Bowl mounting mechanism

Abstract: A mixer 10 comprises a mixer body 12 having a motor for driving a mixing element 16 and a bowl 18 for receiving a material to be mixed. The mixer further includes pins 24, 26 mounted on the bowl 18 and mounting brackets 32, 34 mounted on the mixer body or alternatively, the mixer includes pins 24', 26' mounted on the mixer body and mounting brackets 30', 36' on the bowl. The mounting brackets have openings sized to receive the pins therein whereby the bowl can be removably coupled to the mixer body.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a mechanism for mounting a mixer bowl to a mixer body, and more particularly, to a mechanism for pivotably mounting a mixer bowl to a mixer body. Mixers are used to mix and blend a wide variety of products, such as food, chemicals, etc. The mixers typically include a mixer body having a motor that drives a generally vertically-extending mixing element. The mixers include a bowl that is located below the mixing element, and receives the mixing element and the materials to be mixed. The bowl is typically detachable from the mixer body to aid in loading and unloading the products into the bowl. In most existing mixers, the mixer bowl is vertically movable such that the bowl can be lowered away from the mixing element and an overhang portion of the mixer body. The products to be mixed can then be added or removed from the bowl, or the bowl can be detached from the mixer body. However, even after the bowl is lowered, it can be inconvenient for the user to access the mixer bowl due to the location and orientation of the mixer body (more particularly, the overhang portion) relative the mixer bowl. Reference is made to DE-B-1 298 510 which describes a mixer according to the prior art. Accordingly, there is a need for a mechanism for mounting a mixer bowl to the body of the mixer which improves the user's access to the mixer bowl, and is thereby more convenient to use. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a mechanism for coupling a mixer bowl to a mixer body such that the mixer bowl can be pivoted away from the mixer body and quickly and easily coupled and uncoupled from the mixer body. The mechanism enables the bowl to pivot away from the mixer body, which improves access to the bowl and is more convenient to use. The invention is a mixer as defined in claim 1 and a mixer bowl as defined in claim 16. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a mixer including one embodiment of the mounting mechanism of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of part of the mixer of Fig. 1, with the mixer bowl spaced slightly away from the mixer body; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the mixer body and mixer bowl of Fig. 2, with the bowl coupled to the mixer body and in the loading position; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the mixer body and mixer bowl of Fig. 3, with the mixer bowl in its closed position; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the mixer body and mixer bowl of Fig. 4, with the mixer bowl in its use position; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of a mixer body and a mixer bowl illustrating an alternate embodiment of the mounting mechanism of the present invention; and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of a mixer body and a mixer bowl illustrating an alternate embodiment of the detent mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Fig. 1 illustrates a mixer, generally designated 10, which includes a mixer body 12 having a generally vertically-extending main portion 13, and a overhang portion or transmission bead 14. A generally downwardly-extending mixing element 16 (such as a hook) is removably connected to the mixer body 12 by a coupling component (not shown), such as a bayonet-style attachment that is well known in the art. The mixer 10 includes a motor (not shown) that rotates the mixing element 16 about its central axis. A mixer bowl 18 is mounted to a yoke 20 of the mixer body 12, which is shaped to closely receive the mixer bowl 18 therein. The mixer bowl 18 includes a bowl body 19 that contains the products to be mixed (not shown). A mounting mechanism, generally designated 22, pivotably couples the bowl 18 to the yoke 20 and mixer body 12. As shown in Fig. 2, the mounting mechanism 22 includes a pair of downwardly-extending pins 24, 26, each pin being mounted to the mixer bowl 18 by a pin arm 28, 30 that protrudes generally radially outwardly from the bowl body 19. The mounting mechanism 22 further includes a pair of brackets 32, 34 that are mounted (preferably by casting) onto a distal end of the yoke 20, each bracket 32, 34 having a hole 36, 38 formed therein. As shown in Fig. 2, the pins 24, 26 are generally axially aligned, as are the holes 36, 38. To mount the mixer bowl 18 to the mixer body 12, the bowl 18 is positioned such that the pins 24, 26 are aligned with the holes 36, 38 in each bracket 32, 34, as shown in Fig. 2. The mixer bowl 18 is then lowered such that the pins 24, 26 are received in the corresponding holes 36, 38, and the pin arms 28, 30 engage the top surface of the corresponding mounting bracket 32, 34, as