Stirring wand

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9808774-B2
Application number	US-201314070015-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2013
Priority date	Mar 1, 2013
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A stirring wand is configured for selective engagement with a mixing device. The stirring wand comprises a substantially vertical portion having an upper end and a lower end, a first tapered surface that includes a first pitch angle proximate the upper end of the substantially vertical portion and a second pitch angle proximate the lower end of the substantially vertical portion, a substantially horizontal portion having a base and a distal tip, and a second tapered surface extending from the base to the distal tip. The second tapered surface includes a third pitch angle proximate the base and a fourth pitch angle proximate the tip.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stirring wand configured for selective engagement with a mixing device, the stirring wand comprising:
a substantially vertical portion having an upper end and a lower end, the substantially vertical portion being positioned entirely outside of a rotational axis of the stirring wand;
a first tapered surface that defines a portion of a continuous surface that transitions from a first pitch angle proximate the upper end of the substantially vertical portion to a second pitch angle proximate the lower end of the substantially vertical portion, wherein the first pitch angle is different than the second pitch angle;
a substantially horizontal portion having a base and a distal tip, wherein the lower end of the substantially vertical portion and the base of the substantially horizontal portion define a continuous chamfered surface, and wherein the base is positioned below the lower end of the substantially vertical portion; and
a second tapered surface extending from the base to the distal tip and defining another portion of the continuous surface that transitions from a third pitch angle proximate the base to a fourth pitch angle proximate the distal tip, and wherein the third pitch angle is different than the fourth pitch angle.

2. The stirring wand of claim 1 , further comprising:
a coupling arm having first and second ends, wherein an upper end of the substantially vertical portion is coupled to the second end of the coupling arm; and
a connecting portion positioned at the first end of the coupling arm and configured for selective reception with the mixing device.

3. The stirring wand of claim 1 , wherein the first pitch angle is greater than the second pitch angle and the third pitch angle is greater than the fourth pitch angle.

4. The stirring wand of claim 1 , wherein the base of the substantially horizontal portion includes a substantially rounded fillet proximate the lower end of the substantially vertical portion.

5. The stirring wand of claim 1 , wherein the distal tip of the substantially horizontal portion includes a rounded portion.

6. The stirring wand of claim 1 , wherein the substantially horizontal portion includes a substantially arcuate upper surface.

7. A flipping wand configured for removable engagement with a mixing device, the flipping wand comprising:
a substantially vertical portion having an upper end and a lower end; and
a substantially horizontal portion having an arcuate and continuous planar bottom surface and generally defining a blade having a proximal portion, an intermediate portion, and a distal portion, wherein a height of the intermediate portion is less than a height of the proximal portion and the distal portion, wherein the substantially vertical portion is engaged at the proximal portion, and wherein the distal portion defines a rotational axis extending parallel with and distal from the substantially vertical portion, and wherein the lower end of the substantially vertical portion is co-planar with and defines a portion of the continuous planar bottom surface of the substantially horizontal portion.

8. The flipping wand of claim 7 , wherein the substantially vertical portion includes the upper end configured for selective reception with the mixing device.

9. The flipping wand of claim 7 , wherein the substantially horizontal portion is canted rearwardly.

10. The flipping wand of claim 7 , wherein the substantially horizontal portion includes a varying angle surface extending from the arcuate and continuous planar bottom surface to a top surface of the substantially horizontal portion, wherein a first pitch angle is disposed proximate the proximal portion, a second pitch angle is disposed proximate the distal portion, and a third pitch angle is disposed proximate the intermediate portion, and wherein the third pitch angle is less than the first and second pitch angles.

11. The flipping wand of claim 10 , wherein the second pitch angle is less than the first pitch angle.

12. The flipping wand of claim 7 , further comprising:
a coupling arm having first and second ends;
a connecting portion positioned at the first end of the coupling arm and configured for selective reception with the mixing device, wherein the upper end of the substantially vertical portion is coupled to the second end of the coupling arm, and wherein the lower end of the substantially vertical portion is coupled to the substantially horizontal portion proximate the proximal portion.

13. The flipping wand of claim 7 , wherein the blade has a substantially uniform thickness.

14. A combination stirring and flipping wand configured for removable engagement with a mixing device, the stirring and flipping wand comprising:
a substantially vertical portion having an upper end and a lower end;
a substantially horizontal portion that includes a bottom surface and a top surface that includes a proximal portion, an intermediate portion, and a distal portion, wherein a height of the intermediate portion is less than a height of the proximal portion and the distal portion;
a support member having a first support end and a second support end, wherein the first support end is coupled with the lower end of the substantially vertical portion; and
a hub coupled to the second support end of the support member, the hub defining a rotational axis, wherein the hub is coupled to the substantially horizontal portion proximate the distal portion, and wherein the substantially horizontal portion selectively and independently rotates about the rotational axis between first and second positions with respect to the substantially vertical portion, wherein the lower end of the substantially vertical portion slidably engages the distal portion of the substantially horizontal portion and the substantially vertical portion is positioned distal from the rotational axis, wherein the su ort member and the hub are each at least partially co-planar with the bottom surface of the substantially horizontal portion, and wherein the lower end of the substantially vertical portion is entirely above the bottom surface of the substantially horizontal portion.

15. The combination stirring and flipping wand of claim 14 , further comprising:
a coupling arm having first and second ends, a connecting portion positioned at the first end of the coupling arm and configured for selective reception with the mixing device, and the upper end of the substantially vertical portion coupled to the second end of the coupling arm.

16. The combination stirring and flipping wand of claim 15 , wherein the substantially vertical portion includes a first tapered surface defined by the substantially vertical portion and defining a first pitch angle proximate the upper end and a second pitch angle proximate the lower end of the substantially vertical portion, a second tapered surface defined by the substantially horizontal portion that extends from the bottom surface to the top surface, a third pitch angle proximate the proximal portion, a fourth pitch angle proximate the distal portion, and a fifth pitch angle proximate the intermediate portion, wherein the fifth pitch angle is less than the third and fourth pitch angles.

17. The combination stirring and flipping wand of claim 16 , wherein the first pitch angle is greater than the second pitch angle, and wherein the fourth pitch angle is less than the third pitch angle.

18. The combination stirring and flipping wand of claim 15 , wherein the substantially horizontal portion includes a substantially arcuate leading edge proximate the bottom surfac

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Conti Michael P

Classifications

• A47J43/0711 Primary

  mixing, whipping or cutting tools · CPC title

• A47J43/044

  with tools driven from the top side · CPC title

• A47J36/2483

  with electrical heating means · CPC title

• A47J27/004

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

• B01F7/00016 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic