MXPA00006192A - Food-processor accessory having a safety member - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a food-processor accessory (13) comprising a container (15), a rotatable tool (23), a support (21) for the tool, and a coupling member (27) by means of which the tool can be coupled to a drive member (9) which is arranged in a main housing (1) of a food processor, the container being detachably coupled to the support. According to the invention, the accessory is provided with a safety member (31) and a locking device (33), which co-operates with said safety member. The safety member can be displaced relatively to the coupling member from a first position, in which the safety member prevents the coupling member from being coupled to the drive member, to a second position, in which the safety member allows the coupling member to be coupled to the drive member, the locking device locking the safety member in its first position when the container is uncoupled from the support and releasing the safety member when the container is coupled to the support. Thus, it is prevented that the tool can be driven by the drive member when the container is not coupled to the support, so that the user of the accessory cannot be injured by the rotating tool. In a preferred embodiment, the safety member is annular and completely surrounds the coupling member in its first position.

Description

FOOD PROCESSING ACCESSORY THAT HAS A SECURITY MEMBER The invention relates to an accessory for a food processor, accessory which is provided with a tool, a support in which the tool is rotatably articulated, a coupling member by means of which the tool can be coupled to a member of the food processor, and a container, which is removably coupled to the support. The invention also relates to a food processor comprising an accessory according to the invention. An accessory and a food processor of the type mentioned in the opening paragraph is generally known and widely used. The known accessory can be suitably used to subject the ingredients present in the container, such as vegetables, fruits or meat, to a processing operation such as cutting, chopping or mixing, for which purpose the accessory can be attached to the food processor housing. , and the tool can be operated by the food processor drive member. The container and the support together constitute a closed chamber for the • tool and the ingredients, so that with the operation, the environment of the food processor is not contaminated. The container can be separated from the support, to allow the support and the container, to be cleaned and / or to introduce or remove the ingredients. A disadvantage of the known accessory is that the accessory can also be coupled to the food processor housing if the container is not coupled to the holder. When the accessory is coupled to the food processor drive member, also the attachment member of the accessory is coupled to the food processor drive member, so that the tool of the known accessory can be driven by the processor drive member. of food, when the container is not coupled to the holder, as a result of which the user of the food processor may be injured or injured by the rotating tool. It is an object of the invention to provide an accessory and a food processor of the types mentioned in the opening paragraph, in which the aforementioned disadvantage of the known accessory and the known food processor is avoided. To achieve this, the accessory according to the invention is characterized in that the accessory is provided with a security member and an immobilization device cooperating with the security member, the The safety member is displaceable relative to the coupling member of a first position, in which the safety member prevents coupling of the coupling member with the actuating member, to a second position, in which the safety member allows the coupling of the coupling member with the driving member, while the locking device immobilizes the safety member in its first position if the container is "uncoupled from the support, and releases the safety member if the container is coupled to the support. If the container is uncoupled from the support, the immobilization device immobilizes the safety member in its first position, in which the safety member prevents coupling of the coupling member to the actuating member.In its first position, the safety member is arranged in relation to the coupling member, for example, in such a way that the member or coupling can not make contact with the food processor drive member. If the container is coupled to the support, the immobilization device releases the security member, so that the security member can be moved to its second position, for example, manually or by contact with the food processor housing, second position in which, the security member allows the coupling of the member of coupling with the drive member. As a result, the tool can only be operated by the food processor drive member if the container is properly coupled with the holder, so that the user of the food processor can not be injured or injured by the rotary tool. A particular advantage of the accessory according to the invention resides in that all the parts, which are necessary according to the invention, to achieve the object mentioned above, are arranged in the accessory, while the food processor to which the accessory can be attached, does not require special adaptations. By virtue of which, the accessory according to the invention can be suitably coupled to the existing food processors. A particular embodiment of an accessory according to the invention, characterized in that the safety member is annular and surrounds the coupling member, the safety member is movable in a direction parallel to a