Modular food processing and preparation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10820735-B2
Application number	US-201514983735-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2015
Priority date	Mar 5, 2015
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A food processing device includes a gear housing, a frame arm extending from the gear housing on a first lateral side thereof, and a drive screw operably coupled on respective ends thereof with the gear housing and a support end. The device further includes a retention hub operably coupled with the gear housing and extending generally parallel with and adjacent a portion of drive screw and an input hub extending from the gear housing opposite the drive screw and the retention hub and operably engaged with both the drive screw and the retention hub to drive synchronized rotational movement thereof with respect to the gear housing. A carrier is slidably coupled with the frame arm and is further operably engaged with the drive screw such that the rotational movement thereof drives corresponding linear movement of the carrier along the frame arm. The carrier defines at least one cutting implement thereon.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A food processing device, comprising:
a gear housing;
a frame arm extending from the gear housing on a first lateral side thereof to a support end;
a drive screw extending between and operably coupled on respective ends thereof with a first face of the gear housing and the support end of the frame arm;
a retention hub operably coupled with the gear housing and extending generally parallel with and adjacent a portion of drive screw, wherein the drive screw and the retention hub are linearly arranged with respect to the frame arm in sequential positions away from the first lateral side of the gear housing;
an input hub extending from a second face of the gear housing opposite the first face and operably engaged with both the drive screw and the retention hub to drive synchronized rotational movement thereof with respect to the gear housing; and
a carrier slidably coupled with the frame arm and selectively operably engageable with the drive screw by a coupling arm extending from the carrier and moveable between a first position wherein the coupling arm is disengaged from the drive screw and a second position wherein the coupling arm is engaged with the drive screw such that the rotational movement thereof drives corresponding linear movement of the carrier along the frame arm, the carrier defining at least one cutting implement thereon.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the input hub is configured for attachment with a drive port of a motor driven device such that the device can drive rotation of the input hub; and
the input hub is configured to support the device with respect to a mixer such that the retention hub, the drive screw, and the frame arm are laterally arranged with respect to each other.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the retention the input hub is further configured to support the device with respect to the mixer such that the retention hub, the drive screw, and the frame arm are spaced equidistant from a work surface supporting the mixer.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the carrier further includes a peeling arm rotatably coupled therewith and spring-biased toward the drive screw.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein:
the peeling arm is coupled with a base that is coupled with the carrier; and
the peeling arm defines a detent flange providing retention of the peeling arm in an open position by interference between the detent flange and the base.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the base is removably coupled with the carrier to facilitate removable coupling of the peeling arm with the carrier.

7. The device of claim 4 , wherein the peeling arm includes:
a blocking portion defining a generally spherical area within a portion thereof and an edge at an end of the peeling arm opposite the carrier; and
an arcuate blade extending over the blocking portion adjacent the edge, the blade being spaced apart from the blocking surface at a distance generally defining a peeling depth of the peeling arm.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the coupling arm includes a plurality of thread portions operably disengageable and engageable from corresponding threads of the drive screw by movement of the coupling arm between the first position and the second position, respectively.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the coupling arm is spring biased toward the second position; and
the carrier further includes a lever coupled with the coupling arm and extending outwardly from the carrier such that movement of the lever drives movement of the coupling arm into the first position.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the cutting implement is a slicing implement removably coupled with the carrier and including a coring blade and a slicing blade thereon, the coring blade being axially aligned with the retention hub, and the slicing blade extending radially away from the coring blade.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the cutting implement is a shredding implement selectively coupled with the carrier and including a coring blade, a slicing blade, and a plurality of radial cutting blades thereon, the coring blade being axially aligned with the retention hub, the slicing blade extending radially away from the coring blade, and the plurality of radial cutting blades being positioned at respective locations arranged axially about the coring blade and sequentially radially away therefrom.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the carrier includes a body having a cavity therein defining a cutting implement receptacle; and
the cutting implement includes a base removably engageable in the cutting implement receptacle by way of one of a snap fit or press fit therebetween.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein:
the base of the cutting implement engages with the receptacle by movement in a first direction perpendicular to the drive screw; and
the cutting implement further includes a lever integrally extending from the base in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the drive screw defines a threaded portion and a first unthreaded portion, the first unthreaded portion laterally aligning with at least a portion of the retention hub.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the retention hub is one of a plurality of retention hubs selectively coupleable with the gear housing so as to extend generally parallel with and adjacent a portion of drive screw.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the gear housing further includes a frustoconical coupling extension having a hollow interior channel extending from the second face of the gear hub, wherein:
the input hub extends through and is at least partially supported by the coupling extension so as to be rotatable about a mutual axis therebetween, the input hub including at least one planar face extending axially away from the gear housing beyond an end of the coupling extension.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the gear housing further includes a key body extending parallel with the coupling extension and positioned adjacent to and aligned with the coupling extension in a direction away from the first lateral side of the housing.

18. A food processing device, comprising:
body defining a gear housing and a frame arm extending from the gear housing on a first lateral side thereof to a support end;
a drive screw extending between and operably coupled on respective ends thereof with a first face of the gear housing and the support end of the frame arm;
a retention hub operably coupled with the gear housing and extending generally parallel with and adjacent a portion of drive screw
an input hub extending from a second face of the gear housing opposite the first face and operably engaged with both the drive screw and the retention hub to drive synchronized rotational movement thereof with respect to the gear housing;
a carrier slidably coupled with the frame arm and selectively operably engageable with the drive screw such that the rotational movement thereof drives corresponding linear movement of the carrier along the frame arm, the carrier including a body having a cavity therein defining a cutting implement receptacle on an upper vertical side of the body;
a cutting implement including a base removably engageable in the cutting implement receptacle by way of one of a snap fit or press fit therebetween and, the cutting implement extending over the drive screw to at least partially align with the retention hub; and
a peeling arm rotatably coupled with the base of the cutting implement on a lower vertical side thereof and extending under an

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Benoit Kaitlyn M
• Conti Michael P
• Dykhouse John
• Hicks Timothy J
• Robertson Mitchell L

Classifications

• A47J43/06 Primary

  with a plurality of interchangeable working units {, e.g. with a single driving-unit} · CPC title

• A47J17/16

  Peeling machines with rotary fruit-holding spindles and fixed or movable peeler blades · CPC title

• A47J25/00

  Devices for coring fruit (machines for coring fruit in bulk A23N3/00, A23N4/12) · CPC title

• A47J17/18 Primary

  with scraping discs or rotors · CPC title