Patent ID: 6616324
Filing Date: 2003-09-09
Classification: A47J

Abstract:
Food processing appliance comprising a container (22) removably mounted on a separate base (20), the container (22) being associated with a food processing tool support assembly (2) removably secured in an opening (30) provided in the bottom of the container (22), the separate base (20) housing an electric motor (21) for driving the tool support assembly,wherein the tool support assembly (2) comprises a generally conical support (15) which is open inside and flares out from a narrow end part (16) to an enlarged end part (13) which is removably securable in said opening (30), a rotary axle (19) being mounted axially through the generally-conical support (15), said axle having a first extremity in the enlarged end part (13) of the generally conical support (15), said first extremity bearing an engaging element (18) able to be driven by the electric motor (21) when the container (22) is mounted on the base (20), said axle having a second extremity at the narrow end part (16) of the generally conical support (15), said second extremity bearing a food processing tool (24), the motor (21) being arranged coaxially with the tool support assembly (2) when mounted, the motor being housed in a compartment (60) in the base (20), there being a cavity (61) between the motor compartment (60) and the surrounding lateral walls of the base (20), the base (20) comprising, at its bottom, a storage compartment (70) for storing a tool support assembly (2) of the defined type when the assembly is not in use, the storage compartment (70) being configured to receive therein a tool support assembly (2) with its enlarged end part (13) facing down and with its narrow end part (16) facing up, the axis of the stored tool support assembly (2) being laterally offset from the axis of the motor (21), a movable closure member (71) being provided for allowing access to or closing the storage compartment (70), said closure member (71) being movable between an open position allowing the insertion into and the removal from the storage compartment (70) of a tool support assembly (2), and a closed position in which at least a part (72) of the closure member (71) is flush with adjacent portions of the walls of the base (20), characterized in that the motor compartment (60) is spaced up from the bottom of the base (20), a recess (62) being provided under the motor compartment (60), the recess (62) forming part of the storage compartment (70), the storage compartment (70) underlying the motor compartment (60) and the cavity (61), the generally-conical support (15) carrying on its narrow end part (16) a food processing tool (24) comprising at least one arm (25) that projects laterally and upwardly from the narrow end part (16), the recess (62) being arranged so that when a tool support assembly (2) is stored in the storage compartment (70), the generally conical support (15) and its tool (24) are accommodated partly in said recess (62) under the motor compartment (60) and partly under said peripheral cavity (61) or in the lower part thereof, an innermost-disposed portion of the enlarged end part (13) of the stored tool support assembly (2) being located under the motor compartment (60), the base (20) having at least one aperture(s) (83) specially arranged for receiving the projecting arm(s) (25).