rotation axis of the coupling member, of its first position to his second position. In this particular embodiment, the security member is endowed with a very practical construction, in which, in the first position of the ring security member, the coupling member is completely surrounded by the ring security member, and in the second position of the ring security member, the coupling member projects from the security member. If the user of the food processor tries to attach the accessory to the food processor housing, the security member comes in contact with the housing. If the container is not coupled to the support, the safety member is secured in its first position, so that the coupling member remains surrounded by the safety member and can not be coupled to the actuating member. If, however, the container is coupled to the holder, the safety member can be moved, either manually or by contact with the food processor housing, in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the coupling member, to its second position, so that the coupling member can be coupled to the food processor drive member. A further embodiment of an accessory according to the invention is characterized in that the locking device is provided with a closing member, which can be displaced relative to the support, by a user of the accessory, from a first position in the which container can be separated from the support to a second position, in which the container can be separated from the support to a second position, in which the closure engages the container to the support, and an immobilization element, which is provided with the support to cooperate with the security member, the security member is guided in a displaceable manner, relative to the closure member, between its first position and its second position, while the locking element secures the safety member in its first position, if the closing member is in the first position, and releases the safety member if the closing member is in the second position. the closure member from its first position to its second position, the user can couple the container in the holder, since the safety member is guided in a displaceable manner in relation to the closure member and cooperates in the manner described above, with the immobilization element, the desired immobilization of the safety member in its first position if the container is not coupled to the support, is achieved by a practical and reliable way. Still another embodiment of the accessory, according to the invention, is characterized in that the immobilization device is provided with an additional locking element, which, with respect to the closing member, can be moved from a first position, in which the additional immobilization element secures the immobilization member in its first position, to a second position, in which the additional locking element releases the closing member, the additional locking element cooperates with a displacement element provided in the container, displacement element which moves the additional locking element to its second position, if the container is in a position relative to the support, in which the container can be coupled to the support by means of the closure member. By using the additional immobilization element and the displacement element, it is achieved that the closure member can be moved only to its second position by the user of the accessory, if the container is in a position, with respect to the support, in which the container can be properly coupled to the support. In this way, the user is prevented from releasing the safety member, intentionally or unintentionally, by displacing the closure member, if the container is not properly arranged with respect to the support. A particular embodiment of an accessory according to the invention, in which, between the first position and its second position, the annular safety member is guided in a displaceable manner relative to the closure member, in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the coupling member, characterized in that between its first position and its second position, the closing member is guided rotatably, with respect to the support, about the axis of rotation of the coupling member, while the immobilization element includes a cam, which is provided with a profile, which extends in a tangential direction with respect to the axis of rotation and extends obliquely with respect to the tangential direction. In this way, a practical construction of the immobilization device of the device is obtained. Since the safety member is guided in a displaceable manner relative to the closure member in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the coupling member, the safety member is coupled, viewed in the direction of rotation of the closure member, to the member. closing. By virtue of which, the user of the attachment can couple the container to the support by rotating the annular security member about the axis of rotation of the coupling member. These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the modalities described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows in diagrammatic form a food processor according to the invention, which is provided with an accessory according to the invention, Figure 2 shows in diagram form the food processor accessory shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a sectional view of the accessory shown in Figure 2, Figure 4 shows various parts of the accessory shown in Figure 2, Figure 5a shows a holder and a security member of the accessory shown in Figure 2, safety member is described in a first position, and Figure 5b shows the holder and safety member of the accessory shown in Figure 2, the safety member is described in a second