Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47J—KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
  • A47J43/00—Implements for preparing or holding food, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
  • A47J43/04—Machines for domestic use not covered elsewhere, e.g. for grinding, mixing, stirring, kneading, emulsifying, whipping or beating foodstuffs, e.g. power-driven
  • A47J43/07—Parts or details, e.g. mixing tools, whipping tools
  • A47J43/0705—Parts or details, e.g. mixing tools, whipping tools for machines with tools driven from the upper side
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47J—KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
  • A47J43/00—Implements for preparing or holding food, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
  • A47J43/04—Machines for domestic use not covered elsewhere, e.g. for grinding, mixing, stirring, kneading, emulsifying, whipping or beating foodstuffs, e.g. power-driven
  • A47J43/044—Machines for domestic use not covered elsewhere, e.g. for grinding, mixing, stirring, kneading, emulsifying, whipping or beating foodstuffs, e.g. power-driven with tools driven from the top side
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47J—KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
  • A47J43/00—Implements for preparing or holding food, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
  • A47J43/04—Machines for domestic use not covered elsewhere, e.g. for grinding, mixing, stirring, kneading, emulsifying, whipping or beating foodstuffs, e.g. power-driven
  • A47J43/07—Parts or details, e.g. mixing tools, whipping tools
  • A47J43/08—Driving mechanisms
  • A47J43/082—Driving mechanisms for machines with tools driven from the upper side
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47J—KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
  • A47J43/00—Implements for preparing or holding food, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
  • A47J43/24—Devices for washing vegetables or the like

Definitions

• This invention relates to a driving unit to transmit force from one object to another.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a kitchen utensil as described herein.
• FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an embodiment of a drive train for the kitchen utensil of Figure 1.
• Fig. 3 is an exploded close up of an embodiment of a spiral radius gear and a spur gear of the drive train of Figure 2, with the spur gear on top.
• Fig. 4 is an exploded close up of an embodiment of a spiral radius gear and a spur gear of the drive train of Figure 2, with the spiral gear on top.
• Fig. 5 is an embodiment of a pinion gear of the drive train of Figure 2.
• Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a quarter pinion gear of the drive train of Figure 2.
• Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the quarter pinion of Figure 6.
• Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the assembled drive train of Figure 2, with the drive train at the end of the cycle.
• Fig. 9 is a bottom view of the assembled drive train of Figure 2, with the drive train at the beginning of the cycle.
• Fig. 10 is a top view of the embodiment disclosed in Figure 2 in the fired position, showing just the spiral radius gear and the quarter pinion gear for clarity.
• FIG. 1 1 is a top view of the embodiment disclosed in Figure 10 in the un-fired position, showing just the spiral radius gear and the quarter pinion gear for clarity.
• Fig. 12 is a top view of a second embodiment of a drive train in the fired position, showing just the first quarter pinion gear and the second quarter pinion gear for clarity.
• FIG. 13 is a top view of embodiment of the drive train disclosed in Figure 12 in the un-fired position, showing just the first quarter pinion gear and the second quarter pinion gear for clarity.
• Fig. 14 is a top view of the lid disclosed in Figure 8, with the handle member at the end of the cycle.
• Fig. 15 is a top view of the lid disclosed in Figure 9, with the handle member at the beginning of the cycle. Detailed Description of the Drawings
• the present invention is described herein with respect to a drive unit that is used to transmit force from one object to another. It may be used, for example, with an exemplary kitchen utensil 10, which is shown in Fig. 1. It will be understood that the drive mechanism disclosed herein may be used in other applications.
• kitchen utensil 10 comprises handle member 12, which comprises first end 14 having a gripping portion 15, and second end 16 that is engaged to lid 20.
• handle member 12 is offset from the axis of rotation of implement 52.
• handle member 12 is rotatably engaged to lid 20 by means of a pair of shafts 24, to move between an "up position,” shown, e.g., in Fig. 15, and a "down" position, shown, e.g., in Fig. 1.
• the scope of the present invention includes embodiments with different means of engagement.
