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Title:
INTERLOCK MECHANISM
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2018/051143
Kind Code:
A4
Abstract:
A drive interlock mechanism for an accessory for a food processor having a rotating drive, comprising: an engagement formation for engaging the rotating drive; a cooperating member for cooperating with the accessory so as to move the engagement formation into engagement with the rotating drive; and means for urging the engagement member away from the rotating drive so as to disengage the engagement member from the rotating drive.

Inventors:
JOHNS MARTIN (GB)
FARAM DAVID (GB)
COX AARON (GB)
VACHER DAN (GB)
Application Number:
PCT/GB2017/052785
Publication Date:
April 19, 2018
Filing Date:
September 19, 2017
Export Citation:
Click for automatic bibliography generation   Help
Assignee:
KENWOOD LTD (GB)
International Classes:
A47J43/07
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
HECTOR, Annabel (GB)
Download PDF:
Claims:
AMENDED CLAIMS

received by the International Bureau on 15 March 2018 (15.03.2018)

CLAIMS:

1. A drive interlock mechanism incorporated in an attachment for a food processor having a rotating drive, the attachment comprising an accessory having a coupling for supporting the attachment on the food processor, the drive interlock mechanism comprising:

an engagement formation for engaging the rotating drive;

a cooperating member for cooperating with the accessory so as to move the engagement formation into engagement with the rotating drive; and

means for urging the engagement member away from the rotating drive so as to disengage the engagement member from the rotating drive.

2. A drive interlock mechanism according to Claim 1 , wherein the cooperating member cooperates with the accessory when the accessory is fitted to the food processor; and wherein the means for urging urges the engagement member when the accessory is not fitted to the food processor.

3. A drive interlock mechanism according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the cooperating member cooperates with the accessory so as to urge the engagement formation into engagement with the rotating drive whilst, and preferably only whilst, the accessory is fitted to the food processor.

4. A drive interlock mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the engagement formation is configured to provide drive to a tool associated with the accessory.

5. A drive interlock mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the cooperating member is attached to the engagement formation, and preferably wherein the cooperating member is formed as part of the engagement formation.

6. A drive interlock mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the cooperating member is ramp-shaped.

7. A drive interlock mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the accessory is a lid.

8. A drive interlock mechanism according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the accessory is a bowl.

9. A drive interlock mechanism according to Claim 7 or 8, wherein the lid and/or bowl comprise a complementary surface for cooperating with the cooperating member (and optionally the engagement formation) so as to urge the engagement formation into engagement with the rotating drive when, and preferably only whilst, the accessory is fitted to the attachment.

10. A drive interlock mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the cooperating member directly engages the accessory so as to move the engagement formation into engagement with the rotating drive.

11 . A drive interlock mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the cooperating member engages the accessory via a transmission (for example a transmission shaft) so as to move the engagement formation into engagement with the rotating drive.

12. A drive interlock mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the engagement formation is a gear and the rotating drive comprises a geared output.

13. A drive interlock mechanism according to any preceding claim, wherein the food processor is a stand mixer, and the rotating drive is a horizontal drive output of the stand mixer.

14. An adaptor for a food processor comprising a rotating drive, the adaptor being in the form of a frame, said adaptor comprising:

a formation for enabling the frame to be supported by the food processor; and a support for a cutting tool, wherein the frame is arranged to permit the cutting tool to pick up drive from the rotating drive so as to allow the cutting tool to rotate about an axis that is offset from the axis of rotation of the rotating drive.

15. An adaptor according to Claim 14, wherein the frame is arranged to support the cutting tool to pick up drive at a location spaced apart from the axis of rotation of the cutting tool.

16. An adaptor according to Claim 15, wherein the frame is arranged to support the cutting tool to pick up drive only at a location spaced apart from the axis of rotation of the cutting tool.

17. An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 16, wherein the frame is adapted to be fixed relative to the food processor.

18. An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 17, wherein the formation is adapted to cooperate with the food processor.

19. An adaptor according to Claim 18, wherein the formation engages with the food processor to prevent rotation of the frame with the rotating drive; preferably, the adaptor is bodily static in use.

20. An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 19, wherein the formation is spaced apart from the axis of rotation of the cutting tool.

21. An adaptor according to Claim 20, wherein the formation is only provided at a location spaced apart from the axis of rotation of the cutting tool.

22. An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 21 , wherein the frame is arranged to support the cutting tool at a location spaced apart from the axis of rotation of the cutting tool, and preferably adjacent a perimeter of the cutting tool.

