Abstract:
A food processor includes a base, a motor disposed within the base, a drive shaft operatively connected to the motor and extending outwardly from the base, the output shaft being rotatable upon actuation of the motor, a bowl removably coupled to the base, a lid removably coupled to the bowl so as to define a processing chamber, a slicing assembly positioned within the processing chamber and driven by the motor, the slicing assembly being positionable in a plurality of slicing positions to produce sliced food items of varying thicknesses, and a slice thickness adjustment mechanism operable to move the slicing assembly between the plurality of slicing positions. The slice thickness adjustment mechanism includes a cartridge mounted to the bowl, the cartridge including an actuator drivingly coupled to a drive screw. Rotation of the drive screw causes the slicing assembly to move between the plurality of slicing positions.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to food processors and, more particularly, to an adjustable slicing mechanism for a food processor. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Food processing devices providing a number of different types of food preparations, such as mixing, grinding, chopping, slicing, grating, shredding, or other processing operations, are well known. Existing food processing devices typically include a base housing an electric motor, a drive shaft driven by the motor, a bowl receivable on the base and a lid or cover having a feed tube releasably mounted to the bowl. A rotatably driven blade is mounted to the drive shaft to process one or more food items inside the bowl. 
         [0003]    While existing food processing devices are generally suitable for what is regarded as ordinary performance, there is room for improvement in terms of ease of use, expanded functionality and modularity. In particular, a limitation of existing food processing devices is that when utilized with a slicing disc, they must be turned off and the blade assembly removed in order for a user to manually adjust the slicing thickness on the blade. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an adjustable slicing mechanism that is quickly and easily configurable to enable a user to selectively slice food items into a variety of desired thicknesses. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a food processor. 
         [0005]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a food processor having a mechanism for adjusting the slice thickness of a food item. 
         [0006]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a food processor having a mechanism for externally adjusting the slice thickness of a food item. 
         [0007]    These and other objects are achieved by the present invention. 
         [0008]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, a food processor is provided. The food processor includes a base, a motor disposed within the base, a drive shaft operatively connected to the motor and extending outwardly from the base, the output shaft being rotatable upon actuation of the motor, a bowl removably coupled to the base, a lid removably coupled to the bowl so as to define a processing chamber, a slicing assembly positioned within the processing chamber and driven by the motor, the slicing assembly being positionable in a plurality of slicing positions to produce sliced food items of varying thicknesses, and a slice thickness adjustment mechanism operable to move the slicing assembly between the plurality of slicing positions. The slice thickness adjustment mechanism includes a cartridge mounted to the bowl, the cartridge including an actuator drivingly coupled to a drive screw. Rotation of the drive screw causes the slicing assembly to move between the plurality of slicing positions. 
         [0009]    According to another embodiment, a bowl for a food processor is provided. The bowl includes a floor, a plurality of sidewalls extending from the floor and defining a processing chamber, a handle, and a slice thickness adjustment cartridge mounted below the floor. The slice thickness adjustment cartridge includes a rotatable dial beneath the handle and drivingly coupled to a drive screw. Rotation of the dial causes the drive screw to selectively extend from and retract into the cartridge to move a slicing assembly between a plurality of slicing positions. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The present invention will be better understood from reading the following description of non-limiting embodiments, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein below: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a food processor according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an exploded parts view of a food processor according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a cartridge of a slice thickness adjustment mechanism of the food processor of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an end view of the cartridge of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the cartridge of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the cartridge of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an adapter shaft of the slice thickness adjustment mechanism. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the adapter shaft of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a work bowl of the food processor, showing the position of the slice thickness adjustment mechanism. 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a partially exploded, perspective view of the slice thickness adjustment mechanism of the food processor of  FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is another partially exploded, perspective view of the slice thickness adjustment mechanism. 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is another perspective view of the slice thickness adjustment mechanism, shown in an assembled position. 