• handle member 12 may slide laterally along lid 20 to motivate drive train 30.
• Handle lock 17 is disposed on lid 20 proximate to gripping portion 15. Handle lock 17 is movable between a first position, in which handle member 12 is prevented from moving with respect to lid 20, and a second position, in which handle member 12 is permitted to move with respect to lid 20.
• the means of engagement may not be a handle member, but may also comprise a pull cord, a button, a crank, or any other means of engagement.
• the depicted food processor embodiment includes base 21 (or drive train 30) engaged to container 50. Disposed within container 50 to act on food (not shown) that is placed in container 50 is processing implement 52, which is propelled by handle member 12 as described in detail below. Processing implement 52 may comprise a plurality of blades 54 disposed about central pillar 56 in order to slice or chop the food. Other processing implements may employed in a food processing device, such as a basket, whisk, etc. In other applications, a different rotated element will be used in place of processing implement 52.
• Fig. 2 depicts drive train 30 of kitchen utensil 10.
• Lobe 32 is rotatably engaged to frame 22, and is driven by handle member 12.
• lobe 32 is disposed on axle 33, which is disposed in holes 34 and 35 formed in frame 22.
• a pair of shafts 24 engage both handle member 12 and lobe 32 and transfer rotation from handle member 12 to lobe 32.
• Flexible link 60 comprises first end 61 engaged to lobe 32 and second end 62.
• flexible link 60 is a single piece of fabric double over itself in order to form a loop at each end 61 and 62.
• flexible link 60 is engaged to lobe 32 proximate to first end 61. In this manner, rotation of handle member 12 causes linear movement of flexible link 60, as depicted, for example, by arrows 63 and 64 in Fig. 9.
• a stepless gear mechanism drives pinion gear 90 with a torque that is initially high and gradually moves to low as handle member 12 moves from the un-fired position to the fired position, while driving pinion gear 90 with low speed and gradually moving to high speed as handle member is moved from the un-fired position to the fired position.
• quarter pinion 40 is likewise disposed within the cavity, and rotates about shaft 37.
• quarter pinion 40 will only rotate about 90 degrees when handle member 12 is cycled from its up position to its down position. As such, the beginning of the rotation cycle for quarter pinion corresponds to the up position of handle member 12, while the end of the rotation cycle corresponds to the down position. As seen in detail in Figs.
• quarter pinion 40 comprises arcuate gear form 42 and rotates about axis of rotation 45.
• Arcuate gear form 42 has a first end 43 located a distance dl from axis of rotation 45, and a second end 44 located a distance d2 from axis of rotation 45, wherein dl is less than d2. In this manner, the torque required to rotate quarter pinion 40 is greater at the beginning of the rotation cycle than at the end of the rotation cycle.
• quarter pinion 40 further comprises structure 55 formed on a first side thereof to engage flexible link 60.
• second end 62 of flexible link 60 is formed into a loop, which is disposed in internal section 53 of structure 55 and wraps around anchor 58, and a portion of flexible link 60 passes through entrance 56 and exit 57.
• entrance 56 and exit 57 are perpendicular to one another. As a result, lateral movement of flexible link 60 results in rotation of quarter pinion 40.
• Springs 41(a) and (b) are engaged to frame 22 and quarter pinion 40, and biase quarter pinion 40 to the beginning of its rotation cycle, as described above.
• Springs 41(a) and (b) may be replaced by one spring 41, but a single spring must be of sufficient strength to overcome the strength of spring 72.
• Spring 72 applies appropriate force to engage engagement means 81 and 82, allowing for rotational re-set of handle member 12, as described in detail below.
• spiral radius gear 47 comprises gear form 48 formed on the periphery thereof.
• the radius of the gear form 48 constantly increases, and causes gear form 48 to appear as a spiral.
• tooth 48a is closer to the axis of rotation of spiral radius gear 47 than is tooth 48b. In this manner, the torque required to move spiral radius gear 47 gradually decreases through the rotation cycle.