23. An adaptor according to Claim 22, wherein the frame is arranged to support the cutting tool only at a location spaced apart from the axis of rotation of the cutting tool, and preferably only adjacent a perimeter of the cutting tool.

24. An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 23, wherein the frame includes an aperture through which food processed by the cutting tool is available to pass when the cutting tool is supported by the frame.

25. An adaptor according to Claim 24, wherein the cutting tool comprises a cutting member, and wherein the aperture is dimensioned to be at least as large as an area traced by the cutting member when rotating.

26. An adaptor according to Claim 24 or 25, wherein the aperture is offset from the axis of rotation of the rotating drive.

27. An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 26, wherein the support comprises a retaining formation for preventing the cutting tool from rotating about the axis of rotation of the rotating drive.

28. An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 27, wherein the support is arranged so as to retain the cutting tool in a fixed position, and preferably the support is dimensioned no larger than that needed to receive the cutting tool.

29. An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 28, wherein the support is in the form of a flange, preferably wherein the flange is recessed within the frame.

30. An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 29, wherein the support is arranged so as to support a base of the cutting tool, and preferably so as to support only a base of the cutting tool.

31 . An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 30, further comprising an aperture for receiving the rotating drive of the food processor.

32. An adaptor according to Claim 31 , wherein the aperture for receiving the rotating drive of the food processor has a diameter that is substantially the same as the diameter of the rotating drive, the aperture thereby acting as a bearing for the rotating drive.

33. An adaptor according to Claim 31 , wherein the aperture for receiving the rotating drive of the food processor has a diameter that is substantially larger than the diameter of the rotating drive, thereby to provide clearance between the rotating drive and the aperture.

34. An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 33, further comprising an engagement formation for engaging the rotating drive of the food processor.

35. An adaptor according to Claim 34, further comprising transmission for transmitting drive from the rotating drive to the cutting tool, preferably wherein the transmission comprises a gear, more preferably wherein the gear engages with the rotating drive, and more preferably still wherein the drive gear engages directly with the rotating drive and the cutting tool.

36. An adaptor according to Claim 35, wherein the transmission is adapted to translate drive perpendicularly.

37. An adaptor according to Claim 35 or 36, wherein the transmission and/or engagement is also the support for the cutting tool.

38. An adaptor according to any of Claims 35 to 37, wherein the transmission includes a gear, preferably an internal gear and/or a ring gear.

39. An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 38, wherein the frame is arranged to support the cutting tool to pick up drive directly from the rotating drive, and preferably the adaptor comprises no intermediate transmission between the cutting tool and the food processor.

40. An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 39, wherein the formation is adapted to cooperate with at least one of: a lip, rim or an internal wall of a bowl of the food processor; a formation on the bowl for supporting a lid for the bowl; or a drive outlet of the food processor.

41 . An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 40, wherein the adaptor is shaped and arranged to fit within the bowl.

42. An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 41 , wherein the adaptor or food processor is provided with a lid, and wherein the formation is adapted to cooperate with the lid.

43. An adaptor according to Claim 42, wherein the frame is configured to align the cutting tool with a feed tube of the lid when the cutting tool is supported by the frame.

44. An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 43, wherein the frame is orientated to support the cutting tool so that the axis of rotation of the cutting tool is parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotating drive of the food processor.

45. An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 44, wherein the frame comprises a hollow spindle about which the cutting tool rotates.

46. An adaptor according to Claim 45, wherein, when the cutting tool is supported by the frame, the hollow spindle extends only towards the cutting tool.

47. An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 46, wherein the cutting tool is permitted to spin when supported in the frame, and preferably to rotate only by spinning .

48. An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 47, further comprising a blocking member for blocking food from coinciding with the axis of rotation of the cutting tool when food is being processed by the cutting tool.

49. A cutting tool for a food processor having a rotating drive, the cutting tool comprising:

a cutting member; and

an engagement formation for picking up drive from the rotating drive so as to rotate the cutting member, wherein the engagement formation is spaced apart from the axis of rotation of the cutting tool.

50. A cutting tool according to Claim 49, wherein the engagement formation is only provided at a location spaced apart from the axis of rotation of the cutting tool.

51 . A cutting tool according to Claim 49 or 50, wherein the engagement formation is provided adjacent the periphery of the cutting tool, preferably wherein the engagement formation is only provided adjacent the periphery of the cutting tool.