shown in Fig. 3. After each pin 24, 26 is received in a hole 36, 38, each pin/bracket combination forms a hinge about which the mixer bowl 18 can pivot, and the bowl 18 is shown in its loading/unloading position in Fig. 3. The pins 24, 26 preferably have tapered tips to guide the pins 24, 26 into the mounting brackets 32, 34. The mixer bowl 18 can then be pivoted to its closed position, as shown in Fig. 4. In this position, the mixer bowl 18 is received within the yoke 20, and the bowl 18 is aligned such that the mixing element 16 can be received in the mixer bowl 18 when the mixer bowl is raised relative to the mixing element. As shown in Fig. 3, the mixer 10 preferably includes a detent mechanism, generally designated 40, to maintain the bowl 18 in its closed position. The detent mechanism 40 is preferably located on an opposed side of the bowl 18 relative the hinge mechanism 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the detent mechanism 40 includes a relatively soft, deformable washer 42 having an opening formed 44 therein mounted on the yoke 20. The detent mechanism 40 also includes a forwardly extending peg 46 mounted on the bowl 18. The opening 44 in the washer 42 is slightly smaller than the largest portion of the peg 46, such that when the mixer bowl 18 is moved to its closed position, the peg 46 is forced into the washer 42, which retains the peg 46 therein by an interference fit. In this manner, the detent mechanism 40 helps to maintain the mixer bowl 18 in the closed position. An alternate embodiment of the detent mechanism 40' is shown in Fig. 7. In this embodiment, the peg 46 is mounted onto a washer 47, and the yoke has a recess 49 shaped to receive the washer 47 therein. In this manner the yoke 20 helps to support the weight of the bowl 18 when the washer 47 is received in the recess 49. Of course, a wide variety of mechanisms may be used to maintain the bowl 48 in the closed position, including a variety of latches, hooks, interengaging geometries, clasps, clips, frictionally engaging surfaces, magnets and the like. The portion of the detent mechanism located on the bowl can be located on any surface of the bowl that can received in a corresponding part located on the mixer body. Preferably, the portion of the detent mechanism located on the bowl is located on some portion of the bowl that is located adjacent the yoke when the bowl is in the closed position. In order to move the bowl from its closed position (Fig. 4) to its use position (Fig. 5), the yoke 20 is raised vertically by moving the yoke base 50 along a pair of vertically-extending tracks 52, 54. Typically, a crank (not shown) or some other similar mechanism is used to raise the yoke 20. As the yoke 20 is raised, it also raises the bowl 18 to its use position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. When the bowl 18 is in the use position, the mixing element 16 can be received in the bowl 18 such that the mixing element 16 can mix the contents of the bowl 18. The mixer bowl 18 includes a locking bracket 60 (Fig. 4) having an opening 64, and the mixer body 12 includes a generally downwardly-extending locking pin 62. When the mixer bowl 18 is moved to its use position (Fig. 5), the locking pin 62 is received in the opening 64 in the locking bracket 60 to retain the mixer bowl in the use position; that is, the locking pin/locking bracket combination prevents the mixer bowl 18 from pivoting about the mounting mechanism 22. The mounting mechanism 22 enables the mixer bowl 18 to be pivoted out from under the overhang portion 14 of the mixer body 12 to its loading/unloading position (Fig. 7). This provides easier access to the bowl 18 for loading and unloading materials in the bowl, and is therefore more convenient to use. When the bowl 18 is pivoted into its loading/unloading position, it is also easer to grip and lift the mixer bowl off of the yoke 20 and to mount the mixer bowl 18 back onto the yoke 20. For example, when in the loading/unloading position both handles 66 of the bowl 18 are pivoted away from the mixer body 12, and can be easily gripped by the user without having to maneuver around the overhang portion 14 of the mixer body 12. Any variety of pins and brackets may be used for mounting the mixer bowl 18 to the mixer body 12. For example, nearly any shape pin 24, 26, preferably having a generally circular, or nearly circular (i.e. hexagonal, elliptical, etc.), cross section, may be used. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 6, the pins 24', 26' may be located on the yoke 20, and the pin arms 28', 30' may have holes 36', 38' therein such that the pin arms 28', 30' form the mounting brackets. Similarly, the peg 46 of the detent mechanism 40 may be located on the mixer body 12 and the washer 42 may be located on the bowl 18. The locking bracket 60 may be located on the bowl 18 and the locking pin 62 may be located on the mixer body 12. The holes 36', 38' may be located on nearly any surface of the yoke 22 or of the mixer body 12. For example, the holes 36', 38' in the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 may be located on a lip (not shown) or other various mounting surfaces of the mixer body 12.

