Description

Background of Invention

The invention relates to a field of food processing attachments for kitchen appliances.

Prior Art

A large variety of food processing attachments for kitchen appliances is known. Various blades, crushers, mixers, stirrers and the like are used within a food processing vessel. Additionally, processing attachments are often used in the area of the lid of a food processing vessel that process food at the very entrance into the vessel, such as slicers, cube cutters, graters and the like. The latter attachments are often meant for pre-processing of food which is then used in processes of serving, additional preparation or cooking within the vessel or using other kitchen appliances. A user often has an intention to reduce pieces of food in a way (slices, cubes) that allows him to further process food in the same kitchen appliance in a more optimal way. After a completed first step of food processing the first attachment needs to be removed (usually the one in the area of the lid of a kitchen appliance) and a new one inserted, for instance a rotating blade, a mixer or a stirrer, and then one can continue with desired processing. An example of food processing of this type is preparation of smoothies where desired ingredients for a smoothie, especially fruit, vegetables and nuts are first cut using specially adapted tools such as shredding discs, cube cutters and grating plates, and then processing is continued in the vessel with a rotary blade. The above-described two-step food processing is an obstacle for the user because he needs to exchange the attachment at least once during the process. Even more, there is higher possibility for a working area to get filthy with partly processed food.

Objective of the invention

Objective of the invention to conceive improved food processing attachments for a kitchen appliance that would provide for a simultaneous rather better successive food processing in several successive steps with no need for exchanging of attachments.

Solution according to the invention

To reach the purpose of the invention a food processing attachment for a kitchen appliance according to claim 1 is represented. Further, a food processing kitchen appliance as described in claim 1 1 is represented. Preferred variants can be implemented separately or in any combination according to dependent claims.

According to the first aspect of the invention, a food processing attachment for a kitchen appliance is represented. The food processing attachment for a kitchen appliance comprises at least a housing, an output connected to a motor, a vessel for processing food, and a lid, wherein the attachment is composed of at least two separate food processing tools and at least two phases of food processing are performed while the attachment is in operation. The user can thus perform two (or more) phases of the process in a simple way and without unnecessary additional steps, which results in a reduced time and effort needed for food preparation. According to the second aspect of the invention a food processing kitchen appliance adapted for the use of the blade according to claim 1 is presented.

The objective of the invention is reached by a simultaneous interrelated operation of two tools on the food processing attachment in the food preparation appliance, with which the food processing process is shortened and made easier for the user, a need for cleaning of the attachments is reduced.

Preferred Embodiments

Embodiments that can be used individually or in any combination are the object of dependent claims.

In a preferred embodiment, one of food processing tools is located in the area of the lid. This tool is usually arranged such that a disc for shredding, cutting, cutting into cubes or grating rotates around a central axis of a kitchen appliance and performs the first step of food processing. Food, for instance fruit or vegetables, is inserted in a non-treated condition through a dedicated opening in the lid. This description does not exclude any possibilities of different ways of initial inserting and processing of food.

The food processing tool arranged in the area of the lid preferably performs cutting to slices, cutting into cubes and strips or grating. Rotating discs are especially suited for this purpose as they are provided with adequate processing cutting edges and openings for an individual processing process. The processed food is collected in the interior of the food processing vessel where it can be further processed or stored.

In a further preferred embodiment, one of the food processing tools is arranged in the bottom part of the food processing vessel. The food processing tool arranged in the bottom part of the food processing vessel is preferably used for chopping, stirring, slicing, kneading, mixing, heating or cooking. In the present invention, such combinations are normally used, in which two consecutive phases of food processing contribute to a shorter or easier process to be performed by the user, for instance in the preparation of smoothies, where, in the first phase of processing, the ingredients (vegetable, fruit, nuts) are cut and/or crushed on the tool in the area of the lid to a size suitable for rapid processing with the tool in the bottom part of the processing vessel, for instance with a rotating blade. By applying this useful single input of ingredients a final product is prepared in a relatively short time without any superfluous additional process steps. Apart from reduction in time, the need for cleaning and the danger for contamination of working surfaces when transferring food between appliances and/or vessels are importantly reduced.

In some preferred embodiments the output which is arranged within the food processing vessel or within the area of the lid is adapted to allow rotation of at least two tools on the food processing attachment at various speeds, preferably in a coaxial variant. It is useful for the preparation of some types of food that both tools (there may be more of them) rotate at various speeds. An example of such processing is for instance chopping and roasting of onion. In the first phase, onions need to be chopped, wherein as high peripheral velocity of the disk as possible is desired in order to cut the onions into thin slices (that get decomposed later) and in the second phase, it is desired that the onions are stirred at the bottom of the vessel while roasting and this stirring must be relatively slow as compared to the desired speed of rotation of the slicing disc. The kitchen appliance of the described variant is equipped with a vessel heater. By an adequate configuration of the output in a two-speed coaxial variant (not shown in figures) it is therefore possible to achieve that both tools rotate at various speeds and that both processing phases are adequately carried out.