position. Figure 1 shows a food processor according to the invention, which comprises a housing of synthetic resin 1, which can be placed on a surface by means of several bases 3. The housing 1 accommodates an electric motor 5, which is provided with an engine shaft 7 to which a drive member 9 is secured. An accessory 13 according to the invention can be arranged on the upper side 11 of the food processor. The accessory 13 includes a cup-shaped container 15, which is made of a transparent synthetic resin, and can be coupled near the underside 17, to the housing 1 of the food processor, by means of a bayonet coupling 19. In the container 15, there is a resin holder synthetic 21, in which a metal tool 23, such as a cutting tool, chopping tool or mixing tool, is rotatably hinged. The tool 23 is secured, via a support shaft 25, to a coupling member 27, by means of which the tool 23 can be coupled to the drive member 9 of the food processor. The support 21 can be separated from the container 15 in a manner, which will be described in greater detail hereinafter, so that a chamber 29 formed in the accessory 13 by the container 15, and the holder 21 is accessible to introduce ingredients, remove the processed ingredients, and cleaning the container 15, the support 21 and the tool 23. According to the invention, the accessory 13 is provided with a security member 31 and a locking device 33, which cooperates with the security member 31, to avoid, in a manner to be described in greater detail hereinafter, that the coupling member 27 of the accessory 13, may be coupled to the drive member 9 of the food processor, if the container 15 is not coupled to the support 21. In this way, it is prevented that the tool 23 can be operated by the actuating member 9 if the container 15 is not, or is not properly coupled to the support 21, d e way that the tool 23 can only be activated by the member drive 9 if the chamber 29 is properly closed, and a user of the food processor and accessory 13 can not be injured or injured by the rotary tool 23. As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the safety member 31 shown in this embodiment is annular, and surrounds the coupling member 27. In a state shown in Figure 2, state in which the container 15 is decoupled from the support 21, the annular safety member 31 is in a first position, "in which the safety member 31 completely surrounds the coupling member 27, which is in an extracted position in the safety member 31. In the shown state, the safety member 31 is secured in its first position by means of the immobilization device 33, in a manner, which will be described in greater detail hereinafter, if, in this state, the user wants to couple the coupling member 27 to the operating member 9 of the In this case, the safety member 31 makes contact with the upper side 11 of the housing 1. Since the safety member 31 is secured in its first position, the coupling member 27 remains completely surrounded by the safety member 31, so that the security member 31 prevents coupling of the coupling member 27 with the drive member 9 of the food processor. If the container 15 is suitably coupled to the support 21, the immobilization device 33 releases the security member 31 in a manner, which will be described in greater detail, hereinafter, and the coupling member 27 can be moved, either manually or by contact with the upper side 11 of the housing 1, in a direction parallel to a common axis of rotation 35 of the tool 23 and the coupling member 27, from the first position to a second position, which is indicated in Figure 2, by means of a broken line 37. In the second position of the security member 31, the coupling member 27 is only partially surrounded by the annular security member 31, and the coupling member 27 projects from the security member 31, so that the security member 31 allows the coupling from the coupling member 27 to the drive member 9 of the food processor. The coupling member 27 can now be coupled to the actuation member 9 of the food processor by coupling the container 15 with the holder 21 coupled thereto, as shown in Figure 1, to the housing 1 by means of the bayonet coupling 19. As shown in FIG. shows schematically in Figures 1 and 2, the immobilization device 33 of the accessory 13 includes a closing member 39 for the coupling of the container 15 to the support 21. With respect to the support 21, the closing member 39 is pivotably articulated about the axis of rotation 35 between a first position shown in Figure 2 and a second position shown in Figure 1. An outer wall 41 of the closure member 39 is provided with several regularly repaired holes 43 which, in the first position of the closing member 39, seen parallel to the axis of rotation 35, are placed in line with a corresponding number of recesses 45 formed in an outer wall 47 of the support 21. As shown in Figure 2, in the first position of the closure member 39, the holder 21 can be placed in the container 15 by sliding the recesses 43 and 45 over a number of projections 49 on the inner wall of the container 15, the number of projections 49 corresponds to the number of recesses 43 and 45. As a result of which , a number of positioning elements 51 provided on the inner wall of the container 15, is placed in a number of recesses 53, corresponding to the number of positioning elements 51, recesses 5 3 which are formed on the outer wall 47 of the support 21. The support 21 can subsequently be coupled to the container 15 by rotating the closure member 39 in relation to the support 21 from the first position to the second position, thereby causing the support 21 with the closure member 39 is retained between the projections 49 and a retaining ring 55 provided on the internal wall of the container 15, as shown in Figure 1.

