WO2025175352A1

WO2025175352A1 - Kitchen applicance

Info

Publication number: WO2025175352A1
Application number: PCT/AU2025/050146
Authority: WO
Inventors: Benjamin FILIPPI; William Graeme SANDSTROM
Original assignee: Breville Pty Ltd; Breville R&D Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Breville Pty Ltd; Breville R&D Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2024-02-22
Filing date: 2025-02-21
Publication date: 2025-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 2026-08-22

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a kitchen appliance comprising: a body defining a cooking cavity; a support assembly adapted to removably receive a cooking vessel for holding foodstuffs in a cooking operation, said support assembly having a retracted position within the cooking cavity and an extended position projecting from the cavity; a door operable having an open position allowing access to the cooking cavity, and a closed position restricting access to the cooking cavity; and a operation assembly having an active position when performing the cooking operation; wherein a first operative connection is provided between the door and the operation assembly such that moving the door from its closed position to an intermediate position prior to the open position actuates the operation assembly from its active position to a non-active position.

Description

KITCHEN APPLICANCE

FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a kitchen appliance.

[0002] The invention has been developed primarily for use as a bread maker, and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use, and may also be employed in other, applications, for example an oven.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Accessibility to the oven cavity for a bread machine is inherently difficult, as the cooking vessel/tin is locked into a sub frame to allow connection to the couplers for the paddles. When this system is hot after baking, the tin needs to be removed from this locked subframe, traditionally by overcoming a wedge or spring force, which then allows the hot tin to be removed. The hot tin is normally inside the cavity, and hard to access.

[0004] Additional to the unloading issue, the loading of the tin presents an inelegant user experience, as the point to which the tin needs to be installed may not be seen and may be obstructed from the user’s view, which is generally top down loading of the tin.

[0005] Consequently, there is a need to provide appliances such as bread makers with at least one of the following: an improved user experience of loading and unloading the cooking vessel from the oven cavity; improving user access to the vessel; or simplifying engagement and disengagement of operation assemblies such as paddles and associated mechanisms with the vessel.

SUMMARY

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome, or at least ameliorate, one or more of the disadvantages of existing arrangements, or at least provide a useful alternative to existing arrangements. [0007] There is disclosed herein a kitchen appliance comprising: a body defining a cooking cavity; a support assembly adapted to removably receive a cooking vessel for holding foodstuffs in a cooking operation, said support assembly having a retracted position within the cooking cavity and an extended position projecting from the cavity; a door operable having an open position allowing access to the cooking cavity, and a closed position restricting access to the cooking cavity; and a operation assembly having an active position when performing the cooking operation; wherein a first operative connection is provided between the door and the operation assembly such that moving the door from its closed position to an intermediate position prior to the open position actuates the operation assembly from its active position to a non-active position.

[0008] Preferably, the active position of the operation assembly interlocks the support assembly in its retracted position.

[0009] Preferably, a second operative connection is provided between the door and the support assembly such that moving the door form the intermediate position to the open position actuates the support assembly from the retracted position to the extended position.

[0010] Preferably, the first operative connection includes a first linkage assembly and a second linkage assembly, said first linkage assembly configured to actuate the operation assembly from its active position to its non-active position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] For a more complete understanding of the present invention, exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawing figures, in which like reference signs designate like parts and in which:

[0012] Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an example embodiment of a bread maker with its door in the closed position;

[0013] Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the bread maker of Figure 1 with the door in its intermediate position; [0014] Figure 3 is a schematic representation of the bread maker of Figure 1 with the door in its open position;

[0015] Figure 4 is a schematic detail view of the second linkage assembly of Figure 1 when the door is in the closed position;

[0016] Figure 5 is a schematic detail of the first linkage assembly and operation assembly of Figure 2 or 3 in the non-engaged position;

[0017] Figure 6 is a schematic representation of an alternative embodiment of a bread maker with its door in the closed position;

[0018] Figure 7 is a schematic representation of the bread maker of Figure 6 with its door in the open position;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Disclosed herein with reference to the Figures is a kitchen appliance 10 having a cooking cavity 101 within a body 100. The cooking cavity 101 is adapted to receive a food stuff to undergo a cooking operation within the cooking cavity 101, and a door 103 is provided to selectively occlude the cooking cavity 101 thereby allowing access to the cavity 101 for placement or removal of the foodstuff, or restricting access to the cavity 101 for performing a cooking operation. A “cooking operation” as used herein denotes not only activities involving the use of heat, but other activities for the generation of foodstuffs, such as kneading and proofing.