Preferably, at least one of the food processing tools is dismountable and exchangeable. This contributes to a further flexibility of a combination of two or more tools on the same support and provides for the use of the food processing attachment in a larger number of multi-step food processing processes. Additionally, the used-up tools are much more easily exchanged in this way and cleaning is much easier.

In a further preferred embodiment a coupling mechanism is arranged in the area of the food processing attachment. This mechanism allows separation of the attachment into at least two parts. Some attachments, for instance a blade, require specific safety measures to avoid potential injuries. It is very important that such tools are locked during operation and also that they are handled with care while disassembling and cleaning the appliance.

It is further preferred that at least one of the food processing tools is dismountable and exchangeable only in the case when the attachment is separated into several parts by using the coupling mechanism. A preferred variant of the attachment is the one that makes it impossible to take the blade off the attachment until the attachment is disassembled into two parts in its central part by means of the coupling mechanism. Despite the fact that variants without coupling and with a possibility of tool exchange are possible, they are sometimes more easily feasible (from the aspects of safety, geometry and cost) by using the coupling mechanism.

In a further preferred embodiment, the attachment can still be used for processing even if one of the sites for tools is not occupied. This makes it possible to use the same attachment also for carrying out simple (single-step) food processing processes and this yet additionally increases applicability of such attachment.

Short Description of Drawings

Figure 1 : kitchen appliance with an inserted food processing attachment; Figure 2:food processing attachment;

Figure 3: coupling mechanism; a) upper part of the holder, b) bottom part of the holder, c) connector, d) coupling demonstration.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Figure 1 shows a kitchen appliance 2 in a stand-by mode for food processing. A food processing vessel 4 is arranged on a housing 3 containing a motor; a lid 5 is fastened to the vessel. A user inserts food ingredients through an opening that is visible on the upper part of the lid. A food processing attachment 1 is visible in the interior of the vessel 4. Food ingredients first come in contact with a tool 6 that is arranged in proximity to the lid (details are shown in Figure 2), in this case a rotating disk for slicing. In the first phase, the food inserted through the opening in the lid 5 is processed into slices that fall into the interior of the food processing vessel 4 and as soon as it comes in contact with a second tool 7 arranged at the bottom of the vessel 4, a second phase starts, in this case chopping with a blade. This concrete example allows a very simple preparation of smoothies by processing vegetables, fruit and/or nuts that do not need any pre-preparation (for instance cutting apples to smaller parts) which is necessary with some types of food. An advantage for the user is a quick and simple preparation and what is even more, cleaning is simpler and the working surfaces get less filthy since there are no intermediate processing phases.

Figure 2 represents the food processing attachment 1 , on which there are arranged a tool 6 that is arranged in the proximity to the lid 5, in this case a shredding disc, and a second tool 7 that is arranged at the bottom of the processing vessel 4, in this case a shredding blade. The tools 6,7 can be mounted on the support 1 in a fixed or dismountable manner. In case of a dismountable arrangement, it is important that the bottom blade can be exchanged with another tool, such as a stirrer, mixer or another blade. In a usual geometry of arrangement of tools 6,7 in similar appliances there is a need for a coupling mechanism 9 that allows a separation of the attachment 1 to two parts and the blade from the bottom tool 7 can be taken off the support 1. The coupling mechanism 9 is shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3 shows an embodiment of the coupling mechanism 9, wherein any other similar known coupling manner can be applied as well; it is only important that it provides for adequate safety of the user during the operation and while exchanging the tools, cleaning and storing. Figure 3 a) shows an upper part 1 1 of the attachment 1 , to which the tool 6 arranged on the lid 5 is then fastened. Figure 3 b) shows a bottom part 10 of the attachment 1. Both parts 10, 11 are assembled into the entire support 1 by being coupled with the connector 12 shown in Figure 3 c). Figure 3 d) shows the entire coupling mechanism 9 that also forms the frame for the food processing support 1.

In certain cases, the tools 6, 7 are also removed from the food processing support 1 and the user is given a possibility of a simpler food processing with the same support 1. On the other hand, further functionalities can be obtained by using a double output 8 that represents a link between the motor and the food processing support 1. It is therefore possible to arrange onto the support 1 also tools that require various speeds of rotation for proper food processing, for instance chopping and then roasting or frying with slow stirring. List of reference numbers

I food processing attachment 2 kitchen appliance

3 housing

4 processing vessel

5 lid

6 food processing tool

7 food processing tool

8 output

9 coupling mechanism

10 lower part of the attachment

I I upper part of the attachment 12 connector