Food processor with dicing element

• US 8,677,895 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2009
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Beber, Kevin J., Colasanti, John, McCormick, Arren J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ross, Dana
• Assistant Examiner(s): SPURLOCK, BRETT SHANE
• Application Number:
  US12/553,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20100154660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• Field of Search: 341/24, 342/99, 343/03, 343/05, 836/63, 839/32, 838/57, 99509-511, 993/48, 995/37, 241/92, 241/101.1, 241/282.1, 241/169.1, 366/129, 366/200, 366/312, 366/343, 301/24, 302/99, 303/03, 303/05
• US Class Current: 99/537
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 43/0711 mixing, whipping or cutting tools
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9372 Rotatable type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9495 Nonparallel cutting edges

Abstract

A food processor defining a food processing path comprises a frame having a first compartment located within the food processing path and a second compartment located out of the food processing path and at least one dicing element configured to be received in both of the first and second compartments. When the dicing element is received in the first compartment, the dicing element dices food passing through the food processing path, and when the dicing element is received in the second compartment, the dicing element is stored out of the food processing path.

Claims

1. A food processor comprising:

a receptacle having an open top and configured to receive processed food;

a food guide configured to receive food for processing and having an opening that opens into the open top of the receptacle to at least partially define a food processing path from the food guide to the receptacle;

a frame having a first compartment aligned with the opening of the food guide when the frame is received by the open top of the receptacle such that the first compartment is located within the food processing path and a second compartment, adjacent the first compartment, which is unaligned with the opening of the food guide when the frame is received by the open top of the receptacle such that the second compartment is located out of the food processing path; and

at least one dicing element configured to be received by both of the first and second compartments and having multiple elements defining multiple dicing openings through which the food may pass;

wherein when the dicing element is received in the first compartment, the dicing element extends into the food processing path, between the food guide and the receptacle, to dice food passing through the food processing path, and when the dicing element is received in the second compartment, the dicing element is stored out of the food processing path.

2. The food processor of claim 1, wherein the frame is fixedly mounted to the receptacle.

3. The food processor of claim 2, wherein the receptacle comprises an open top bowl and the frame is mounted to the open top to fixedly mount the frame to the receptacle.

4. The food processor of claim 1, further comprising a management tool selectively receivable in the dicing openings to remove any food in the dicing openings.

5. The food processor of claim 1, further comprising a cutting tool selectively movable through the food processing path to cut food as it passes through the food processing path.

6. The food processor of claim 1, wherein the dicing element comprises a dicing grid with intersecting elements.

7. The food processor of claim 6, wherein the at least one dicing element comprises a first and second dicing element, each of which are configured to be received within the first and second compartments.

8. The food processor of claim 7, wherein the first dicing element has a first set of dicing openings and the second dicing element has a second set of dicing openings, different in size from the first set of dicing openings.

9. The food processor of claim 8, wherein the first set of dicing openings has a first shape and the second set of dicing openings has a second shape different from the first set of dicing openings.

10. The food processor of claim 8, further comprising at least one management tool having multiple projections sized to be received by at least one of the first or second dicing openings, and wherein the at least one management tool is selectively movable into at least one of the first or second dicing openings for removing food remaining in the at least one of the first or second dicing openings.

11. The food processor of claim 10 wherein the projections can be received by both the first and second dicing openings.

12. The food processor of claim 10 wherein the management tool comprises a handle to be grasped by a human hand to move the management tool to insert and remove the management tool from the first and second dicing openings.

13. The food processor of claim 1, wherein the at least one dicing element snap-fits into the first and second compartments.

14. A food processor comprising:

a bowl terminating in an open top defined by a lip and at least partially defining a receptacle configured to receive processed food;

a lid removably mounted to the bowl, with the bowl and lid collectively forming at least part of a housing in which the receptacle is located;

a food chute having an opening that opens into the open top of the bowl to at least partially define a food processing path from the food chute to the receptacle;

a frame mounted to at least one of the bowl or lid, the frame having a first compartment aligned with the opening of the food chute when the frame is mounted to the at least one of the bowl or lid such that the first compartment is located within the food processing path and a second compartment, adjacent the first compartment, which is unaligned with the opening of the food chute when the frame is mounted to the at least one of the bowl or lid such that the second compartment is located out of the food processing path; and

at least one dicing element configured to be received by both of the first and second compartments and having multiple elements defining multiple dicing openings through which the food may pass;

wherein when the dicing element is received by the first compartment, the dicing element extends into the food processing path, between the food chute and the receptacle, to dice food passing through the food processing path and when the dicing element is received by the second compartment, the dicing element is stored out of the food processing path.

15. The food processor of claim 14, further comprising a cutting tool selectively movable through the food processing path to cut food as it passes through the food processing path.

16. The food processor of claim 14, wherein the dicing element comprises a dicing grid with intersecting elements.

17. The food processor of claim 16, wherein the at least one dicing element comprises a first and second dicing element, each of which are configured to be received within the first and second compartments.

18. The food processor of claim 17, wherein the first dicing element has a first set of dicing openings and the second dicing element has a second set of dicing openings, different in size from the first set of dicing openings.

19. The food processor of claim 18, wherein the first set of dicing openings has a first shape and the second set of dicing openings has a second shape different from the first set of dicing openings.

20. The food processor of claim 18, further comprising at least one management tool having multiple projections sized to be received by at least one of the first or second dicing openings, and wherein the at least one management tool is selectively movable into at least one of the first and second dicing openings for removing any food remaining in the at least one of the first or second dicing openings.

21. The food processor of claim 20 wherein the projections can be received by both the first and second dicing openings.

22. The food processor of claim 20 wherein the management tool comprises a handle to be grasped by a human hand to move the management tool to insert and remove the management tool from the dicing openings.

23. The food processor of claim 14, wherein the at least one dicing element snap-fits into the first and second compartments.