52. A cutting tool according to Claim 50 or 51 , wherein the engagement formation surrounds the periphery of the cutting tool.

53. A cutting tool according to any of Claims 49 to 52, wherein the cutting tool is substantially flat.

54. A cutting tool according to any of Claims 49 to 53, wherein the cutting tool includes an aperture that is coaxial with the axis of rotation of the cutting tool when the cutting tool picks-up drive by means of the engagement formation.

55. A cutting tool according to any of Claims 49 to 54, wherein the cutting tool further comprises a corer or a prong arranged coaxially with the axis of rotation of the cutting tool.

56. A cutting tool according to any of Claims 49 to 55, further comprising a further cutting member.

57. A cutting tool according to Claim 56, wherein the further cutting member is orientated to cut at least in the same direction as the cutting member.

58. A cutting tool according to any of Claims 49 to 57, further comprising a reversed cutting member orientated to cut in a different direction opposite to the cutting member, and preferably in an opposite direction to the cutting member.

59. A cutting tool according to any of Claims 49 to 58, wherein at least one of the cutting members is removable.

60. A cutting tool according to any of Claims 49 to 59, wherein at least one of the cutting members extends radially away from the axis of rotation .

61 . A cutting tool according to any of Claims 49 to 60, wherein at least one of the cutting members extends perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the cutting tool.

62. A cutting tool according to any of Claims 49 to 61 , wherein at least one of the cutting members terminates, in a radial direction, before the axis of rotation of the cutting tool, and preferably before the aperture that is coaxial with the axis of rotation of the cutting tool.

63. A cutting tool according to any of Claims 49 to 62, wherein at least two of the cutting members are configured to cut in substantially perpendicular planes relative to one another.

64. A cutting tool according to any of Claims 49 to 63, further comprising a bearing for permitting the cutting tool to rotate, and preferably for permitting the cutting tool to rotate clockwise and anticlockwise.

65. A cutting tool according to any of Claims 49 to 65, wherein the engagement formation is configured to engage directly with an engagement formation of an adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 48, so as to pick up drive directly from the adaptor.

66. A cutting tool according to any of Claims 49 or 65, wherein the cutting tool is circularly symmetric, and preferably wherein the cutting tool is substantially disk- or cone-shaped.

67. A cutting tool according to any of Claims 49 to 66, wherein the engagement formation is the widest part of the cutting tool.

68. A cutting tool according to any of Claims 49 to 67, wherein the cutting tool is configured so as only to be supported from below.

69. A food processing attachment for a food processor comprising a rotating drive, the attachment comprising:

an adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 48; and

a cutting tool according to any of Claims 49 to 68 for use with the adaptor.

70. A food processing attachment according to Claim 69, wherein the cutting tool is removable from the adaptor.

71. A food processing attachment according to Claim 69 or 70, including at least two cutting tools, wherein each cutting tool comprises different cutting members.

72. An adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 48 including a drive interlock mechanism according to any of Claims 1 to 13.

73. A cutting tool according to any of Claims 49 to 68 including a drive interlock mechanism according to any of Claims 1 to 13.

74. A cutting plate for a food processor, comprising :

a first cutting member; and a second cutting member orientated to cut in an opposite direction to the first cutting member.

75. A cutting plate according to Claim 74, wherein the second cutting member is separate from the first cutting member.

76. A cutting plate according to Claim 74 or 75, wherein the cutting plate is a rotating cutting plate, and wherein the second cutting member is orientated to cut in an opposite direction to the first cutting member when the cutting plate rotates in a given direction .

77. A cutting plate according to any of Claims 74 to 76, wherein the second cutting member is on an opposite surface of the cutting plate to the first cutting member.

78. A cutting plate according to any of Claims 74 to 77, wherein the radial dimension of the second cutting member is no smaller than the radial dimension of the first cutting member.

79. A cutting plate according to any of Claims 74 to 78, wherein the first and/or second cutting members are removable from the cutting plate.

80. A food processor comprising an adaptor according to any of Claims 14 to 48.

81 . A food processor according to Claim 80, wherein the rotating drive comprises a spindle comprising gear teeth for driving the cutting tool.

82. A food processor comprising a cutting tool according to any of Claims 49 to 73.

83. A food processor comprising a drive interlock mechanism according to any of Claims 1 to 13.

84. A food processor comprising a cutting plate according to any of Claims 74 to 79.