer according to an embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 2 is a schematic, side-on drawing showing the stand mixer of Figure 1 in an open configuration.

Figure 1 shows a kitchen appliance or machine 10, such as a stand mixer, having a base unit 01 and a head unit 04 that are joined together by a hinge 03. The kitchen machine 10 contains a motor that drives a mixing tool 06 via a planetary drive outlet with vibration arrangement in the form of a vibrator 05. The mixing tool 06 mixes food 08 that is contained in a bowl 07. The mixing tool 06 is preferably removably attachable to the planetary outlet 05 via an elongate shank having keyed elements shaped so as to be received in a recess of the planetary outlet 05 and held therein.

The tool 06 is shown depending downwardly into the bowl 07 as this enables material to drip from the tool 06 into the bowl 07 when it is lifted from the bowl 07.

However, other configurations are possible, including extending upwardly into the bowi 07 through a sealed bearing, or sideways into the bowl 07.

Figure 2 shows the head unit 04 lifted. The head unit 04 is provided with a head lift sensor 09 which senses the position of the head, this is either “up”, “down” or moving between the two, and feeds back this information to a CPU of the stand mixer 10. As the head unit 04 is lifted from the “Down” position (either automatically or by the user) the head lift sensor 09 recognises that the head is being lifted, or has reached a lifted position, and vibrates the mixing tool 08, the vibration action removes food from the mixing too! 06 which can be collected with the rest of the food 08 in the bow! 07.

Alternatively, the vibrator of the outlet 05 may be activated in response to user input via a user-interface (e.g., rotary dial 02), or may require both user input and the head unit 04 to be in a raised position before it will activate. Other potential means of user control of the stand mixer 10 can include control applications operating on mobile devices with which the stand mixer 10 communicates wirelessly to receive instructions and feed back telemetry to the user (e.g., whether the head unit 04 is raised or lowered and whether or not the vibrator has been activated). The stand mixer 10 may further include a visual display (e.g., touch-screen display) for providing similar feedback to the user.

The vibration action provided by the vibrator of the planetary outlet 05 can be supplied by a motor with an offset weight that creates vibrations or impacts the mixing tool or its housing, or by a solenoid that moves a weight or impacts the mixing tool or its mounting. The vibration could be some form of ultrasonic action produced by an ultrasonic transducer, for example an electrically powered ultrasonic transducer. Examples of ultrasonic transducers include piezoelectric transducers (e.g. made with lead zirconate titanate, or barium titanate), and magnetostrictive transducers. Preferably the vibrator transmits vibrations directly to the tool 06 without intermediate components to avoid attenuation.

Where the vibrator is sufficiently small, in may be provided as part of the too! 06 so as to directly vibrate the tool 06. For example the vibrator may be contained within the shank of the tool 06 and powered directly via cables within the shank that link to electrical terminals of the stand mixer 10. Alternatively the tool 06 may include a power-store (e.g., battery or super-capacitor) for powering an internal vibrator. A similar vibration action can be created by having a motor program operating on a CPU of the stand mixer 10 that quickly oscillates the rotational direction of the tool. This program preferably repeatedly reverses/changes the direction of rotation of the tool without further user intervention, and then ceases vibration after a predetermined time. This can be actioned when the head lift sensor 09 senses that the head unit 04 is being lifted. The CPU of the stand mixer 10 is preferably in electronic communication with the motor of the stand mixer 10 so as to control it based on feedback from the sensor 09. The motor can be any type of electric motor but preferably an SR (synchronous or switched reluctance) motor that can be controlled to change direction (e.g., from clockwise to anti-clockwise and back) relatively rapidly (e.g., changing direction at least once a second), and more preferably a synchronous reluctance motor as these can be controlled with a fine degree of accuracy.

The figures show a KM with a traditional hinged lifting head but could also include a sidewards-swivelling, or vertically-lifting head.

Head lifting sensor 09 could be a switch, proximity, tilt, accelerometer or other movement based sensor that gives a signal indicating that the head is in motion or its position relative to the bowl.

