Pasta, pastry, cookie and hors d'oeuvre maker

• US 5,421,713 A
• Filed: 03/04/1994
• Issued: 06/06/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1993
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Ronco Holdings Inc. (Ronco Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ronco Corporation (Ronco Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Backus, Alan L., Popeil, Ronald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHANH P
• Application Number:
  US08/205,498
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 99/348, 426/516, 426/518, 426/503, 426/504, 426/512, 425/203, 425/205, 425/209, 425/311, 425/308, 425/464, 425/378.1, 425/404, 425/403.1, 425/377, 425/315, 425/136, 425/152, 425/151, 425/461, 425/464, 366/77, 366/99, 366/98, 366/307, 366/347
• US Class Current: 425/209
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 1/06 with horizontally-mounted mixing or kneading tools; Worm or screw mixers
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 1/14 Structural elements of mixing or kneading machines; Parts; Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 1/144 Discharge mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 1/149 Receptacles, e.g. provided with means for carrying or guiding fluids, e.g. coolants
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 11/20 with worms
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 3/04 Dough-extruding machines ; Hoppers with moving elements, e.g. rollers or belts as wall elements for drawing the dough
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 9/005 combined with extrusion or molding
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/70 with paddles, blades or arms
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/512 characterised by surface properties, e.g. coated or rough
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/752 with arrangements for converting the mechanism from mixing to discharging, e.g. by either guiding a mixture back into a receptacle or discharging it
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/754551 using helical screws
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/04 for axial load only
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2314/00 Personal or domestic articles, e.g. household appliances such as washing machines, dryers in general A41 - A47
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/08 Attachment of brasses, bushes or linings to the bearing housing

Abstract

A device to mix and extrude various ingredients including pastas, pastries, baked goods, hors d'"'"'oeuvres, and cookies. The device includes novel measuring, mixing and extrusion arrangements including: an automatic measuring cup; a way to continuously mix and extrude ingredients without intervening cleanings; a mixing and extrusion feed for handling different consistencies of ingredients; an integrated automatic cutter; motor cooling and extruded ingredient drying; as well as various safety devices.

Claims

1. A kitchen device to mix and extrude food products such as pasta, cookies or hors d'"'"'oeuvres, said device comprising:

an enclosure,

a motor,

said enclosure housing said motor,

a mixing chamber,

said mixing chamber having at least one opening to accept food product,

said mixing chamber having within it at least one mechanical mixing element operative for mixing food product,

an extruder chamber,

said extruder chamber including a cylindrical perimeter wall,

the axis of said cylindrical perimeter wall being generally horizontal,

a rotary helical extruder screw,

said rotary helical extruder screw having an axis of rotation generally coaxial with said axis of said cylindrical perimeter wall,

said extruder chamber housing said rotary helical extruder screw,

linking between said mixing chamber and said extruder chamber to permit transfer food product from said mixing chamber to said extruder chamber,

said extruder chamber mounting an extrusion die,

said extrusion die being operative to form food product conveyed by said extruder screw,

said motor being included in a drive mechanism,

said drive mechanism being reversible,

said extruder screw coupled to said reversible drive mechanism and rotating in a predetermined direction and a direction opposite said predetermined direction,

said extruder chamber cylindrical perimeter wall being penetrated below the axis of rotation of said extruder screw by an opening contoured to facilitate egress of food product from said extruder chamber at least during either when said extruder screw is rotating in said predetermined direction or when said extruder screw is rotating in said direction opposite said predetermined direction.

2. The device of claim 1 further including said opening in said extruder chamber cylindrical perimeter wall being in communication with said mixing chamber.

3. The device of claim 1 further including:

a bearing wall,

said bearing wall disposed on said extruder chamber opposite said extrusion die,

said bearing wall penetrated by an orifice, and

said orifice conveying a drive shaft linked with both said reversing motor and Said extruder screw.

4. A kitchen device to mix and extrude food products such as pasta, cookies or hors d'"'"'oeuvres, said device comprising:

a mixing chamber,

said mixing chamber having within it at least one mechanical mixing element operative for mixing food product,

said mixing chamber having a substantially vertical side wall,

an enclosure,

a motor,

said enclosure housing said motor,

an extruder chamber,

said extruder chamber being mounted on said mixing chamber'"'"'s substantially vertical side wall,

said extruder chamber protruding into said mixing chamber,

a rotary extruder screw,

said extruder chamber housing said rotary extruder screw,

said rotary extruder screw having a generally horizontal axis or rotation,

an extrusion die,

said extrusion die mounted to one end of said extruder chamber,

said extrusion die being functional for extruding food product conveyed by said rotary extruder screw,

a drive shaft,

said rotary extruder screw receiving rotational power from said motor after being conveyed by said drive shaft,

said drive shaft being sharing rotational axis with said rotary extruder screw,

said drive shaft projecting out one end of said extruder chamber opposite said end of said extruder chamber mounting said extrusion die,

a loading projection,

said loading projection being coupled to said drive shaft,

said loading projection orbiting said portion of said extruder chamber protruding into said mixing chamber,

said extruder chamber in said portion of it protruding into said mixing chamber, having an entry opening above said generally horizontal axis of rotation of said rotary extruder screw,

said loading projection being functional to lift food product within said mixing chamber to above said extruder chamber entry opening and to drop said lifted food product into said extruder chamber entry opening,

a first clearing projection,

said first clearing projection being coupled to said drive shaft,

said first clearing projection orbiting said portion of said extruder chamber protruding into said mixing chamber,

said orbiting of said first clearing projection being disposed within the orbit of said loading projection,

said first clearing projection being configured so when orbiting it clears said extruder chamber'"'"'s entry opening of food product which might inhibit the other food product conveyed by said loading projection from entering said extruder chamber entry opening.

5. The device of claim 4 further including:

a second clearing projection,

said second clearing projection being mounted to said mixing chamber'"'"'s substantially vertical side wall,

said second clearing projection being disposed inside said orbit of said loading projection,

said second clearing projection being disposed outside said orbit of said first clearing projection,

whereby said second clearing projection may clear excess food product from said first loading projection.

6. A kitchen device to mix and extrude food products such as pasta, cookies or hors d'"'"'oeuvres, said device comprising:

an enclosure,

a motor,

said enclosure housing said motor,

a mixing chamber,

said mixing chamber having at least one opening to accept food product,

said mixing chamber having within it at least one mechanical mixing element operative for mixing food product,

an extruder chamber,

said extruder chamber including a cylindrical perimeter wall,

the axis of said cylindrical perimeter wall being generally horizontal,

a rotary helical extruder screw,

said rotary helical extruder screw having an axis of rotation generally coaxial with said axis of said cylindrical perimeter wall,

said extruder chamber housing said rotary helical extruder screw,

linking between said mixing chamber and said extruder chamber to permit transfer food product from said mixing chamber to said extruder chamber,

said extruder chamber mounting an extrusion die,

said extrusion die being operative to form food product conveyed by said extruder screw,

said motor being included in a drive mechanism,

said drive mechanism being reversible,

said extruder screw coupled to said reversible drive mechanism and rotating in a predetermined direction and a direction opposite said predetermined direction,

said extruder chamber cylindrical perimeter wall being penetrated by an opening contoured to facilitate egress of food product from said extruder chamber at least during either when said extruder screw is rotating in said predetermined direction or when said extruder screw is rotating in said direction opposite said predetermined direction.