           [0023]      FIGS. 13 and 14  are cross-sectional views of the adjustable slicing mechanism. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a food processor  10  according to the present invention is shown. The food processor  10  includes base housing  12  having a motor (not shown) disposed within. The motor is preferably a conventional electric motor that is reversible and has a variable speed between approximately 500-3,500 RPM. The motor is operatively engaged with a drive shaft  16  to cause the drive shaft  16  to rotate. The motor is oriented such that the drive shaft  16  extends upwardly from the motor, extending outwardly and/or protruding from a top surface of the base housing  12 . The base housing  12  may include a user interface electrically connected to the motor to enable a user to control the speed of the motor. As is known in the art, the user interface may include one or more knobs, dials, buttons, toggle switches or the like. A terminal end of the drive shaft  16  extends outwardly from the base housing and has a plastic adapter shaft  18  engageable and rotatable therewith. A distal end of the adapter shaft  18  includes a blade coupling configured to engage a cutting blade or other attachment, as discussed hereinafter. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the food processor  10  also includes a bowl  20  removably securable on the base housing  12 . Preferably, the bowl  20  has a plurality of protrusions that slidingly engage within corresponding slots in the base housing to retain the bowl  20  on the base housing  12 . For example, the bowl  20  may be retained on the base  12  via a bayonet style coupling, as is known in the art, that resists forces in both the clockwise and counterclockwise directions. Extending upwardly from the center of the bottom wall of the bowl  20  is a generally cylindrical central tube sized to accommodate the drive shaft  16  therethrough when the bowl  20  is secured to the base housing  12  in an assembled position. A handle  22  is integrally molded to the sidewall of the bowl and extends outwardly therefrom, to provide the user with a gripping surface with which to pick up, carry, and otherwise handle the bowl  20 . In an embodiment, the bowl  20  may also be provided with a slicing disc adjustment mechanism  24  configured to mate with the lower end of the adapter shaft  18  and operable from outside the bowl  20  by a user to vary the slice thickness of food items. In addition, the bowl  20  may be provided with a sidewall cleaning mechanism  26  having a plurality of scraper blades or wipers that contact the inner sidewall of the bowl  20 . The sidewall cleaning mechanism  26  includes a knob  29  accessible above the bowl  20  that is selectively rotatable by a user to cause the wipers to rotate about the inner periphery of the bowl  20  to scrape the sides of the bowl  20  during processing of food items, as discussed in detail hereinafter. 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , a smaller capacity bowl  27  may be mounted to the base  12  in lieu of the larger capacity bowl  20 , such as when a smaller volume of food is to be processed. In an embodiment, the bowl  20  has a  16 -cup capacity and the smaller bowl  27  has a 4-8 cup capacity. 
         [0027]    As best shown in  FIG. 2 , the bowl  20  may also include an optical channel  31  on the periphery thereof. The optical channel  31  is configured to receive an optical signal generated by the control unit within the base  12  to ensure the bowl  20  is properly seated on the base  12 , and a lid is properly seated on the bowl  20 . For example, when an optical signal sent from the base is reflected and received back at the base by an optical sensor, this indicates that the base, bowl and lid are in proper position for food processing. This “optical interlock” ensures that the motor will not operate, and the processing tool will not rotate, unless the bowl and lid are in proper position. 
         [0028]    Although the base housing  12  is shown as being generally square-shaped, it is within the spirit and scope of the present invention that the base housing  12  be of a different shape as long as the base housing  12  can still perform its intended functions, as described herein. Additionally, although the bowl  20  is shown as being removably retained at the top of the base housing  12 , it is within the spirit and scope of the present invention that the base housing  12  be generally L-shaped when viewed from the side, such that the motor is disposed within the vertically-oriented portion and the bowl  20  is disposed on top of the horizontally-oriented portion. 
         [0029]    As further shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a cutting tool  28  is rotatably securable to the drive shaft  16 . In particular, the cutting tool  28  is rotatably fixed to the adapter shaft  18  proximate the terminal end of the drive shaft  16  and is positioned within the bowl  20  above the top edge of the central tube, when in the assembled position. In an embodiment, the cutting tool  28  is a generally circular metallic disk having at least one slicing blade  30  formed therein as is well understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0030]    Alternatively, a dicing mechanism including a dicing blade  32  and a dicing plate  34  may be utilized in place of the cutting tool  28  in order to dice food items. In connection with the dicing mechanism, a plurality of indexing storage containers  36  may be inserted into the bowl  20  in nested position with the wiper element  26 , below the dicing plate  34 . The wiper element  26  may be selectively rotated by a user to index the storage containers  36  to a desired position beneath the dicing plate  34  to collect diced food items therein. In yet another embodiment, a spiral cutting blade assembly  38  may be utilized in place of the cutting tool  28  in order to cut food items into spiral shapes. 
         [0031]    The food processor  10  further includes a lid  40  that is removably securable to a top of the bowl  20 . The lid  40  defines a substantially circular body sized and dimensioned to cover the bowl  20 , and has an opening  42  formed therein configured to receive one of a flat cover  44 , a large feed tube  46  or a spiral feed tube  48 , as selected by a user, as best shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The opening  42  in the lid may be generally oval or kidney shaped, although other shapes and dimensions are envisioned. As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the flat cover  44 , large feed tube  46  and spiral feed tube  48  each include a lower portion sized and shaped to be received in the opening  42 , and a peripheral flange limiting the insertion depth of the respective flat cover  44 , large feed tube  46  or spiral feed tube  48  into the opening  42  and preventing such components from falling into the bowl  20 . 