The CPU of the stand mixer 10 may vary the intensity of vibrations to better suit the removal of food from the tool 06. If both the food that is being mixed is known by the CPU (e.g., via a recipe app or system) and the specific mixing too! is known by the CPU (via RFID tool recognition or by guidance from a recipe app) then the vibration pattern and intensify can be varied to optimise for the specific food and tool combination.

Whilst the above exemplary embodiment has been described as having a planetary outlet 05, the outlet 05 may instead be a simple rotary one. Whilst the tool 06 is shown extending downwardly it may instead be provided extending upwardly from the base into a container, as in a standard blender or food-processor.

The exempiary embodiment has been described as operating its vibratory cleaning function whilst the head unit 04 is in a raised position so that it is removed from the ingredients 08 and ingredients (or other dirt or undesirable material) can fall from the tool 08 into the bowl 07. However, other configurations are possible. For example the user may fill the bowl 07 with a cleaning fluid (e.g., water or soapy water) and lower the head unit 04 so that the tooi 06 is partially or wholly immersed in the cleaning fluid, and then activate the vibrator to begin cleaning. In this case, where ultrasonic vibration is used, it is preferably sufficient to cause cavitation within the cleaning fluid so as to enhance a cleaning effect. The stand mixer 10 may include a heating element that optionally heats the bowl 07 and its contents to a temperature suitable for cleaning.

Where an ultrasonic vibrator is used the frequency of vibration may be at least roughly 20,000 Hz (i.e., the upper limit of the human audible range) and preferably between 20,000 Hz and 40,000 Hz as this is relatively energy efficient. Preferably the frequency is chosen to be above that which is audible and which may cause discomfort to the user. It may aiso be desirable to use a frequency above that audible to dogs (roughly 60,000 Hz) to avoid causing distress to household pets.

To prevent vibrations being transmitted from the bowl 06, the bowl 06 may have a sound-deadening construction. For example, it may be double-walled. The stand mixer 10 may also include sound-insulation material (e.g., foam) around the vibrator to prevent emission of sound in unwanted directions (e.g., sideways, or other than towards the tool 06).

As vibration may ease the passage of the tooi 06 through the ingredients 08 during mixing it may be desirable to activate the vibrator during mixing. In this case the vibrator may be activated responsive to at least one of a user input via the user interface 02, the sensor 09 detecting that the head unit 04 is in a lowered position, mixing being carried out by the mixer, or a high-torque condition (i.e., torque above a predetermined torque) being detected by a torque sensor of the motor of the stand-mixer 10.

To ensure that the bowl 07 remains securely fastened to the stand mixer 10, the pedestal of the stand mixer 10 may include locking elements to removably attaching the bow! 07 thereto.

It will be understood that the present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention.

The invention described here may be used in any kitchen appliance and/or as a stand-alone device. This includes any domestic food-processing and/or preparation machine, including both top-driven machines (e.g., stand-mixers) and bottom-driven machines (e.g., food processors). It may be implemented in heated and/or cooled machines. The invention may also be implemented in both hand-held (e.g., hand blenders) and table-top (e.g., blenders) machines. It may be used in a machine that is built-in to a work-top or work surface, or in a stand-alone device. The invention can also be provided as a stand-alone device, whether motor-driven or manually powered.

Whilst the invention has been described in the field of domestic food processing and preparation machines, it can also be implemented in any field of use where efficient, effective and convenient preparation and/or processing of material is desired, either on an Industrial scale and/or in small amounts. The field of use includes the preparation and/or processing of: chemicals; pharmaceuticals; paints; building materials; clothing materials; agricultural and/or veterinary feeds and/or treatments, including fertilisers, grain and other agricultural and/or veterinary products; oils; fuels; dyes; cosmetics; plastics; tars; finishes; waxes; varnishes; beverages; medical and/or biological research materials; solders; alloys; effluent; and/or other substances. Any reference to “food”, “Beverage” (or similar language) herein may be replaced by such working mediums.