Claims: A mixer (10) comprising: a mixer body (12) having a motor for driving a mixing element (16); a bowl (18) for receiving a material to be mixed; a pin (24,24'); an auxiliary pin (26,26'), said pin and said auxiliary pin both being mounted onto one of said mixer body or said bowl; a first mounting bracket (32,28') having an opening (36,36') sized to receive said pin therein to removably couple said mixer body and said bowl; and a second mounting bracket (34,30'), said second mounting bracket having an opening (38,38') sized to receive said auxiliary pin therein to removably couple said mixer body and said bowl, said first mounting bracket and said second mounting bracket both being mounted on the other of said mixer body or said bowl; characterised in that : the openings of said first mounting bracket and said second mounting bracket are generally aligned one above the other, said pin and said auxiliary pin also being aligned one above the other, wherein the axes of said pin and said auxiliary pin define a pivot axis about which said bowl can pivot when said pin is received in said opening of said first bracket and said auxiliary pin is received in said opening of said second bracket. The mixer of Claim 1 wherein each pin has a generally circular cross section. The mixer of Claim 1 wherein said bowl can pivot between a closed position, wherein said bowl is located adjacent said mixer body, and a loading position wherein said bowl is not located adjacent said mixer body. The mixer of Claim 3 further comprising a detent mechanism (40,40') coupled to at least one of said mixer body or said bowl that can maintain said bowl in said closed position. The mixer of Claim 4 wherein said detent mechanism includes a peg (46) located on one of said mixer body or said bowl and a washer (42) having an opening for receiving and retaining said peg therein located on the other of said mixer body or said bowl. The mixer of Claim 1 wherein said mixer body includes a yoke (20), and wherein said pins or said mounting brackets mounted on said mixer body are located on said yoke. The mixer of Claim 6 wherein said pin or said mounting bracket is mounted on a distal end of said yoke. The mixer of Claim 6 wherein said yoke is shaped to engage an outer surface of said bowl when said bowl is in said closed position. The mixer of Claim 1 wherein each pin extends generally downwardly and is located on said bowl, and wherein each mounting bracket is located on said mixer body. The mixer of Claim 1 further comprising a locking pin (62) located on one of said mixer body or said bowl and a locking bracket (60) located on the other of said mixer body or said bowl, wherein said locking pin is received in said locking bracket to couple said bowl and said mixer body when said bowl is raised relative to said mixer body. The mixer of Claim 1 wherein each pin extends generally upwardly and is located on said mixer body, and wherein each mounting bracket is located on said bowl. The mixer of Claim 1 further comprising a first detent mechanism (40,40') located on said bowl for co-operating with a second detent mechanism (44) on said mixer body for preventing said bowl from pivoting relative said mixer body, and a locking bracket (60) having an opening (64) and being located on said mixer body and between said first detent mechanism and at least one of said mounting brackets. The mixer of Claim 1 wherein said pin and said auxiliary pin both extend in generally the same direction. The mixer of Claim 1 wherein said pin and said auxiliary pin both extend generally upwardly. The mixer of Claim 1 wherein the vertical distance between said pin and said auxiliary pin is fixed. A mixer bowl (18) for being mounted to a mixer body (12) comprising: a bowl body (19) for receiving materials to be mixed; a first mounting bracket (28') coupled to said bowl body and having an opening (36'); and a second mounting bracket (30') coupled to said bowl body and having an opening (38') generally aligned with said opening of said first mounting bracket, said openings of said first and second mounting brackets each being shaped to receive a pin (24',26') of said mixer body therein; characterised in that ; said openings are generally aligned one above the other such that each opening may receive one of a pair of said pins (24',26') which are aligned one above the other to form a pivot axis, wherein when each opening receives one of said pins, said bowl can pivot about said pivot axis. The mixer bowl of Claim 16 wherein each mounting bracket extends generally radially outwardly from said bowl body, and each opening has a central axis that extends generally vertically. The mixer bowl of Claim 16 wherein each mounting bracket is coupled to an outer surface of said bowl. The mixer bowl of Claim 16 further comprising a first detent mechanism (40') coupled to said bowl body for co-operating with a second detent mechanism (44) mounted on said mixer body for preventing said mixer bowl from pivoting relative said mixer body. The mixer bowl of Claim 19 wherein said first detent mechanism is located on an opposed side of said bowl body relative to said first and second mounting brackets. The mixer bowl of Claim 19 wherein said bowl body is pivotable between a closed position wherein said bowl body is located adjacent said mixer body and a loading position wherein said bowl body is generally not located adjacent said mixer body, and wherein said first detent mechanism is located on a portion of said bowl body that is located adjacent said mixer body when said bowl body is in said closed position. The mixer bowl of Claim 19 wherein said first detent mechanism includes a generally forwardly-extending peg (46). The mixer bowl of Claim 16 further comprising a locking bracket (60) coupled to said bowl body and having an opening (64), wherein said locking bracket is located to receive a locking pin (62) of said mixer body therein when said mixer bowl is raised relative said mixer body. The mixer bowl of Claim 16 further comprising a locking bracket (60) having an opening (64), said mounting bracket being coupled to said bowl body and spaced apart from said mounting brackets by an angle of less than about 180 degrees.

Inventors: BRUNSWICK BRIAN A, SHORT ELLIS G, BRUNSWICK, BRIAN A., SHORT, ELLIS G.
Applicants: PREMARK FEG LLC, PREMARK FEG L.L.C.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A21C1
IPC codes: A47J43, A21C1, B01F7