Quick release attachment assembly and system for a stand mixer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12465176-B2
Application number	US-202217986521-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2022
Priority date	Nov 14, 2022
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

A quick release attachment assembly and system to releasably join a utensil to a stand mixer drivetrain. The system includes an assembly comprising one or more retaining balls to axially fix an attachment insert in the assembly and a plurality of cooperating walls to fix the attachment insert against rotational displacement.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An attachment system for a stand mixer, the attachment system comprising:
a ball and sleeve coupling mechanism movable between a loaded position and an unloaded position, the ball and sleeve coupling mechanism comprising a first retaining ball and a shield, wherein the shield supports the first retaining ball along a radial direction in the unloaded position; and an attachment insert comprising; a mating portion at a proximal end of the attachment insert along an axial direction, the mating portion defining a plurality of faces and a centrally located passage; and an insert portion at a distal end of the attachment insert along the axial direction, the insert portion including a receptacle; wherein the centrally located passage is configured to accept a post comprising a head, the head configured to slidably engage an interior wall of the centrally located passage, wherein: the first retaining ball moves inward along the radial direction and is received in the receptacle when the ball and sleeve coupling mechanism is in the loaded position.

2 . The attachment system of claim 1 , wherein the ball and sleeve coupling mechanism further comprises:
a body having a distal end with a shank portion and a proximal end with a receiving portion, the receiving portion including at least a first wall defining an insert receiving cavity and defining a first through hole; and an outer retainer disposed around an outside surface of the receiving portion; wherein an outside surface of the receiving portion is cylindrically shaped and an inner surface of the outer retainer is cylindrically shaped to slidingly engage with the outside surface of the receiving portion.

3 . The attachment system of claim 2 , wherein the inner surface of the outer retainer defines a first diameter at a proximal portion and a second diameter at a distal portion, the first diameter being smaller than the second diameter.

4 . The attachment system of claim 3 , wherein a transition area is provided between the proximal portion of first diameter at the proximal portion and the distal portion of the second diameter.

5 . The attachment system of claim 3 , wherein the shield in the unloaded position radially biases the first retaining ball against the second diameter.

6 . The attachment system of claim 2 , further comprising an outer resilient member biasing the outer retainer towards the distal end of the body.

7 . The attachment system of claim 6 , wherein the outer resilient member is constrained between a lip on the outside surface of the body and a spring retainer at the distal end of the outer retainer.

8 . The attachment system of claim 2 , wherein the head of the post is positioned at a proximal portion, wherein the head restrains axial displacement of the shield in a proximal direction at the unloaded position.

9 . The attachment system of claim 8 , wherein the post further comprises an external thread at a distal portion to meshingly engage with a set of internal threads in the body.

10 . The attachment system of claim 8 , further comprising an inner resilient member biasing the shield against the head when the shield is in the unloaded position.

11 . The attachment system of claim 2 , wherein:
a plurality of walls defines the insert receiving cavity; and an outer perimeter of the shield is a polygon comprised of a plurality of sides matching the plurality of walls of the insert receiving cavity.

12 . The attachment system of claim 11 wherein the insert receiving cavity comprises six walls.

13 . The attachment system of claim 2 , wherein the shank portion, the receiving portion, and the outer retainer are axially aligned.

14 . The attachment system of claim 2 , wherein the receiving portion further comprises a second wall defining the insert receiving cavity, the second wall having a second through hole formed therethrough.

15 . The attachment system of claim 14 , wherein the first through hole receives the first retaining ball and the second through hole receives a second retaining ball, each retaining ball received for displacement between an unloaded position and a loaded position.

16 . The attachment system of claim 14 , wherein the first through hole and the second through hole are diametrically opposed.

17 . A quick release attachment system for a stand mixer, the quick release attachment system comprising:
an attachment assembly comprising: a body having a distal end with a shank portion and a proximal end with a receiving portion, the receiving portion including six cavity walls defining an insert receiving cavity, a first cavity wall having a first through hole formed therethrough and a second cavity wall having a second through hole formed therethrough; an outer retainer disposed around an outside surface of the receiving portion and supported for axial displacement; a shield arranged in the insert receiving cavity and supported for axial displacement between a first position and a second position distal to the first position; a first retaining ball received within the first through hole for displacement between an unloaded position and a loaded position; a second retaining ball received within the second through hole for displacement between an unloaded position and a loaded position; and an attachment insert comprising: a mating portion; and an insert portion including at least one receptacle; wherein: the attachment insert defines a centrally located passage; wherein the centrally located passage is configured to accept a post comprising a head, the head configured to slidably engage an interior wall of the centrally located passage, wherein the mating portion defines six faces, wherein the shield supports the first and second retaining balls along a radial direction in the unloaded position, and wherein the first and second retaining balls move radially inward to the loaded position and the first and second retaining balls are received in the at least one receptacle when the shield is in the second position.

18 . The centrally located passage of claim 17 , wherein the first cavity wall and the second cavity wall are diametrically opposed.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Hunter Matthew R
• Mazzella Joseph
• Hawkins Mason

Classifications

• F16B21/165

  with balls or rollers (for connections of rods or tubes engaged telescopically F16B7/1409) · CPC title

• F16D1/116

  the interengaging parts including a continuous or interrupted circumferential groove in the surface of one of the coupling parts (circlips for retaining hubs on shafts F16B21/18) · CPC title

• A47J2043/04454

  Apparatus of counter top type · CPC title

• F16B7/0413 Primary

  for tubes using the innerside thereof (F16B7/025 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01F2101/1805

  Kitchen, household equipment for mixing · CPC title