Sifter scale attachment for stand mixer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11291337-B2
Application number	US-202017061896-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2020
Priority date	Feb 8, 2018
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

A food-product handling device includes a sifter unit having a housing defining an open upper side, a mount extending outwardly from the first housing along a first axis, and a lower side opposite the upper side. The sifter unit further has a sifter basket having an interior aligned with and inset within the open upper side. The device further includes a scale assembly having a body defining an upper opening and an opposite lower opening and having an annular weight-sensing unit surrounding the upper opening. The body is positionable on the housing of the sifter unit with the opening in communication with the open upper side of the housing. A hopper is positionable on the weight-sensing unit and defines a lower open end at least partially received within the body when the hopper is positioned on the weight-sensing unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A food-product handling device, comprising:
a sifter unit including:
a housing defining an open upper side, a mount extending outwardly from the first housing along a first axis, and a lower side opposite the upper side; and
a sifter basket having an interior aligned with and inset within the open upper side; and

a scale assembly, including:
a body defining an upper opening and an opposite lower opening and having an annular weight-sensing unit surrounding the upper opening, the body being positionable on the housing of the sifter unit with the opening in communication with the open upper side of the housing; and
a hopper positionable on the weight-sensing unit, the hopper defining a lower open end at least partially received within the body when the hopper is positioned on the weight-sensing unit, the open end being in communication with the upper opening of the body.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the hopper includes a butterfly valve rotatably mounted within the lower open end to selectively open and close the lower open end.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the mount is configured to couple the device to a motor-driven mixing device and support the device on the motor-driven mixing device.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the sifter unit further includes a sweeper crank unit mounted within the housing, having an arm generally following a contour of a cross-section of the sifter basket and being rotationally coupled with a fitting extending from the mount of the housing; and
the fitting is configured for coupling with a drive port of a motor-driven mixing device for the motor-driven mixing device to drive rotation of the arm.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the sifter unit further includes a clutch mechanism disposed between the fitting and the arm.

6. The device of claim 4 , wherein the sweeper crank unit further includes a cam mechanism including a cam rotationally driven by the fitting and operatively engaged with an input element to translate continuous rotation of the cam into oscillating rotation of the first arm.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sifter unit further includes a chute extending from the lower side of the housing, the chute defining a conduit from an interior of the housing below the sifter basket to a location external to the housing.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the scale assembly is removable from the body and is configured for resting on a flat surface, the device further including a plate rentable on the weight-sensing unit in place of the hopper.

9. A food-product handling device, comprising:
a sifter unit including:
a housing defining an open upper side, a mount extending outwardly from the first housing along a first axis, and a lower side opposite the upper side;
a sifter basket having an interior aligned with and inset within the open upper side; and
a chute extending from the lower side of the housing and defining a conduit from an interior of the housing below the sifter basket to a location external to the housing; and

a scale assembly, including:
a body defining an upper opening and an opposite lower opening and having an annular weight-sensing unit surrounding the upper opening, the body being positionable on the housing of the sifter unit with the opening in communication with the open upper side of the housing; and
a hopper positionable on the weight-sensing unit.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the hopper defines a lower open end at least partially received within the body when the hopper is positioned on the weight-sensing unit, the open end being in communication with the upper opening of the body such that the hopper is in communication with the chute through the body and the sifter basket.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the hopper includes a butterfly valve rotatably mounted within the lower open end to selectively close the lower open end to retain products within the hopper for determining a weight thereof by way of the annular weight-sensing unit.

12. The device of claim 9 , wherein the chute is coupled with the housing by a conical mounting unit pivotably disposed within the housing beneath the sifter basket.

13. The device of claim 9 , wherein the chute further includes a body rotatably coupled with the mounting unit in a plane perpendicular to a plane of rotation of the mounting unit.

14. The device of claim 9 , wherein the chute includes a body defining a first portion of the conduit and an extension portion slidably coupled with the body and defining a second portion of the conduit that varies in a length thereof within sliding of the extension portion relative to the body.

15. The device of claim 9 , wherein:
the sifter unit further includes a sweeper crank unit mounted within the housing, having an arm generally following a contour of a cross-section of the sifter basket and being rotationally coupled with a fitting extending from the mount of the housing;
the mount is configured to support the device with respect to a motor driven device; and
the fitting is configured for coupling with a drive port of the motor driven device for the device to drive rotation of the arm.

16. A food-product handling device, comprising:
a sifter unit including:
a housing defining an open upper side, a lower side opposite the upper side, and a mount extending outwardly from the first housing along a first axis, the mount being configured to couple the device to a motor-driven mixing device and support the device on the motor driven device;
a sifter basket having an interior aligned with and inset within the open upper side; and

a scale assembly, including:
a body defining an upper opening and an opposite lower opening, spaced apart from each other along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and having an annular weight-sensing unit surrounding the upper opening, the body being positionable on the housing of the sifter unit with the opening in communication with the open upper side of the housing; and
a hopper positionable on the weight-sensing unit.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the hopper:
defines a lower open end at least partially received within the body when the hopper is positioned on the weight-sensing unit, the open end being in communication with the upper opening of the body; and
includes a butterfly valve rotatably mounted within the lower open end to selectively open and close the lower open end.

18. The device of claim 16 , wherein:
the sifter unit further includes a sweeper crank unit mounted within the housing, having an arm generally following a contour of a cross-section of the sifter basket and being rotationally coupled with a fitting extending from the mount of the housing; and
the fitting is configured for coupling with a drive port of the motor-driven mixing device for the device to drive rotation of the arm.

19. The device of claim 16 , wherein the sifter unit further includes a chute extending from the lower side of the housing, the chute defining a conduit from an interior of the housing below the sifter basket to a location external to the housing.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the hopper defines a lower open end at least partially received within the body when the hopper is positioned on the weight-sensing unit, the open end being in communication with the upper opening of the body such that the hopper is in communication with the chute through the body and the sifter basket.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Devito Lucas
• Lund Peter
• Schutte Nicholas
• Snyder Joseph

Classifications

• A47J43/0705

  for machines with tools driven from the upper side (A47J43/0727 - A47J43/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01G19/24

  using a single weighing apparatus · CPC title

• A47J43/07

  Parts or details, e.g. mixing tools, whipping tools · CPC title

• A47J2043/0733

  Weighing means · CPC title

• A47J43/22 Primary

  Kitchen sifters · CPC title