Solid material comminution or disintegration – Apparatus – Rotating comminuting surface
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-07
2004-11-09
Ostrager, Allen (Department: 3725)
Solid material comminution or disintegration
Apparatus
Rotating comminuting surface
C241S292100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06814323
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to food processors and, more particularly, to a food processor including a first tool that is operational in two distinct modes at two locations on a drive shaft of the food processor. The invention also relates to continuously chopping a foodstuff using the food processor and a unique storage configuration of the food processor.
Household food processors commonly include bowls and multiple processing tools that are rotatably securable to a food processor drive shaft for processing foodstuff within the bowl. The household food processor is generally operated by securing the bowl to a base of the food processor, positioning a tool within the bowl and rotatably securing the tool to the drive shaft. Each individual tool is rotatably secured to the drive shaft in a single predetermined location. For example, a chopping tool is generally secured adjacent a base of the bowl for chopping foodstuff within the bowl while a conventional slicing disk is secured adjacent a mouth of the bowl for slicing a foodstuff that is deposited into the bowl. Chopping and slicing foodstuffs within the bowl limit a user to chopping or slicing of foodstuffs, having a volume that does not exceed the volume of the bowl. Accordingly, in order to process a large volume of foodstuffs, the bowl must be designed to have a large volume, which takes up a large amount of counterspace or a volume of foodstuff equivalent to the size of the bowl must be processed, the processed foodstuff must be removed from the bowl and additional volumes of foodstuff equivalent to the volume of the bowl must be processed until the desired volume of processed foodstuff are obtained. Therefore, to process a large amount of foodstuffs, a user must utilize a large food processor bowl that takes up a large amount of counterspace or perform a plurality of processing steps in order to obtain the desired large volume. Processing of a large volume of chopped foodstuffs with a desired size is particularly difficult using a household food processor because the conventional chopping tool is rotatably secured adjacent a base of the food processor bowl.
Further, foodstuffs to be chopped are disposed into the bowl and the chopping tool is actuated to rotate, thereby chopping the foodstuff adjacent the base of the bowl for a predetermined amount of time. Chopping in this fashion is sensitive to the amount of time the chopping tool is rotating because a foodstuff chopped for a relatively long time generally produces small chopped foodstuffs while a foodstuff that is chopped for a relatively short time generally produces large chopped foodstuffs. In addition, chopping with a conventional food processor tends to create inconsistently sized chopped foodstuffs due to inconsistent mixing of the foodstuffs being chopped.
Household food processors commonly include a plurality of tools to perform various processing operations within the food processing bowl. For example, a household food processor may include a cutting tool, chopping tool, shredding disk, slicing disk, grating wheel and dicing tool. Each of these tools may be separate from each other and are generally disposed into the food processing bowl individually for performing a particular cutting operation. In order to store the multiple tools, the conventional food processor may include a separate case for storage. Commonly, during storage or transportation, the food processor and tools become separated and tools become lost.
In view of the increasing demands for new, innovative and compact food processors for home use and the commercial food market, a food processor that is compact in size, able to perform a variety of cutting operations to simply process a relatively large volume of foodstuffs in a variety of ways and is able to store each of its operational tools within a bowl and lid is increasingly desirable. In addition, there is a specific need for a food processor that is able to chop and grade a relatively large volume of foodstuff such that the chopped foodstuff has a consistent size.
The food processor of the present invention is comparatively compact in size with respect to a conventional household food processor and includes a first tool that is rotatably securable adjacent a first end and a second end of the food processor drive shaft for processing foodstuffs in two distinct operating modes. Utilizing the first tool adjacent the first end and second end of the drive shaft, provides flexibility for a user and reduces the number of individual tools that are included with the food processor. In the first operating mode, the first tool is positioned adjacent the first end of the drive shaft to process foodstuffs within the bowl of the food processor. Alternatively, the first tool is used to continuously process foodstuffs in the second operating mode. Use of the single tool in each of the operating mode permits flexibility for a user of the food processor without increasing the number of tools that must be used and stored.
The food processor of the present invention also includes a disk that is selectively positioned within the bowl and is rotatably securable to the drive shaft of the food processor. Insertion of the disk into the bowl during operation, creates a sub-processing chamber within the bowl and lid that permits processing of foodstuff within the sub-processing chamber. A gap is positioned adjacent the sub-processing chamber and is either exposed, closed by a food gate or partially exposed by a food gate. The food processor of the present invention further includes a food guard extending from the gap that directs foodstuffs processed within the sub-processing chamber into an external container. The inclusion of the sub-processing chamber, disk, gap, food gates and food guard permits in-bowl chopping and continuous chopping of relatively large volumes of foodstuffs, using the comparatively small food processor of the present invention. Large volumes of foodstuffs may be processed because the relatively small volume of the bowl of the food processor is not used to store the processed foodstuffs. The processed foodstuffs are released through the gap to an external container for storage in the continuous modes. The use of the food processor with the in-bowl and continuous modes also provides desired flexibility for a user with a single compact device.
The food processor of the present invention further includes food gates that perform a grading operation of the chopped foodstuffs produced in a continuous chopping mode. In the continuous chopping mode, the disk is rotatably secured to the drive shaft creating the sub-processing chamber and the chopping tool is rotatably secured to the disk. The chopping tool chops foodstuffs within the sub-processing chamber when the food processor is actuated to operate. Grading food gates are positioned within the gap of the sub-processing chamber, which permit chopped foodstuffs having a predetermined size to escape from the sub-processing chamber through the gap. Chopped foodstuff having a size larger than the predetermined size are returned toward the sub-processing chamber for additional chopping.
The food processor of the present invention includes operational components including a bowl, a lid with a feed chute, a food pusher positionable within the feed chute, a gap and a slot adjacent the gap, a first food gate, a second food gate, the disk, the first tool, a second tool, and an extender. Each of the disk, gates, tools food pusher and extender are used in at least one of the first and second operating modes and are securable within the bowl and lid in a storage position. Storage of each of the operational components of the food processor reduces the likelihood that operational components will be lost during storage or transportation.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a food processor for processing foodstuffs. The food processor includes a housing, with a motor covering and a base. A drive shaft protrudes from the base and includes a first end proximate
Mauch Jeffery Thomas
Pierce Michael M.
Starr Dane
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld & LLP
Hamilton Beach, Proctor-Silex, Inc.
Nguyen Jimmy T
Ostrager Allen
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