Each feature disclosed in the description, and (where appropriate) the claims and drawings may be provided independently or in any appropriate combination.

Reference numerals appearing in the claims are by way of illustration only and shall have no limiting effect on the scope of the claims.

The invention can be defined by the following clauses: 1. A kitchen appliance having a rotary mixing tool, wherein the mixing tool is in mechanical communication with a vibration means configured to cause the mixing tool to vibrate for removing ingredients and/or dirt therefrom. 2. The kitchen appliance of clause 1, wherein the vibration means is chosen from the following group: a) an offset weight that is rotatable to cause vibrations or impacts the mixing tool or a mounting thereof, b) a solenoid configured to move a weight or impact the mixing tool or its mounting to cause vibrations, c) an ultrasonic transducer, preferably a piezoelectric or magnetostrictive transducer, and d) a motor configured to drive the mixing tool in a direction of rotation that changes repeatedly so as to generate vibrations in the mixing tool. 3. The kitchen appliance of clause 2, wherein the vibration means comprises a motor, configured to drive the mixing tool that changes repeatedly so as to generate vibrations in the mixing fool, and the direction of rotation can change at least once a second, and preferably the motor is an SR motor. 4. The kitchen appliance of claim 2, wherein the vibration means comprises an ultrasonic transducer configured to treat the mixing tool with ultrasonic vibrations of at least about 20kHz 5. The kitchen appliance of clause 4, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is configured to treat the mixing tool with vibrations at a frequency in the range from approximately 20kHz to approximately 40kHz. 6. The kitchen appliance of clause 4, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is configured to treat the mixing tool with vibrations at a frequency of at least 60kHz. 7. The kitchen appliance of any one of clauses 4-6, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is provided integrally to the mixing tool. 8. The kitchen appliance of any preceding clause, wherein the mixing tool is removably attachable to the kitchen appliance, and is preferably a shanked mixing tool. 9. The kitchen appliance of any preceding clause, further comprising: a bowl for receiving ingredients for mixing by the mixing tool, wherein the mixing tool is movable relative to the bowl for removing it from the bowl, and, a position-sensor configured to detect a position of the mixing tool, and either enable activation of the vibration means, or activate the vibration means, responsive to the detected position. 10. The kitchen appliance of clause 9, wherein the bowl is sound-insulating in construction, and is preferably double-walled. 11. The kitchen appliance of any one of clauses 9-10, wherein the vibration means is configured to be activated or permitted to be activated responsive to the position-sensor detecting that the tool has been or is being removed from the bowl. 12. The kitchen appliance of any one of clauses 9-10, wherein the vibration means is configured to be activated or permitted to be activated responsive to the position-sensor detecting that the tool is within the bowl. 13. The kitchen appliance of any one of clauses 9-12, wherein the kitchen appliance further comprises locking elements for removably attaching the bowl to the kitchen appliance. 14. The kitchen appliance of any one of clauses 9-13, wherein the positionsensor is selected from the group consisting of a switches, proximity sensors, tilt sensors, and accelerometers. 15. The kitchen appliance of any one of clauses 1-8, further comprising a motor-torque sensor, wherein the vibration means is configured to be activated or permitted to be activated responsive to a predetermined torque ieve! being exceeded. 16. The kitchen appliance of any preceding ciause wherein the kitchen appliance comprises sound-insulation material, for example foam, configured to attenuate sound transmission in directions other than towards the tool. 17. The kitchen appliance of any preceding ciause wherein the tool depends downwardly from the kitchen appliance in use. 18. The kitchen appliance of any preceding clause wherein the tool is attached to a planetary drive outlet. 19. The kitchen appliance of any preceding clause, wherein the kitchen appliance is configured to select a frequency of vibrations to be caused by the vibration means responsive to a detected food-type and/or a detected tool type of the mixing tool. 20. The kitchen appliance of clause 19, wherein the kitchen appliance is configured to determine the food and/or tool type based on an electronic recipe being used with the kitchen appliance. 21. The kitchen appliance of clause 19, wherein the kitchen appliance is configured to determine a tool-type based on RFID recognition.

