HAND MIXER

Abstract: A hand mixer for mixing and working in a vessel food that has a more or less liquid consistency, wherein the mixer includes a rod-like part (1) which carries at one end a tool holder (3) that is designed to support different tools or implements, such as a cutting or chopping tool (4) or a whisk (5), said tool being intended to be inserted down into the vessel and wherein the mixer includes an electric motor (21) for driving a tool carried by the tool holder. The invention is characterised in that a flexible drive shaft (6) is provided between the other end (7) of the rod-like part (1), i.e. the end opposite to the tool holder and a power unit (8) which includes said motor (21) and a motor control device (9).

Description: HAND MIXER The present invention relates to a hand mixer intended for mixing and working in large kitchen vessels food that has a more or less liquid consistency. The hand mixer is intended for large-scale kitchens and restaurants. For the purpose of preparing different dishes, or courses, that have more or less liquid consistency, there exists a type of motor-driven mixer which is separate from the vessel in which food shall be prepared and where the actual mixing tool or implement is inserted down into the vessel . The mixer is manually operated in the vessel, in preparing food. A typical mixer of this kind will have a rod-like form. The lower end of the mixer when used, i.e. the end of the mixer that is inserted down into the vessel, is adapted to support different tools and implements, such as a cutting or chopping tool or a whisk. The mixer is driven by an electric motor placed at the upper end of the mixer. A mixer of this kind will normally weigh four kilograms or more, said weight depending on motor strength and therewith on the weight of the motor . Such mixers are used for a number of purposes in preparing food. For instance, there may be used a chopping implement that is used to chop cooked vegetables when preparing vegetable soup in the cooking vessel . Such a mixer can also be used to cut meat, make purees, etc.. Whisks are normally used to whisk cream, to mash potatoes or to prepare some other type of mash, and to whisk sauces and soups, etc.. The vessel may be a cooking vessel, such as a large pot having a typical volume of 20-50 litres or a non-heated cooking vessel of corresponding volume . A serious problem with respect to kitchen personnel is that this known mixer is heavy and therewith laborious to work with when needing to move the mixer up and down and sideways through the food mass present in the vessel. This problem is particularly manifest when preparing mashed potatoes for instance, since it is heavy work to move the mixer sideways through the potatoes during the relatively long time taken to prepare the mash. This preparation time can be reduced, by providing the mixer with a stronger motor. However, this would increase the weight of the mixer and therewith make the work entailed more laborious. The present invention solves this problem. Accordingly, the present invention relates to a hand mixer intended for mixing and working in a vessel food that has a more or less liquid consistency, wherein the mixer includes a rod-like part which carries at one end a tool holder that is designed to support different tools or implements, such as a cutting or chopping tool or a whisk, said tool being intended to be inserted down into the vessel, and wherein the mixer includes an electric motor for driving a tool carried by the tool holder, and wherein the mixer is characterised in that a flexible drive shaft extends between the other end of the rod-like part, i.e. the end opposite to the tool holder; and in that the mixer includes a drive unit which includes said motor and a motor control means . The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to an exemplifying embodiment of the invention and also with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which - Figure 1 illustrates an inventive arrangement; - Figure 2 shows the arrangement in a partly dismantled state; and - Figure 3 shows a rod-like part of the inventive arrangement fitted to a whisk. Figure 1 shows a hand mixer intended for mixing and working in a kitchen vessel (not shown) food that has a more or less liquid consistency. The mixer includes a rod-like part 1 which carries at one end 2 a tool or implement holder 3. The tool holder is of a conventional kind and is adapted to detachably carry different tools, such as a cutting or chopping tool, or a whisk. In the illustration in Figures 1 and 2, the tool is a typical chopping tool 4, while the tool shown in Figure 3 has the form of a whisk 5. The tool concerned is thus intended to be inserted down into the vessel in preparing the food in question. The mixer, also includes an electric motor 21 which functions to drive a tool 4, 5 carried by the tool holder 3. In accordance with the present invention, the mixer arrangement includes a flexible drive shaft 6 which extends between the other end 7 of the rod-like part 1, i.e. the end opposite to the tool holder, and a separate power unit 8 which includes said motor 21 and a motor control device 9. The flexible drive shaft is of a known kind and includes a rotatable spring-like core housed within a stationary outer casing. Such flexible drive shafts are retailed by Spiros AB, Bromma, Sweden, for instance. The control device 9 includes a conventional control circuit for controlling the rotational speed of the motor and therewith also of the tool. A knob 10 may conveniently be provided for enabling the mixer to be set to the desired rotational speed. The knob may be placed on the power unit 8 or on the rod-like part 1. The invention affords the significant advantage of reducing the weight of that part of the mixer arrangement which is manoeuvred manually in preparing food, i.e. the rod-like part and the tool carried thereby. This weight reduction is in the order of