• the small radius of spiral radius gear 47 correspond to, and engage with, the large distance of quarter pinion 40
• the large radius of spiral radius gear 47 correspond to, and engage with, the small distance of quarter pinion 40.
• tooth 48a engages quarter pinion 40 proximate to second end 44
• tooth 48b engages quarter pinion 40 proximate to first end 43.
• Spiral radius gear 47 is drivingly disposed on spur gear 70, which also rotates about shaft 38.
• Spiral radius gear 47 drives spur gear 70 through engagement means 80, which allows spiral radius gear 47 to transmit rotation to spur gear 70 only when rotated in one direction.
• a first engagement means 81 is formed on spiral radius gear 47
• a corresponding second engagement means 82 is formed on spur gear 70.
• both engagement means 81 and 82 comprise a series of ramps, ending in a near-vertical side, or even a negative angle with respect to vertical.
• Spur gear 70 is engaged to pinion 90.
• pinion 90 comprises gear form 91 and extension 92, which extends from gear form 91, through base 21 into container 50. Processing implement 52 engages pinion 90 through extension 92.
• a second embodiment of the present invention is depicted, for example, in
• Figs. 12 and 13 depict only the engagement between first quarter pinion 140 and second quarter pinion 150.
• Fig. 12 shows an initial state of the drive device before the handle member 12 is moved from the unfired position to the fired position.
• the first and second quarter pinions 140 and 150 are constructed as semicircular disc elements and have teeth 142 and 152, respectively, distributed over the circumference.
• the two quarter pinions 140 and 150 engaged each other at engagement point 170.
• a first spacing 144 between the axis of rotation of first quarter pinion 140 and the engagement point 170 is smaller than a second spacing 145 between the axis of rotation of second quarter pinion 150 and the engagement point 170.
• Fig. 13 depicts first and second quarter pinions 140 and 150 after handle member 12 has been fired. In the position shown in Fig. 13, the first spacing 144 is larger than the second spacing 145.
• the fulcrum of first quarter pinion 140 changes during the cycle of actuation of handle member 12.
• the length of the first spacing 144 increases, starting from the state shown in Fig. 12 to the state shown in Fig. 13.
• the fulcrum of second quarter pinion 150 also changes during the cycle of actuation of handle member 12.
• the length of the second spacing 145 decreases, starting from the length shown in Fig. 12 and ending in the length depicted in Fig. 13.
• handle member 12 In storage, handle member 12 is locked in the down, fired position against lid 20, as depicted in Fig. 1. In this position, spring 72 is extended, and quarter pinion 40 and spiral radius gear 47 are at the end of their respective rotational cycles.
• spring 72 biases quarter pinion 40 to the beginning of its rotational cycle, causing handle member 12 to rotate to near vertical with respect to lid 20, as depicted in Fig. 9.
• a user may place one hand on support surface 100 of lid 20, and use the other hand to fire handle member 12.
• spring 72 again becomes extended and flexible link 60 is pulled in a first lateral direction, depicted as arrow 63 in Fig. 9, causing quarter pinion 40 to begin its rotation cycle.
• Quarter pinion 40 rotates spiral radius gear 47.
• the engagement means 80 transfers rotation from spiral radius gear 47 to spur gear 70, which then turns pinion 90, which turns processing implement 52 in one direction only.
• handle member After handle member reaches lid 20, the user releases handle member 12.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Food-Manufacturing Devices (AREA)
• Commercial Cooking Devices (AREA)
• General Preparation And Processing Of Foods (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=44924334

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (2)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 2010
  • 2010-05-26 DE DE102010017099.2A patent/DE102010017099B4/de active Active
• 2011
  • 2011-05-25 CA CA2799421A patent/CA2799421C/en active Active
  • 2011-05-25 EP EP11787331.5A patent/EP2575577A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2011-05-25 AU AU2011258308A patent/AU2011258308B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2011-05-25 MX MX2012013687A patent/MX2012013687A/es not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2011-05-25 WO PCT/US2011/037914 patent/WO2011150068A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2011-05-25 CN CN201180025782.9A patent/CN102958411B/zh active Active

Patent Citations (4)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events