[0020] An operation assembly 300 is also provided within the body 100, said operation assembly 300 having an active position for performing a cooking operation, as well as a non-active position. A first operative connection 110 is provided between the door 103 and the operation assembly 300. By this arrangement, the first operative connection 110 actuates the operation assembly 300 into the active position when the door 103 is configured into its closed position. Also, by this arrangement, the first operative connection 110 actuates the operation assembly 300 into the non-active position when the door 103 is moved from the closed position into an intermediate position prior to an open position. For the avoidance of doubt, the intermediate position occurs between the closed and open position of the door 103. [0021] The appliance also includes a support assembly 200 adapted to receive a cooking vessel 102. Said cooking vessel 102 is provided for the placement of foodstuffs intended to undergo a cooking operation within the cooking cavity 101 of the kitchen appliance 10. A “cooking vessel” as used herein broadly refers to any sort of container and/or surface used to support a foodstuff undergoing a “cooking operation” as defined above, for example but not limited to: a baking sheet, a sheet pan, a pizza stone, a cake tin and a baking tray.

[0022] The support assembly 200 has a retracted position where it locates within the cooking cavity 101. When the support assembly 200 is in its retracted position, the cooking vessel 102 received by the support assembly 200 locates within the cavity 101. The retracted position of the support assembly 200 locating the cooking vessel 102 within the cavity 101 facilitates a cooking operation.

[0023] The support assembly 200 has an extended position whereby at least a portion of the support assembly 200 protrudes from the space of the cavity 101. When the support assembly 200 is on its extended position, the cooking vessel 102 received by the support assembly 200 locates at least in part externally of the cavity 101. The extended position of the support assembly 200 locating the cooking vessel 102 at least partially external of the cooking cavity 101 facilitates a user accessing foodstuffs within the cooking vessel 102, or removing the cooking vessel 102 from the support assembly 200.

[0024] A second operative connection 120 is provided between the door 103 and the support assembly 200. By this arrangement, the second operative connection 120 actuates the support assembly 200 to the extended position when the door 103 is configured into its open position. Also by this arrangement, the second operative connection 120 actuates the support assembly 200 to the retracted position when the door 103 is configured into its intermediate position.

[0025] Referring now to Figures 1 to 6, shown is a kitchen appliance 10 in the form of a bread maker 10. The bread maker 10 door 103 is bottom hinged thereby providing a door axis 104 such that the door 103 is pivoted downwards about the axis 104 into the open position, and pivoted upwards about the axis 104 into the closed position.

[0026] The bread maker 10 comprises an operation assembly 300 in the form of a drive coupler 300 with an active position raised vertically upwards to engage with the cooking vessel 102 to operate paddle drive assembly (not shown) to drive bread making paddles. The drive coupling 300 is rotated by a driven shaft 301 connecting thereto at one end, with the other end of the driven shaft 301 connecting with a driven pulley 302 rotated by a motor (not shown). The drive coupler 300 is vertically lowered from the active position into its non-active position disengaged from the cooking vessel 102 and thus paddle drive assembly.

[0027] In a non-limiting example embodiment a first operative connection 110 is provided to actuate the drive coupler 300 between its active and non-active positions. The first operative connection 110 comprises a first linkage assembly 400. In the depicted example embodiment, the first linkage assembly 400 is a four bar lift linkage including a first rocker output 401 and a first rocker input 402 that pivot to vertically effect the position of an intermediate linkage 404. The intermediate linkage 404 is configured with an aperture through which the driven shaft 301 locates such that vertical movement of the intermediate linkage 404 does not interfere with the driven shaft 301. Optionally, a compression spring termed the operation spring 303, or some other equivalent device as known to the art, acts between the drive coupling 300 and the intermediate linkage 404 to assist movement of the drive coupling 300 up and down the driven shaft 301.

[0028] Each of the first rocker output 401 and the following linkage 403 are at one end pivotally mounted to the intermediate linkage 404, and pivotally mounted at their other end to a sub frame plate (not shown) within the body 100 of the bread maker 10. An extension 402 to the first rocker output 401 is herein termed the first rocker input 402, and is provided that continues from the pivotal mounting on the subframe plate. The first rocker input 402 is set at an angle to the first rocker output 401. The first operative connection 110 further includes a second linkage assembly 500 configured to act upon the first rocker input 402 to actuate the first linkage assembly thereby effecting the vertical position of the drive coupling 300 between its active and non-active positions.