about 1.5 to 2 kilograms in respect of a conventional mixer that weighs about 4 kilograms when fitted with a standard motor. A motor of standard rating will have a power of about 500 W. In addition, the power of the motor, and therewith its weight, will not affect the weight of that part of the mixer that is manoeuvred manually. Consequently, a more powerful motor can be used to shorten food preparation times, without having any effect on the manual handling of the mixer. For instance, a motor power of up to about 2000 W may be preferred. The rod-like part 1 will conveniently be held with a two-hand grip. Because the first part has a generally uniform cross- section along its length, it is easy to vary the two-hand grip in accordance to what is felt to be best and most comfortable. One problem experienced with a conventional mixer is that the electric lead extending between an electric socket and the mixer sometimes tends to interfere with the tool and come into contact with the food being prepared. This problem is also eliminated by the present invention According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the flexible drive shaft 6 will have a length of about 1 to 2 metres. The first part of the drive shaft may have a length of about 400-600 millimetres. According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the power unit is adapted to be placed on the floor, on feet 11. It is also preferred that the power unit 8 will include a suspension device 12 which can support the rod-like part. This enables the mixer arrangement to be moved readily within the kitchen premises. Figure 2 shows the mixer arrangement partially dismantled. The power unit is shown to include a housing 16, 17, a bottom plate 18, and a top plate 19. A carrying handle 20 will also suitably be provided. The motor 21 is attached to the housing. The control device 9 is shown to have the form of a circuit board. According to another preferred embodiment, a second rod-like part 13 extends up from the power unit 8 when said unit stands on the floor. The flexible drive shaft 6 extends from the upper end of the second rod-like part 13. This facilitates handling of the mixer, since the drive shaft will not come into contact with the food being prepared, at the same time as the drive shaft in the rest position shown in Figure 1 forms a self-supporting and upwardly facing loop, which is advantageous with respect to space. The second rod- shaped part may have a length of about 400-600 millimetres. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the rod-like part 1 includes at least two switches 14, 15 which are mutually spaced along the length of said rod-like part and connected to the control device 9. The control device is adapted so that both switches 14, 15 must be activated simultaneously in order to start the motor. This is a pure safety measure, so as to prevent the mixer from being started unintentionally should someone grip the first rodlike part with only one hand. After having started the motor, it can suffice for only one switch to be kept activated. The motor will stop when the switch is no longer activated. According to one embodiment, the aforesaid knob 10 for adjusting the rotational speed of the tool may form one of the switches 14, 15. In this case, the button may be replaced with a knob or, alternatively, may be constructed so that the rotational speed of the tool will become faster the further the button 14, 15 is pressed-in, for instance. Although the mixer has been described with reference to various embodiments thereof, it will be understood that the structural details of the power unit and the rod-like parts can vary. It will therefore also be understood that the present invention is not restricted to the aforedescribed embodiments thereof, and that variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the accompanying Claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A hand mixer for mixing and working in a vessel food that has a more or less liquid consistency, wherein the mixer includes a rod-like part (1) which carries at one end a tool holder (3) that is designed to support different tools or implements, such as a cutting or chopping tool (4) or a whisk (5) , said tool being intended to be inserted down into the vessel and wherein the mixer includes an electric motor (21) for driving a tool carried by the tool holder, characterised in that a flexible drive shaft (6) is provided between the other end (7) of the rod-like part (1), i.e. the end opposite to the tool holder, and a power unit (8) which includes said motor (21) and a motor control device (9) . 2. A hand mixer according to Claim 1, characterised in that the flexible drive shaft (6) has a length of about 1 to 2 metres . 3. A hand mixer according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterised in that the power unit (8) is adapted to stand on the floor; and in that the power unit (8) includes a suspension device (12) for supporting the rod-like part (1) . 4. A hand mixer according to Claim 3, characterised by a second rod-like part (13) which extends upwardly from the power unit (8) when said power unit stands on the floor; and is further characterised in that the flexible drive shaft (6) extends from the upper end of said second rod-like part (13) . 5. A hand mixer according to Claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterised in that the first rod-like part (1) includes at least two switches (14, 15) which are mutually spaced along the length of said rod-like part (1) ; in that the switches (14, 15) are connected to said control device (9); and in that the control device (9) is designed so that both switches (14, 15) must be activated simultaneously in order to start the motor.

Inventors: SUNDQVIST JARL, SUNDQVIST, JARL
Applicants: HAELLDE MASKINER AB, SUNDQVIST JARL, AB HAELLDE MASKINER, SUNDQVIST, JARL
Application year: 2000
Main classification: A22C5
IPC codes: A47J43, B01F7, B01F13