As shown in Figures 4, 5a and 5b, the annular security member 31 includes a number of guide projections 57, which are each provided on a separate tab 59 of the security member 31. By way of the guide projections 57 , the safety member 31 is guided in a displaceable manner, relative to the closing member 39, between its first position and its second position, an inner wall 61 of the closing member 39 is provided, for this purpose, a number of guide channels 63, which extend parallel to the axis of rotation 35, and which serve to cooperate with the guide projections 57, as shown in Figure 4. Using the guide projections 57 and the guide channels 63, the security member 31, seen in the direction of rotation of the closing member 39, it engages the closing member 39. By virtue of which, it is achieved that the closing member 39 can be rotated by the user between its first position and its second position. n, by rotating the safety member 31 about the axis of rotation 35 of the coupling member 27. By virtue of which, the support 21 can be coupled in a practical manner to the container 15, by rotating the safety member 31. As shown in FIG. further shows in Figures 5a and 5b, the tabs 59 of the security member 31, each cooperate with a locking element 65 of the locking device 33. The locking elements 65 provided in an inner sleeve 67 of the support 21 and each includes a cam 69, which is provided with a profile 71 which, with respect to the axis of rotation 35, extends in a tangential direction and is positioned obliquely relative to the tangential direction. In the state shown in Figure 5a, the closure member 39 is in its first position, in which the support 21 can be detached from the container 15. Since the safety member 31, seen in the direction of rotation of the closure 39, engages the closure member 39, the tabs 59 of the security member 31 rest against a first end 73 of the profiles 71, in the first position of the closure member 39, so that the security member 31 is secured in its first position by the immobilization elements 65. In the state shown in Figure 5b, the closure member 39 is in its second position, in which the support 21 is coupled to the container 15. Since the security member 31, seen in the direction of rotation of the closure member 39, is coupled to the closure member 39, the "tabs 59 of the security member 31 can be moved in the second position of the closure member 39, in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation 35 until they contact a second end 75 of the profiles 71, so that the immobilization elements 65 release the security member 31 and the security member 31 can be placed parallel to the axis of security. rotation 35, between its first position and its second position. As shown in diagrammatic form in Figures 1 and 2, the immobilization device 33 of the accessory-13 finally includes an additional locking element 77, which can be displaced relative to the closing member-39 of the first position shown in Figure 2 to a second position 77 ', which is represented by means of an interrupted line in Figures 1 and 2. In the first position shown in Figure 2, which is the position of the additional immobilization element 77 if the container 15 is separated from the support 21, the additional immobilization element 77 is located in one of the recesses 53 in the external wall 47 of the support 21 under the influence of a pretension induced by a mechanical spring 79. As a result, the additional immobilization 77 secures the closure member 39, relative to the support 21, in its first position, so that also the security member 31 is secured in its first position . In the state shown in Figure 1, the container 15 is suitably arranged in the holder 21, the positioning elements 51 of the container 15 are located in the recesses 53 in the outer wall 47 of the support 21, allowing the container 15 is coupled to the support 21, by means of the closure member 39. In this state, the additional immobilization element 77 ' is displaced with respect to the closure member 39 by one of the positioning elements 51, referred to __as a displacement element 81 in Figure 1, from its first position to its second position, in which the additional locking element 77 'releases the closing member 39 with respect to the support 21. Using the additional locking element 77, it is achieved that the closing member 39 can be rotated only to its second position by the "user if the container 15 is in a position, with regard to to the support 21, where the container 15 can be appropriately coupled to the support 21. As a result of which, it is achieved that the user can not, intentionally or unintentionally, release the safety member 31, by rotating the closure member 39 from its first position to its second position if the container 15 is not properly arranged in relation to the support 21. As described here above, all the parts that they are necessary according to the invention to obtain the security accessory described above 13, they are arranged in the accessory 13 itself. The main part of the food processor, which comprises the housing 1, the motor 5 and the drive member 9, does not require special adaptations. This has the advantage that the security accessory 13 described above according to the invention is also obtained, if the accessory 13 used in combination with existing food processors. The accessory 13 described above according to the invention includes an annular safety member 31, which in its first position completely surrounds the coupling member 27 of the accessory 13. It is noted that the accessory according to the invention can also be provided with a different type of safety member, which, in its first position, prevents coupling of the coupling member to the food processor drive member. Such a different type of safety member could be, for example, an elongated or plate-shaped safety member, which, in its first position, is arranged next to the coupling member, parallel to the axis of rotation of the coupling member, and which can be rotated, from its first position to its second position, about an inclined axis that extends transversely to the axis of rotation of the coupling member. An accessory according to the invention can be further provided with a different type of immobilization device to cooperate with the security member. An example of such a different type of immobilization device could be an immobilization device, which does not cooperate with a closure member, as described herein above, but which, instead, cooperates with a detector, which detects the presence of the container in the support.