Claims

Claims:

1. A kitchen appliance arranged to process food using a processing tool, and comprising a vibration arrangement configured to cause vibration of the tool for removing ingredients and/or dirt therefrom.

2. A kitchen appliance as claimed in claim 1 having a drive outlet such as a planetary drive outlet for removably mounting the tool, preferably a shanked tool.

3. A kitchen appliance as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the tool is a rotary tool, such as a mixing tool.

4. A kitchen appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the vibration arrangement is configured selectively to cause vibration of the tool.

5. A kitchen appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the vibration arrangement is configured to cause vibration responsive to at least one of a user input and a position of the tool, preferably when the tool moves away from a working position of the tool.

6. A kitchen appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a motor-torque sensor, wherein the vibration arrangement is configured to cause vibration responsive to a predetermined torque levei being exceeded.

7. A kitchen appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the tool is a motor driven tool, and wherein the vibration is caused by causing oscillatory motion of the motor drive.

8. A kitchen appliance as claimed in claim 7, wherein the vibration is caused by repeatedly reversing the motor drive, preferably at least once a second, and preferably the motor is an SR motor.

9. A kitchen appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the vibration arrangement comprises at least one of: an offset weight that is rotatabie to cause vibrations or impacts the mixing tool or a mounting thereof, a solenoid configured to move a weight or impact the mixing too! or its mounting to cause vibrations, an ultrasonic transducer, preferably a piezoelectric or magnetostrictive transducer, and a motor configured to drive the mixing tool in a direction of rotation that changes repeatedly so as to generate vibrations in the mixing tool.

10. A kitchen appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the vibration arrangement comprises an ultrasonic transducer configured to treat the mixing tool with ultrasonic vibrations of at least about 20kHz, preferably in the range from approximately 20kHz to approximately 40kHz, and more preferably at least 60kHz.

11. A kitchen appliance as claimed in claim 10, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is provided integrally to the tool.

12. A kitchen appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a bowl for receiving ingredients for processing by the tool, wherein the tool is movable relative to the bowl for removing it from the bowl, and a position sensor configured to detect a position of the tool, the vibration arrangement being configured to cause vibration responsive to the detected position of the tool.

13. A kitchen appliance as claimed in claim 12, wherein the vibration arrangement is configured to cause vibration responsive to the position sensor detecting that the tool is within the bowl, or to the position sensor detecting that the tool has been or is being removed from the bowl.

14. A kitchen appliance as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein the position sensor comprises at least one of a switch, a proximity sensor, a tilt sensor, and an accelerometer.

15. A kitchen appliance as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 14, comprising a locking element for removably attaching the bowl to the kitchen appliance.

16. A kitchen appliance according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the bowl comprises sound insulation, preferably wherein the bowl is double-walled, and/or comprising sound-insulation material, for example foam, configured to attenuate sound transmission in directions other than towards the tool.

17. A kitchen appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, configured such that the tool is arranged to depend downwardly from the kitchen appliance in use.

18. A kitchen appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, arranged to select a frequency of vibration responsive to a detected food-type and/or a detected tool type of the tool.

19. A kitchen appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, configured to determine the food and/or tool type based on an electronic recipe being used with the kitchen appliance.

20. A kitchen appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, configured to determine a tool-type based on RFID recognition.

21. A tool for a kitchen appliance as claimed in any preceding claim.

22. A tool for a kitchen appliance comprising a vibration arrangement configured to cause vibration of the tool for removing ingredients and/or dirt therefrom.

23. A tool as claimed in claim 22, in which the vibration arrangement is electrically powered.

24. A tool as claimed in claim 22 or 23, comprising electrical contacts in a shank of the tool for connecting to a kitchen appliance in order to power the vibration arrangement.

25. A tool as claimed in any of claims 22 to 24, comprising a power store for powering the vibration arrangement.