Foods and beverages: apparatus – Means to treat food – Automatic control or time means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-30
2001-02-20
Simone, Timothy F. (Department: 1761)
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Means to treat food
Automatic control or time means
C099S510000, C241S037500, C241S092000, C241S282100, C241S101010, C366S291000, C366S314000, C366S601000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189441
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to kitchen robots adapted for the processing of foodstuffs and of the type comprising a housing which encloses a motor group having a first vertical drive shaft projecting from the housing and which comprises an upward surface adapted to receive a first removable work accessory comprising a bowl closed by a cover and containing a rotating work tool secured to a vertical shaft adapted to be coupled in rotation to the first drive shaft of the motor group, said housing having laterally a region forming a base outside of which vertically projects a second drive shaft which is connected in rotation to said first drive shaft by a transmission belt reducer mechanism and which is adapted to receive a second removable work accessory.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such a kitchen robot is an electric kitchen appliance with two outputs of which one is constituted by the upper surface of the housing beyond which projects the vertical shaft properly so-called of the motor group, and is adapted to receive interchangeably various accessories of the rapid output type, such as, for example, a mixer bowl or a coffee mill, and of which the other output is constituted by the region forming a base of the housing outside of which projects the other vertical drive shaft connected to the motor drive group by the belt reducer, and is adapted to receive a work accessory of the type comprising a removable receptacle in which are mounted various interchangeable rotating tools, such as for example a dicer, a vegetable slicer or a centrifuge.
In the construction of a known kitchen robot of this type, the vertical drive shaft projecting from the region forming a base of the housing is maintained fixed by any suitable holding system, and the motor group is fixed in the housing of the apparatus after adjustment of the tension in the transmission belt, the vertical shaft of the motor group projecting through a bore provided in the upper surface of the housing. When using the robot, the rapid output working accessory is generally maintained in place on the upper surface of the housing by means of a securement system of the bayonet type. However, as a result particularly of different adjustments of the tension of the transmission belt, the vertical shaft of the motor group, once fixed, will occupy a random position in the bore of the upper surface of the housing, such that, upon emplacing the rapid output work accessory, there is a relative eccentricity between the motor group shaft and the working tool shaft of this accessory, thus leading to important overheating, even a deterioration, of the shaft of the tool or its bearing during vibrations engendered for example by shocks or loads to which is subjected the shaft of the tool in the course of operation.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The invention particularly has for its object to overcome these drawbacks and to provide a kitchen robot, of the type mentioned above, which ensures simply and at lowest cost, after mounting of the motor group, a perfect axial alignment between the motor group shaft and the shaft of the working tool of the rapid output accessory upon emplacement of this latter on the apparatus, and this regardless of the position occupied by the shaft of the motor group after mounting.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, the bowl is removably mounted on a supporting base which is traversed by the first drive shaft of the motor group and which, before mounting of the bowl, is adjustably flatly mounted on the upper surface of the housing such that said base is coaxial with said first drive shaft of the motor group, and is fixed on the housing after adjustment.
Thus, it will be understood that as a function of the position taken by the motor group shaft after mounting of this latter, a simple adjustment of the supporting base, with the aid of a suitable adjusting tool, permits centering correctly this latter relative to the shaft of the motor group, and accordingly the two shafts, respectively, of the motor group and of the working tool of the rapid output accessory, are perfectly coaxial upon emplacement of this accessory on the supporting base. Moreover, this base constitutes a centering member which is less costly and perfectly adapted for mass production.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 5447371 (1995-09-01), Agapiou
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Beaudet Jean-Yves
Marriere Marc
Moulinex (S.A.)
Simone Timothy F.
Young & Thompson
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