[0029] The second linkage assembly 500 is best shown in Figure 4, and comprises an input linkage 501 operatively associated with the door 103 such that movement of the door 103 similarly moves the input linkage 501. In the depicted example embodiment, one end of the input linkage 501 attaches with the door 103, and the other end extends from the door 103 past the door axis 104. By this arrangement, as the door 103 pivots about the door axis 104, the extending end 502 of the input linkage 501 similarly pivots about the door axis 104. [0030] The extending end 502 of the input linkage 501 is operatively associated with a central linkage 504 of the second linkage assembly. This operative association comprises a pin 503 captured within a slot 505. In the depicted embodiment, the extending end 502 of the input linkage 501 is formed with a pin 503 that is captured within a slot 505 formed in the central linkage 504.

[0031] In the depicted example embodiment, the slot 505 is formed in one general end of the central linkage 504. The other general end of the central linkage 504 is operatively associated with an output linkage 509. In the depicted example embodiment, this operative association is a pinned connection 508 with one end of an output linkage 509, with the other end of the being operatively associated with the first linkage assembly 400. In the depicted example embodiment, this operative association comprises a pinned connection 508 between the output linkage 509 and the first rocker input 402, such that movement of the output linkage 509 will actuate the first linkage assembly 400 in order to move the drive coupling 300 between the active and non-active positions.

[0032] The pinned connection 508 between the central linkage 504 and the output linkage 509 is captured within a guide slot 506 fixed in relation to the body 100. This pinned connection 508 captured by the guide slot 506 is under the influence of a biasing element 507, and is configured such that the influence of the biasing element 507 on the pinned connection 508 is increased as the door 103 is moved into its closed position.

[0033] Referring again to Figures 1 to 3, movement of the door 103 between the open and closed positions actuates the second linkage assembly 500 of the first operative connection 110 to in turn actuate the first linkage assembly 400 of the first operative connection 100. Actuation of the first linkage assembly 400 in turn actuates the drive coupling 300 between its active position engaged with the paddle drive assembly to drive the bread making paddles thereby interlocking the vessel 102 in its retracted position, and its non-active position where it is disengaged from the paddle drive assembly thereby releasing said interlock with the vessel 102.

[0034] Figure 1 shows the door 103 configured in its closed position occluding the cavity 101 within which the vessel 102 is located for a bread making operation. Figure 4 shows a detailed view of a portion of the second linkage mechanism 500 when the door 103 is configured into its closed position. Closing the door 103 by pivoting it about the door axis 104 anti-clockwise in a leftwards direction relative the page induces the input linkage 501 to rotate about the door axis 104 in an anti-clockwise in a rightwards direction relative the page. By this action, when the door 103 is configured into its closed position, the pin 503 of the extending end 502 is moved to the limit of travel within the slot 505 of the central linkage 504 in the opposite direction to the pinned connection 508. This in turn causes the pinned connection 508 to travel within the guide slot 506 in the direction towards the central linkage 504 and away from the output linkage 509. Said travel of the pinned connection 508 in the direction towards the central linkage 504 is against the direction of bias provided by the biasing element. Otherwise stated, the biasing element 507 urges the pinned connection 508 to travel within the guide slot 506 in the direction of the output linkage 509. In an example embodiment, travel of the pinned connection 508 within the guide slot 506 under influence of the biasing element 507 corresponds with approximately the final 20% of the door’s travel into its closed position.

[0035] Movement of the pinned connection 508 in the direction toward the central linkage 504 in turn moves the output linkage 509 in this same direction, as the output linkage 509 is connected to the central linkage 504 by the pinned connection 508. Similarly, as the output linkage 509 is connected to the first rocker input 402 of the first linkage mechanism 400, the first rocker input 402 is pivoted anti-clockwise in a direction toward the output linkage 509. This in turn cause the first rocker output 401 to pivot into a raised position, and as the first rocker output 401 is in a four bar lift arrangement, the following linkage 403 is also pivoted into a raised position. The pivotable raising of the first rocker output 401 and following linkage 403 similarly raises the intermediate linkage 404, such that the drive coupling 300 is brought into its active position engaged with the vessel 102 under the influence of the operation spring 303 acting between the intermediate linkage 404 and the drive coupling 300.

