Handling of food processor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12029352-B2
Application number	US-201917042280-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2019
Priority date	Mar 29, 2018
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

A machine for processing a liquid food substance includes a jug that has a container and a handle for holding the jug by an adult human hand. The container delimits a food cavity for containing the food substance. The handle has a connection member projecting from the container and a substantially elongated upright gripping member that is connected to the connection member at a distance from the container. The gripping member has an upper portion that is above the connection member and a lower portion that is below the connection member. The upper portion is configured to support a thumb of the hand and delimits with the connection member an upper seat for accommodating an index finger of the hand.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A machine for processing a liquid food substance comprising:
a jug having a container and a handle for holding the jug by an adult human hand, the container delimiting a cavity for containing the liquid food substance;
the handle having a connection member projecting from the container and a substantially elongated upright gripping member that is connected to the connection member at a distance from the container, the gripping member having an upper portion that is above the connection member and a lower portion that is below the connection member, the upper portion being configured to support a thumb of the hand and delimiting with the connection member an upper seat for accommodating an index finger of the hand when the handle is held by the hand,
the handle has a confinement member that extends:
substantially uprightly between the container and the lower portion of the gripping member; and
downwardly from the connection member or from close thereto,

the confinement member and the lower portion and the connection member delimiting a lower seat for accommodating a portion of a middle finger of the hand when the handle is held by the hand.

2. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of the gripping member has at least one feature selected from the group consisting of:
the upper portion is spaced from the container by a distance in the range of 1.5 to 4 cm;
the upper portion extends above the connection member by a distance in the range of 1 to 3 cm;
the upper portion of the gripping member has a width in the range of 0.5 to 3 cm; and
the upper portion has an uppermost free end.

3. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the lower part of the gripping member has at least one feature selected from the group consisting of:
the lower portion is spaced from the container by a distance in the range of 1.5 to 4 cm;
the lower portion extends below the connection member by a distance in the range of 1 to 5 cm;
the lower portion of the gripping member has a width in the range of 0.5 to 3 cm; and
the lower portion has a lowermost free end.

4. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the confinement member has at least one feature selected from the group consisting of:
the confinement member is spaced by a distance to the lower part of the gripping part in the range of 1.5 to 3 cm;
the confinement member has a lowermost end that is spaced by a distance to the connection member in the range of 0.5 to 5 cm;
the confinement member has a width in the range of 0.5 to 3 cm; and
the confinement member has a lowermost free end.

5. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the cavity of the container extends to above the connection member by a height in the range of 1 to 7 cm.

6. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the base delimits a peripheral seat, for receiving the confinement member when the container is received by a seat of the base such that the container is in a place for processing the liquid food substance, the peripheral seat and the confinement member having at least a feature selected from the group consisting of:
complementary shapes so that the base and the confinement member form together a continuous outside surface;
an arrangement to prevent a rotation of the container relative to the base; and
an arrangement such that a downwardly oriented edge of the container rests on an upwardly oriented edge of the base or such that the container edge is distant to the base edge by no more than 0.5 mm, the base edge forming for instance a rim of the seat of the base for receiving the container.

7. The machine of claim 6 , wherein the container is off the place for processing the liquid food substance when the confinement member is off-set, relative to the peripheral seat.

8. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the container has at least one outside container wall that can be thermally conditioned by the liquid food substance in the cavity and/or by processing the liquid food substance in the cavity and that faces at least one base wall when the container is in or on the base seat, and wherein the base and/or the container comprises one or more thermally insulating spacers or an insulating layer, spacing the at least one base wall from the at least one outside container wall when the container is received in or on a seat of the base so as to prevent or inhibit thermal transfer between the at least one base wall and the at least one outside container wall of the container adjacent the at least one base wall.

9. The machine of claim 8 , wherein the one or more thermally insulating spacers comprises ribs or protrusions.

10. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the cavity contains a movable agitating device.

11. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a removable lid for covering the cavity.

12. The machine of claim 11 , wherein the container has a rim delimiting an opening of the container cavity, the removable lid extending over the rim and having at least one of:
a) a peripheral wall that extends downwardly to form an outside lid face of the container, an outside lid face:
having a height in the range of 0.5 to 5 cm; and/or
extending flush with an outside face of the container uncovered by the lid and/or with an outside face of the base, and
b) an upright inner wall that extends downwardly into the cavity along the rim.

13. The machine of claim 11 , wherein the removable lid has a peripheral wall that has a bottom end that contacts or comes close to the connection member.

14. A machine for processing a liquid food substance comprising:
a jug having a container and a handle for holding the jug by an adult human hand, the container delimiting a cavity for containing the liquid food substance;
the handle having a connection member projecting from the container and a substantially elongated upright gripping member that is connected to the connection member at a distance from the container, the gripping member having an upper portion that is above the connection member and a lower portion that is below the connection member, the upper portion being configured to support a thumb of the hand and delimiting with the connection member an upper seat for accommodating an index finger of the hand when the handle is held by the hand,
the handle has a confinement member that extends:
substantially uprightly between the container and the lower portion of the gripping member; and
downwardly from the connection member or from close thereto,

the confinement member and the lower portion and the connection member delimiting a lower seat for accommodating a portion of a middle finger of the hand when the handle is held by the hand,
wherein the base delimits a peripheral seat, for receiving the confinement member when the container is received by a seat of the base such that the container is in a place for processing the liquid food substance, the peripheral seat and the confinement member having at least a feature selected from the group consisting of:
complementary shapes so that the base and the confinement member form together a continuous outside surface;
an arrangement to prevent a rotation of the container relative to the base; and
an arrangement such that a downwardly oriented edge of the container rests on an upwardly oriented edge of the base or such that the container edge is distant to the base edge by no more than 0.5 mm, the base edge forming for instance a rim of the seat of the base for receiving the container,

wherein the container is off the place for processing the liquid food substance when the confinement member is off-set, relative to the peripheral seat, and
wherein the downwardly

Assignees

• Nestle Sa

Inventors

• Byun Da Mi
• Dercar Heinz
• Guyon Bertrand
• Hoffmann Christian
• Restelli Marco
• Tuider Wolfgang
• Zavarsky Philipp

Classifications

• A47J43/0766

  activated by the proper positioning of the mixing bowl · CPC title

• A47J43/0722

  Mixing, whipping or cutting tools · CPC title

• A47J41/0055

  Constructional details of the elements forming the thermal insulation (A47J41/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47J43/0465 Primary

  with magnetic drive · CPC title

• A47J41/0061

  the elements being detachable or the food holding vessel being replaceable · CPC title