Claims (6)

1. CHAPTER CLAIMING Having described the invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, what is contained in the following CLAIMS is claimed: 1. An accessory for a food processor, accessory which is provided with a tool, a support in the wherein the tool is rotatably articulated, a coupling member, by means of which the tool can be coupled to the food processor drive member, and a container, which is removably coupled to the holder, characterized in that the accessory is provided with a security member and an immobilization device, which cooperates with the security member, the security member is movable relative to the coupling member of a first position, in which the security member prevents coupling the coupling member to the drive member, a second position in which the safety member allows coupling the member coupling member to the drive member, while the locking device secures the safety member in its first position, if the container is uncoupled from the support, and releases the safety member if the container is coupled to the support.
2. 2. The accessory according to claim 1, characterized in that the safety member is annular and surrounds the coupling member, the safety member is movable, in a direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the coupling member, from its first position to his second position. The accessory according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the immobilization device is * provided with a closing member, which can be displaced, in relation to the support, by a user of the accessory, from a first position , in which the container can be detached from the support to a second position, in which the closure member couples the container to the support, and a locking element, which is provided on the support to cooperate with the security member, the The safety member is guided in a displaceable manner, relative to the closure member, between its first position and its second position, while the immobilization member secures the safety member in its first position if the closure member is in its first position. , and release the security member if the closing member is in the second position. The accessory according to claim 3, characterized in that the immobilization device is provided with an element of additional immobilization, with respect to the closure member, can be moved from a first position, in which the additional locking element secures the immobilization member in its first position, to a second position, in which the additional immobilization element releases the closure member, the additional locking element cooperates with a displacement element provided with the container, displacement element which moves the additional locking element to its second position, if the container is in a position relative to the support, in the which container can be coupled to the support, by means of the closure member. ~~~ 5. The accessory according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that, between "its first position and its second position, the closure member is guided in a rotatable manner, relative to the support, around the axis of rotation of the coupling member, while the locking element includes a cam, which is provided with a profile, which extends in a direction tangential to the axis of rotation and extends obliquely relative to the tangential direction. A food processor characterized in that it comprises an accessory according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a food processing accessory (13) comprising a container (15), a rotating tool (23), a support (21) for the tool, and a coupling member (27) by means of which the tool can be coupled to a drive member (9) which is arranged in a main housing (1) of the food processor, the container removably engages the support. According to the invention, the accessory is provided with a security member (31) and an immobilization device (33), which cooperates with the security member. The safety member can be moved relatively towards the coupling member from a first position, in which the safety member prevents the coupling member from being coupled to the drive member, in a second position, in which the safety member safety allows the coupling member to engage the drive member, the locking device immobilizes the safety member in its first position when the container is uncoupled from the support and releases the safety member when the container is coupled to the support. In this way, it is avoided that the tool can be operated by the drive member when the container is not coupled to the support, so that the user of the accessory can not be damaged by the rotating tool. In a preferred embodiment, the security member is annular and completely surrounds the coupling member in its first position.