[0036] Referring still to Figure 1, a second operative connection 120 is provided between the door 103 and the support assembly 200 such that the support assembly 200 is actuated into its extended position as the door 103 is configured into its open position. The support assembly 200 includes a support body 201 associated with a cradle 202 for supporting the vessel 102. The support body 201 is reciprocably mounted to the bread maker 10 body 100, for example using linear runners or sliders so as to facilitate movement of the support assembly 200 between the retracted position whereby the vessel 102 locates within the cavity 101, and the extended position whereby the vessel 102 locates at least in part external of the cavity 101. The support assembly 200 is urged toward the retracted position by a support biasing element 203. [0037] The second operative connection 120 includes a support linkage 204 connected at one end with the door 103. In the depicted embodiment, the support linkage 204 is connected to the door 103 by way of a mounting bracket 205 attached to the door 103, said mounting bracket 205 sufficient spaced from the door axis 104 to facilitate sufficient movement of the support linkage 204 to actuate the support assembly 200 between its retracted and extended positions in the manner herein described. The support linkage 204 attaches to the mounting bracket 205 by a pinned connection 206 thereby allowing pivoting movement of the support linkage 204 relative to the mounting bracket 205.

[0038] The opposite end of the support linkage 204 to the pinned connection 206 with the mounting bracket 205 is configured with a roller 208. The roller 208 is captured within a support slot 207. The support slot 207 may be integrally formed with some portion of the support assembly 200, such as the support body 201, or it may be some distinct component mounted onto the support body 201, for example.

[0039] When the door 103 is in the closed position of Figure 1, the support linkage 204 connected with the door 103 has moved further into the space of the cavity 101 and so the roller 208 has moved along the support slot 207 in a direction away from the door 103.

[0040] Referring now to Figure 2, shown is the door 103 in the intermediate position between its closed position and the open position. As the door 103 has pivoted away from its closed position occluding the cavity 101, the support linkage 204 connected with the door 103 is similarly moved in an outwards direction from the cavity 101. Accordingly, the roller 208 is moved along the support slot 207 to the limit of travel in the direction towards the door 103, such that any further movement in this direction will cause the roller 208 abutting with the end of the slot 207 to move the support assembly 200 in the direction towards the door 103. However, in comparing Figures 1 and 2, the support assembly 200 is in the same position, that is in its retracted position within the cavity 101.

[0041] Still referring to Figure 2, pivoting the door 103 from its closed position to the intermediate position causes the pin 503 of the extending end 502 to move closer to the guide slot 506, thereby allowing the pinned connection 508 to move along the guide slot 506 in a direction away from extending end 502 under influence of the biasing element. Consequently, the output linkage 509 also moves in a direction away from the extending end 502, thereby acting upon the first rocker input 402 to pivot into a lowered configuration. By this arrangement, the first linkage assembly 400 is lowered, thereby lowering the drive coupling 300 into the nonactive position disengaged from the vessel 102. Disengagement of the drive coupling 300 from the vessel 102 removes the interlock preventing movement of the support assembly 200 from its retracted position.

[0042] Referring now to Figure 3, shown is the door 103 in its open position. As the door 103 has pivoted further away from its closed position as compared to the intermediate position of Figure 2, the support linkage 204 connected with the door 103 is similar moved further outwards in the direction from the cavity 101. Since the roller 208 was already at its limit of travel within the slot 207 when the door 103 in the intermediate position of Figure 2, this further outwards movement of the support linkage 204 abuts the roller 208 against the travel limit of the support slot 207 to similarly urge the connected support assembly 200 against the bias of the support biasing element 203. The support assembly 200 is consequently moved into its extended position where the support assembly 200 and the vessel 102 received thereby at least partially projects from the cavity 101.

[0043] Still referring to Figure 3, as the door 103 is pivoted anti-clockwise in a leftward direction relative the page from the intermediate position of Figure 2 to the open position of Figure 3, the extending end 502 of the first linkage on an opposite side of the door axis 104 to the door 103 is consequently pivoted anti-clockwise in a rightward direction. This moves the pin 503 of the extending end 502 further towards the guide slot 506, and as the pinned connection 508 has already retracted toward the output linkage 509 under influence of the biasing element, this further leftwards movement of the extending end 502 pin 503 is accommodated by sliding along the central linkage 504 slot 505 towards the pinned connection 508. In the depicted embodiment, the central linkage 504 also pivotally tilts about the pinned connection 508 to further accommodate the leftwards movement of the extending end 502 pin 503 as the door 103 is configured into the open position.

