Food processor non-contact interlock

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10939784-B2
Application number	US-202016786258-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2020
Priority date	Sep 21, 2016
Publication date	Mar 9, 2021
Grant date	Mar 9, 2021

Abstract

A food processing container includes a food processing chamber and a cover assembly with a latch mechanism operable between latched and unlatched positions. The latch mechanism includes a first magnetic member disposed therein. An interlock assembly is disposed outside of and adjacent to the food processing chamber and includes a sealed cavity with a plunger member moveable disposed within the sealed cavity. The plunger is operable between at-rest and actuated positions within the sealed cavity and includes upper and lower magnetic members disposed at opposite ends of the plunger member. The plunger member moves to the actuated position as the latch mechanism moves to the latched position due to a repulsion force between the first magnetic member and the upper magnetic member, and further wherein the lower magnetic member moves into the lower portion of the sealed cavity as the latch mechanism moves to the latched position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A food processing container, comprising:
a sidewall upwardly extending from a base portion to define a chamber therebetween, wherein the chamber includes an open top;
a cover assembly hingedly coupled to the sidewall and configured to close the open top of the chamber;
a latch mechanism having a rotatable base portion that is pivotally coupled to the cover assembly and an engagement flange outwardly extending from the rotatable base portion for pivoting movement therewith, a first magnetic member operably coupled to the rotatable base portion of the latch mechanism, wherein the first magnetic member is operable between first and second positions as the latch mechanism rotates between latched and unlatched positions, respectively; and
an interlock assembly having a plunger member operable between at-rest and actuated positions, wherein the plunger member includes a first end having a magnetic member disposed thereon and a second end having a magnetic member disposed thereon, wherein the first magnetic member of the latch mechanism aligns with the magnetic member disposed on the first end of the plunger member as the engagement flange of the latch mechanism rotates downwardly to move the latch mechanism to the latched position, and further wherein the plunger member moves from the at-rest position to the actuated position by a repulsion force between the first magnetic member and the magnetic member disposed on the first end of the plunger member.

2. The food processing container of claim 1 , including:
a sealed cavity having upper and lower portions, wherein the plunger member is disposed within the sealed cavity for vertical movement between the at-rest and actuated positions.

3. The food processing container of claim 2 , wherein the magnetic member disposed on the second end of the plunger member is positioned outside of the lower portion of the sealed cavity when the plunger member is in the at-rest position.

4. The food processing container of claim 3 , wherein the magnetic member disposed on the second end of the plunger member is positioned within the lower portion of the sealed cavity when the plunger member is in the actuated position.

5. The food processing container of claim 4 , including:
a biasing member disposed between and operably coupled to the plunger member and the sealed cavity.

6. The food processing container of claim 5 , wherein the biasing member biases the plunger member upwardly towards the at-rest position.

7. The food processing container of claim 1 , including:
a handle assembly extending outwardly from the sidewall of the chamber, wherein the handle assembly includes an upper portion having an engagement member upwardly extending from the upper portion.

8. The food processing container of claim 7 , wherein the engagement flange of the latch mechanism includes a recess disposed therethrough, and further wherein the engagement member of the handle assembly is received in the recess of the engagement flange of the latch mechanism when the latch mechanism is in the latched position.

9. An appliance for processing food, comprising:
an electric control circuit disposed within a base unit, the electric control circuit having a magnetically controlled switch with a detection zone extending outside of the base unit;
a container having a food processing chamber, wherein the container is supported on the base unit when the container is positioned in a working position on the base unit;
a cover assembly including a latch mechanism having a first magnetic member operable between first and second positions as the latch mechanism pivots with respect to the cover assembly between latched and unlatched positions, respectively; and
a plunger member having first and second ends with upper and lower magnetic members, respectively, wherein the plunger member is operable between at-rest and actuated positions, wherein the plunger member moves to the actuated position as the latch mechanism moves to the latched position due to a repulsion force between the first magnetic member of the latch mechanism and the upper magnetic member of the plunger member, and further wherein the lower magnetic member moves into the detection zone of the magnetically controlled switch to close the switch and the electric control circuit when the plunger member is in the actuated position.

10. The appliance for processing food of claim 9 , including:
a handle assembly extending outwardly from a sidewall of the food processing chamber and having an engagement member outwardly extending from an upper portion thereof.

11. The appliance for processing food of claim 10 , wherein the latch mechanism includes a recess, and further wherein the engagement member outwardly extending from the upper portion of the handle assembly is received in the recess of the latch mechanism when the latch mechanism is in the latched position.

12. The appliance for processing food of claim 9 , wherein the latch mechanism includes a rotating base portion having the first magnetic member disposed therein.

13. The appliance for processing food of claim 9 , including:
a biasing member operably coupled to the plunger member and biasing the plunger member towards the at-rest position.

14. The appliance for processing food of claim 13 , wherein the biasing member is a spring member having a spring force, and further wherein the repulsion force between the first magnetic member and the upper magnetic member overcomes the spring force of the spring member to move the plunger member to the actuated position from the at-rest position when the latch mechanism is in the latched position.

15. A food processing container, comprising:
a sidewall upwardly extending from a base portion to define a food processing chamber, and a handle assembly extending outwardly from the sidewall;
a cover assembly for covering the food processing chamber, the cover assembly operable between open and closed positions relative to the food processing chamber and having a first magnetic member;
a latch mechanism pivotally coupled to the cover assembly for rotation between latched and unlatched conditions, wherein the latch mechanism includes an inwardly extending catch member that engages a retainment flange disposed within a recess of the handle assembly when the latch mechanism is in the latched condition; and
a plunger member having upper and lower magnetic members disposed on opposite ends thereof, wherein the first magnetic member of the cover assembly aligns with the upper magnetic member of the plunger when the cover assembly is in the closed position, and further wherein the first magnetic member of the cover assembly repels the upper magnetic member of the plunger member under a repulsion force to move the plunger to an actuated position from an at-rest position.

16. The food processing container of claim 15 , including:
a biasing member operably coupled to the plunger member and biasing the plunger member towards the at-rest position.

17. The food processing container of claim 16 , wherein the biasing member is a spring member having a spring force.

18. The food processing container of claim 17 , wherein the repulsion force between the first magnetic member and the upper magnetic member is greater than the spring force of the spring member.

19. The food processing container of claim 15 , including:
a spring member operably coupled between the latch mechanism and the cover assembly.

20. The food processing container of claim 19 , wherein the spri

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Haney Edward
• Nyenhuis Andria R
• Robertson Mitchell L
• Snyder Joseph

Classifications

• A47J43/0772

  activated by the proper positioning of the cover · CPC title

• A47J43/0761

  for machines with tools driven from the lower side · CPC title

• A47J43/0777 Primary

  in which the activating element on the cover transmits a signal to a safety device in the base element via the mixing bowl removably seated on this base element, e.g. pin on the cover moves a pushrod in the bowl handle to operate safety switch in the base element · CPC title

• A47J43/075

  Safety devices · CPC title

• A47J43/046

  with tools driven from the bottom side · CPC title