High torque magnetic transmission for whisk

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11206941-B2
Application number	US-201716461894-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2017
Priority date	Dec 13, 2016
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

A machine (1) for stirring a liquid food substance has: a container (10) delimiting a cavity (11) with a bottom (12) and a peripheral wall (13) for containing the liquid food substance to be stirred; an impeller (20) comprising an impelling member (21) which is configured to be rotated in the cavity (11), the impeller (20) including an arrangement of driven magnetic elements (26) in the form of permanent magnets; and a motor (30) having an output shaft (31) that is magnetically coupled to the impelling member (21) via the container bottom (12) and/or peripheral wall (13) for driving the impelling member (21), the output shaft (31) driving an arrangement of driving magnetic elements (36,36′) that cooperate magnetically with the driven magnetic elements (26) so as to drive the impeller (20) in rotation. One of the driven magnetic elements (26) is positioned to: generally face a first driving magnetic element (36) in a generally attraction orientation relative to said one driven magnetic element (26), the first driving magnetic element (36) driving this one driven magnetic element (26) in rotation; and be off-set relative to a second driving magnetic element (36′) in a generally repulsion orientation relative to the one driven magnetic element (26), the second magnetic element (36′) driving the one driven magnetic element (26) in rotation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A machine for stirring a liquid food substance, the machine comprising:
a container defining a cavity with a bottom and a peripheral wall for containing the liquid food substance to be stirred, the cavity extending generally along a generally upright central container axis and having a mouth configured for removing from the container the liquid food substance upon stirring;
an impeller comprising an impelling member configured to be rotated in the cavity against the liquid food substance about an impeller axis that is generally identical or generally parallel to the generally upright central container axis, the impeller including an arrangement of driven magnetic elements in the form of permanent magnets;
a motor having an output shaft that is magnetically coupled to the impelling member via the container bottom and/or the peripheral wall, the motor being configured for driving the impelling member, and the output shaft being configured for driving an arrangement of driving magnetic elements that cooperate magnetically with the arrangement of driven magnetic elements to drive the impeller in rotation, and
one driven magnetic element of the arrangement of driven magnetic elements is positioned to:
generally face a first driving magnetic element of the arrangement of driving magnetic elements in a generally attraction orientation relative to the one driven magnetic element, the first driving magnetic element driving the one driven magnetic element in rotation; and
be off-set relative to a second driving magnetic element of the arrangement of driving magnetic elements in a generally repulsion orientation relative to the one driven magnetic element, the driving second magnetic element driving the one driven magnetic element in rotation;

wherein the motor is located in a motor chamber separate from the container, the motor chamber being located in a docking station for removably receiving the container; and
wherein a removal force in the range of 1 to 50 N is required to remove the impeller in a direction away from the arrangement of driving magnetic elements when the impeller is in place in the cavity in a position for being rotated against the liquid food substance.

2. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the first and second driving magnetic elements are in a ring-like arrangement and/or located in or on a driving disc, and wherein the arrangement of driven magnetic elements is in a configuration that has one or more of the following features:
in a generally parallel orientation with at least one of the first and second driving magnetic elements;
located in or on a support rotating the impelling member; and
in a ring-like arrangement.

3. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the or each driven magnetic element generates with:
a corresponding first driving magnetic element that is in a generally attraction orientation a cumulated attractive magnetic field; and
a corresponding second driving magnetic element that is in a generally repulsion orientation a cumulated repulsive magnetic field,
such that the cumulated repulsive magnetic field is greater than the attractive magnetic field.

4. The machine of claim 1 , comprising a thermal conditioner configured for thermally conditioning the liquid food substance in the cavity.

5. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the impelling member is spaced above the bottom of the cavity between:
a maximum stirring distance when the impelling member is rotated at a maximum stirring level at a maximum stirring speed about the impeller axis; and
a resting distance when the impelling member stands still at a resting level,
the maximum stirring distance being greater than the resting distance.

6. The machine of claim 5 , wherein the impelling member is spaced above the bottom of the cavity by a distance smaller than the maximum stirring distance.

7. The machine of claim 5 , wherein a level of the impelling member above the bottom of the cavity depends on a speed at which the impelling member is rotated about the impeller axis and/or a viscosity of the liquid food substance that is being stirred.

8. The machine of claim 5 , which comprises one or more travel stops configured for preventing the impelling member from moving:
above a maximum height when rotated; and/or
below a minimum height when standing still.

9. The machine of claim 8 , wherein the one or more travel stops includes a stop projecting from the peripheral wall towards the container axis or formed by the bottom and/or a stop formed by a foot of the impeller and interfering with a downward movement of the impeller member below the minimum height.

10. The machine of claim 5 , which comprises a guide configured for guiding the impelling member between the maximum stirring level and the resting level.

11. The machine of claim 5 , wherein the impelling member is arranged to be driven automatically towards the bottom of the cavity when a speed of rotation of the impelling member is lowered from the maximum stirring speed towards stand still.

12. The machine of claim 11 , wherein the speed of rotation of the impelling member is lowered from the maximum stirring speed towards stand still under the effect of gravity and/or magnetic effect.

13. The machine of claim 5 , wherein the impeller has a support that is relatively movable to the impelling member and that is rotated to rotate the impelling member, the support having a drive surface.

14. The machine of claim 5 , wherein the impelling member has a lifting surface.

15. The machine of claim 1 , comprising a holder for holding one or more ingredients and/or one or more thermal-transfer elements, the holder being connected to the impelling member for being driven with the impelling member in the liquid food substance.

16. The machine of claim 15 , wherein the holder forms a basket configured for containing the one or more ingredients and/or one or more thermal-transfer elements, the basket having one or more side openings for an ingredient and/or thermal side transfer from inside to outside the holder, the basket being formed as a generally continuous single seat or as a plurality of seats for the one or more ingredients and/or one or more thermal-transfer elements.

17. A machine for stirring a liquid food substance, the machine comprising:
a container defining a cavity with a bottom and a peripheral wall for containing the liquid food substance to be stirred, the cavity extending generally along a generally upright central container axis and having a mouth configured for removing from the container the liquid food substance upon stirring;
an impeller comprising an impelling member configured to be rotated in the cavity against the liquid food substance about an impeller axis that is generally identical or generally parallel to the generally upright central container axis, the impeller including an arrangement of driven magnetic elements in the form of permanent magnets;
a motor having an output shaft that is magnetically coupled to the impelling member via the container bottom and/or the peripheral wall, the motor being configured for driving the impelling member, and the output shaft driving an arrangement of driving magnetic elements that cooperate magnetically with the arrangement of driven magnetic elements to drive the impeller in rotation; and
one or more travel stops configured for preventing the impelling member from moving:
above a maximum height when rotated; and/or
below a minimum height when standing still;

one driven magnetic element of the arrangement of driven magnetic elements is position

Assignees

• Nestec Sa
• Nestle Sa

Inventors

• Abdo Samer
• Byun Da Mi
• Decastel Sylvain
• Guyon Bertrand
• Nieuwendijk Johan
• Raad Mohamed
• Ruggiero Martino
• Seydoux Laurent
• Tuider Wolfgang

Classifications

• A23V2002/00

  Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs · CPC title

• A47J27/004 Primary

  with integral electrical heating means (drinking cups with integral heating means A47J36/2466) · CPC title

• A47J43/0722

  Mixing, whipping or cutting tools · CPC title

• B01F33/45

  Magnetic mixers; Mixers with magnetically driven stirrers · CPC title

• A47J43/0465 Primary

  with magnetic drive · CPC title