[0044] In comparing Figure 2 and Figure 3, moving the door 103 between the intermediate position and the open position does not cause movement of the output linkage 509, as the pinned connection 508 had already moved to the limit of travel toward the output linkage 509 under influence of bias from the biasing element. As the output linkage 509 does not move as the door 103 is moved between the intermediate position of Figure 2 and the open position of Figure 3, the first linkage assembly is similarly not actuated as the door 103 moves between the intermediate and open positions. Therefore, the drive coupling 300 remains in its non-active position disengaged from the vessel 102 as the door 103 is moved between the intermediate and open positions.

[0045] Various forms of the appliances described above may have one or more of the following advantages. The position of the door 103 is configured to actuate the operation assembly 300 between its active and non-active position; and also actuate the support assembly 200 carrying a cooking vessel 102 between its extended and retracted position. Starting from the door 103 in its closed position occluding the cavity 101, the support assembly 200 carrying the cooking vessel 102 is in its retracted position within said cavity 101; and the operation assembly 300 is in its active position operatively engaged with the vessel 102 to perform a cooking operation in relation to the foodstuff therein. During the first part of travel as the door 103 is brought into an intermediate position prior to the open position, the first operative connection 110 actuates the operation assembly 300 into the disengaged non-active position, whereas the roller 208 of the second operation assembly 120 travels along the guide slot 506 without affecting the position of the support assembly 200 from the retracted stated within the cavity 101. During the second part of travel from the intermediate position to the open position, the roller 208 abuts with the terminal portion of the slot 207 such that movement of the support linkage 204 by pivoting the door 103 open pulls the support assembly 200 and vessel 102 out of the cavity 101 into its extended position, said vessel 102 being disengaged from the operation assembly 300 during the first portion of travel prior.

[0046] By this arrangement, the first part of travel of the door 103 from the closed position to an intermediate position towards the open position releases the cooking vessel 102; and the second part of travel from said intermediate position to the open position maintains the operation assembly 300 in the non-active position while actuating the support assembly 200 and vessel 102 carried thereby to project from the cavity 101, thus providing easy access to the vessel 102 and foodstuffs therein without a user having to manually handle the vessel 102, which may be hot from a cooking operation.

[0047] In the reverse operation starting from the door 103 in its open position, the support assembly 200 is in its extended position; and the operation assembly 300 is in its non-active position. During the first part of travel from the open position to the intermediate position toward the closed position, the input linkage 501 pin 503 of the first operative connection 110 moves along a groove in the central linkage 504, which leaves the state of the output linkage 509 and hence the first linkage assembly 400 unchanged. Thus the operation assembly 300 remains in the non-active position during the first part of travel from the open position to the intermediate position. However, as the support linkage 204 of the second operative connection 120 moves toward the direction of the cavity 101 as the door 103 is brought closed in its first part of travel, the support biasing element 203 acts to withdraw the support assembly 200 carrying the vessel 102 to its retracted position within the cavity 101. Then in the second part of travel from the intermediate position to the closed position, further movement of the support linkage 204 in the direction toward the cavity 101 merely causes the rotation slider to move along the guide slot 506 without affecting the retracted position. However also during this second part of travel movement of the input linkage 501 in a direction away from the cavity 101 induces similar movement in the output linkage 509, which actuates the first linkage assembly 400 to its active position engaged with the vessel 102 which was already configured into its retracted position during the first part of the travel of the door 103.

[0048] By this arrangement, moving the door 103 from its open position to an intermediate position towards the closed position actuates the support assembly 200 carrying the vessel 102 into the retracted position within the cavity 101 without actuating the operation assembly 300 from its non-active position. Then the second part of travel from the intermediate position to the closed position actuates the operation assembly 300 into the active position engaged with the vessel 102 which had already been retracted into the cavity 101 during travel of the door 103 from the open position to the intermediate position.

[0049] Although the depicted embodiment described above relates to a bread maker 10, it is to be understood that its use is not limited to such, and that the disclosure can be applied to other appliances based on the principles set out herein. For example, the kitchen appliance 10 could be an oven where opening the door 103 firstly withdraws a heating element and subsequently induces the cooking vessel 102 to be presented from the oven cavity 101. And similarly, where closing the door 103 initially induces the vessel 102 to withdraw to within the cavity 101, and subsequently induce the element to move into a cooking position.

[0050] It is to be appreciated that the specific embodiment set out herein is provided by way of indicative example only, and is not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the disclosure. For example, the support assembly 200 may be mounted to a pivoting linkage having an arcuate slot within which a pin of the support linkage 204 is captured. Said pivoting linkage may be further associated with a crank rocker assembly to actuate the operation assembly 300 between the active and non-active positions. A schematic example of such an arrangement in shown in Figures 6 to 8.

