Food processor

• US 5,156,084 A
• Filed: 03/26/1992
• Issued: 10/20/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telebrands Corporation
• Original Assignee: Waying-HHS Taiwan, Ltd.
• Inventors: Lin, Wen-Hsiung
• Primary Examiner(s): Simone, Timothy F.
• Application Number:
  US07/857,762
• Time in Patent Office: 208 Days
• Field of Search: 99/495, 99/510-513, 99/484, 99/536, 99/537, 99/538, 210/360.1, 210/380.1, 210/474, 210/477, 241/168, 241/169, 241/169.1, 366/129, 366/130, 366/279
• US Class Current: 99/495
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 43/06 with a plurality of interchangeable working units , e.g. with a single driving-unit
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 43/0705 for machines with tools driven from the upper side A47J43/0727 - A47J43/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 43/24 Devices for washing vegetables or the like

Abstract

A food processor comprises a work bowl with a central support axle extending from the bottom thereof part way to the top opening thereof and a cover having a crank handle rotatably fixed on an outer surface thereof to drive a gear train disposed in an interior formed inside the cover which in turn drives a spindle extending from an inner surface thereof into the work bowl. The food processor further comprises a drainer basket which is supported on the central support axle and rotated by the spindle to drain vegetables and/or fruits disposed therein when the crank handle is manually rotated, a slicer member having a plurality of slicing blades radially disposed on a central shaft at different altitude thereof, and a mixer member having a triangular and a rectangular mixing blades diametrically oppositely mounted on a central shaft with a plurality of passages formed thereon. The drainer basket, the slicer member and a mixer member can be alternately used to process food in different ways. A seasoning opening may also be provided on the cover for disposing seasoning and/or vegetable oils into the work bowl.

Claims

1. A food processor comprising:

a work bowl having a bottom and a top opening with a central support axle extending from the bottom part way to the top opening;

a cover having an outer surface, an inner surface and a side surface connecting the outer and inner surfaces together to form an interior to dispose therein a rotation transmitting means connecting a handle shaft which extends from the interior toward the outer surface and protrudes out of the outer surface to have a first end thereof detachably engaged by a crank handle and a central spindle which extends from the interior toward the inner surface and protrudes out of the inner surface to have a first end thereof having a polygonal cross section extend into the work bowl when the cover is mounted on the top opening of the work bowl; and

at least a food processing member which is supported on the central support axle and guided thereby and has a central column with an upper opening engageable with the central spindle so that when the crank handle is manually rotated, the spindle rotates through the rotation transmitting means to have the food processing member rotated.

2. A food processor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rotation transmitting means is a speed reduction gear train.

3. A food processor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said food processing member is a drainer basket.

4. A food processor as claimed in claim 3 further comprising a second food processing member which is a slicer member having a plurality of slicing blades radially mounted on the central column at different axial locations, said drainer basket and said slicer member being alternately used to process food in different ways.

5. A food processor as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a third food processing member which is a mixer member having a generally triangular mixing blade and a generally rectangular mixing blade diametrically oppositely mounted on the central column with a plurality of passages formed thereon to allow food to be mixed to pass therethrough, said drainer basket, said slicer member and said mixer member being alternately used to process food in different ways.

6. A food processor as claimed in claim 1 comprising three food processing members including a drainer basket, a slicer member having a plurality of slicing blades radially mounted on the central column at different axial locations, and a mixer member having a generally triangular mixing blade and a generally rectangular mixing blade diametrically oppositely mounted on the central column with a plurality of passages formed thereon to allow food to be mixed to pass therethrough, said drainer basket, slicer member and mixer member being alternately used to process food in different ways.

7. A food processor comprising:

a work bowl having a bottom and a top opening with a central support axle extending from the bottom part way to the top opening;

a cover having an outer surface, an inner surface and a side surface connecting the outer and inner surfaces together to form an interior to dispose therein a rotation transmitting means connecting a handle shaft which extends from the interior toward the outer surface and protrudes out of the outer surface to have a first end thereof detachably engaged by a crank handle and a central spindle which extends from the interior toward the inner surface and protrudes out of the inner surface to have a first end thereof having a polygonal cross section extend into the work bowl when the cover is mounted on the top opening of the work bowl;

a drainer basket which has a first central column to be supported by the central support axle of the work bowl and guided thereby, said first central column having a first upper opening engageable with the central spindle so that when the crank handle is manually rotated, the spindle rotates with the rotation transmitting means to have the drainer basket rotated;

a slicer member which has a second central column to be supported by the central support axle of the work bowl and guided thereby, said second central column having a second upper opening engageable with the central spindle so that when the crank handle is manually rotated, the spindle rotates with the rotation transmitting means to have the slicer member rotated, said slicer member having a plurality of slicing blades radially mounted on the second central column at different axial locations thereof; and

a mixer member which has a third central column to be supported by the central support axle of the work bowl and guided thereby, said third central column having a third upper opening engageable with the central spindle so that when the crank handle is manually rotated, the spindle rotates with the rotation transmitting means to have the mixer member rotated, said mixer member having a generally triangular mixing blade and a generally rectangular mixing blade diametrically oppositely mounted on the third central column with a plurality of passages formed thereon to allow food to be mixed to pass therethrough; and

wherein said drainer basket, slicer member and mixer member are alternately used to process food in different ways.

8. A food processor as claimed in claim 7 wherein said rotation transmitting means is a speed reduction gear train.