[0051] Furthermore, instead of being configured as the four bar lift described above, the first linkage assembly may be provided as a Chebychev mechanism or a Scotch yoke style mechanism. The skilled person will appreciate such arrangements may be used to for vertical presentation of the vessel by opening a door on the top of the appliance.

[0052] Although specific embodiments of the invention are illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a variety of alternative and/or equivalent implementations exist. It should be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are examples only and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration in any way. Rather, the foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Generally, this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein.

[0053] It will also be appreciated that in this document the terms “comprise”, “comprising”, “include”, “including”, “contain”, “containing”, “have”, “having”, and any variations thereof, are intended to be understood in an inclusive (i.e. non-exclusive) sense, such that the process, method, device, apparatus or system described herein is not limited to those features or parts or elements or steps recited but may include other elements, features, parts or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Furthermore, the terms “a” and “an” used herein are intended to be understood as meaning one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise. Moreover, the terms “first”, “second”, etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on or to establish a certain ranking of importance of their objects. PARTS LIST

[0054]

10 kitchen appliance/bread maker

100 appliance body

101 cooking cavity

102 cooking vessel

103 door

104 door axis

110 first operative connection

120 second operative connection

200 support assembly

201 support body

202 cradle

203 support biasing element

204 support linkage

205 mounting bracket

206 pinned connection

207 support slot

208 roller

300 operation assembly /drive coupling

301 driven shaft

302 driven pulley

303 operation spring

400 first linkage assembly/four bar lift linkage

401 first rocker output

402 first rocker input following linkage intermediate linkage second linkage assembly input linkage extending end pin central linkage central linkage slot guide slot biasing element pinned connection output linkage

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A kitchen appliance comprising: a body defining a cooking cavity; a support assembly adapted to hold a cooking vessel, said support assembly having a retracted position within the cooking cavity and an extended position projecting from the cavity; a door; and a operation assembly; wherein a first operative connection is provided between the door and the operation assembly such that moving the door from a closed position to an intermediate position prior to an open position actuates the operation assembly from an active position to a non-active position.

2. The kitchen appliance of claim 1, wherein the active position of the operation assembly interlocks the support assembly in its retracted position.

3. The kitchen appliance of claim 1, wherein a second operative connection is provided between the door and the support assembly such that moving the door form the intermediate position to the open position actuates the support assembly from the retracted position to the extended position.

4. The kitchen appliance of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first operative connection includes a first linkage assembly and a second linkage assembly, said first linkage assembly configured to actuate the operation assembly from its active position to its non-active position.

5. The kitchen appliance of claim 4, wherein the second linkage assembly comprises an input linkage operatively associated with the door such that movement of the door similarly moves the input linkage, wherein the input linkage comprises a pin captured within a slot of a central linkage, said central linkage having a pinned connection with an output linkage to allow pivoting movement therebetween, wherein said pinned connection is restricted to travel within a slot fixed in relation to the body under the influence of a biasing element, such that when the door is moved into the closed position, the position of the pinned connection is against the influence of the biasing element, and such that as the door is moved from the closed position to the intermediate position the biasing element moves the pinned connection along the slot to subsequently move the output linkage to actuate the first linkage assembly.

6. The kitchen appliance of claim 4 or 5, wherein the first linkage assembly is a four-bar mechanism operable to raise the operation assembly into its active position and lower the operation assembly into its non-active position.

7. The kitchen appliance of claim 6, wherein the operation assembly is a drive coupling for engagement with a paddle drive assembly for mixing paddles.

8. The kitchen appliance of claim 7, wherein the drive coupling travels along a driven shaft between its active and non-active positions, and wherein the drive coupling is biased into its active position.

9. The kitchen appliance of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second operative connection includes a support linkage having a first end pivotably mounted to the door and a second end slidably captured in a support slot formed in a body of the support assembly, wherein the second end of the support linkage slidably travels to a first terminal end of the support slot when the door is moved from its closed position to its intermediate position, such that further movement the door into its open position will cause the support assembly to move from its retracted position to its extended position by abutting engagement between the second end of the support linkage and the terminal end of the support slot.

10. The kitchen appliance of claim 9, wherein the body is biased toward the retracted position of the support assembly.

11. The kitchen appliance of claim 9, wherein the second end of the support linkage slidably travels to a second terminal end of the support slot when the door is moved from its open position to its intermediate position, such that further movement the door into its closed position will cause the support assembly to move from its extended position to its retracted position by abutting engagement between the second end of the support linkage and the second terminal end of the support slot.