         [0032]    As also shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the large feed tube  46  may include a pusher assembly having a plurality of nestable pushers including a first pusher  50 , a second pusher  52  and a third pusher  54 . Similarly, the spiral feed tube  48  may include a pusher  56  dimensioned to be slidably received therein. The various pushers may be utilized to urge food items through the lid  40  and into the cutting tool  28  or other food processing implement within the bowl, in a manner heretofore known in the art. 
         [0033]    Turning now to  FIGS. 3-14 , the slicing disc adjustment mechanism  24  (also referred to as slice thickness adjustment mechanism) which is operable to move the rotating disc  28  relative to the cutting blade  30  is illustrated. As shown therein, the slice thickness adjustment mechanism  24  includes, generally, a cartridge  60 , the adapter shaft  18  and the cutting disc  28  having slicing blade  30 . 
         [0034]    With reference to  FIGS. 3-6 , the cartridge  60  is illustrated. The cartridge  60  defines a generally rectangular body or housing  62  having an actuator positioned at one end thereof. As shown in  FIGS. 3-6 , the actuator is preferably formed as a dial  64  rotatable about a vertical axis  66 . Alternatively, the actuator may be formed as a lever. The cartridge  60  further includes an internally threaded sleeve  68  extending upward from the housing  62  and offset laterally from the dial  64 . The sleeve  68  is configured to receive a corresponding externally threaded lift screw  70  therein. The lift screw  70  includes a plurality of teeth  72  formed on an upper end thereof that are configured to mate with corresponding teeth formed on a lower end of the adapter shaft  18 , as discussed in detail below. The lift screw  70  is also configured to be received in a lower sleeve  74 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . In connection with this, a lower end of the lift screw  70  includes a plurality of radially oriented grooves  76  that are configured to slidably receive corresponding ribs  78  formed on the internal surface of the lower sleeve  74 . As will be readily appreciated, therefore, rotation of the lower sleeve  74  imparts a corresponding rotation to the lift screw  70 . 
         [0035]    As further illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the lower sleeve  74  is drivingly coupled to the rotatable dial  64  via a gear assembly  80 . In an embodiment, the gear assembly  80  may include a drive belt  82  and a plurality of sprockets or intermeshing gears  84 ,  86 ,  88 . In operation, rotation of the dial  64  about its vertical axis  66 , in a clockwise direction, causes a corresponding rotation of the lower sleeve  74  via the gear assembly  80  which, in turn, causes the lift screw  70  to rotate. By way of the threaded engagement of the lift screw  70  within upper sleeve  68 , the lift screw  70  translates upward relative to the housing  62  during such rotation. Rotation of the dial  64  in the opposite direction causes the lift screw  70  to retract into the cartridge  60 . 
         [0036]    Referring now to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the adapter shaft  18  is more clearly illustrated. The adapter shaft  18  includes a drive stem  90  contained within a cylindrical housing  92 . A lower end of the housing  92  is formed with a plurality of teeth  94  configured to mate with the teeth  72  of the lift screw  70  such that rotation of the lift screw  70  imparts a corresponding rotation to the housing  92  of the adapter shaft  18 . In an embodiment, the teeth  94  may be integrally formed with the housing  92 . Alternatively, the teeth  94  may be formed as a separate component that is secured to the housing  92 . The adapter shaft  18  also includes an upper end  96  secured to a hub  98  of the rotating disc  28 . 
         [0037]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 9-12 , the slice thickness adjustment mechanism  24  is shown in connection with the work bowl  12 . As best shown in  FIG. 9 , the cartridge  60  is mounted to the underside of the work bowl  12  such that the dial  64  is located directly below the handle  22 . As illustrated, the bowl  20 , lift screw  70  and the adapter shaft  18  are substantially concentric with a drive axis of the motor, and are offset laterally from dial axis  66 . 
         [0038]    With reference to  FIGS. 13 and 14 , in operation, the thickness of food items being processed can be varied by rotating dial  64 . In particular, rotation of the dial  64  by a user causes the lower sleeve  74  within the cartridge  60  to rotate via the gear assembly  80 , as discussed above. Rotation of the lower sleeve  74  causes the drive screw  70  to also rotate, and to advance linearly upward or downward (depending on the direction of rotation of the dial  64 ) relative to the cartridge  60  within the upper sleeve  68 . Due to the engagement of the teeth  72  of the drive screw  70  with the teeth  94  on the lower end of the adapter shaft  18 , the housing  92  of the adapter shaft  18  is correspondingly rotated and driven upwardly. That is, as the drive screw  70  advances upward, the housing  92  of the adapter shaft  18  is also caused to advance upward. Because the upper end  96  is secured to the hub  98  of the rotating disc  28 , the vertical movement of the adapter shaft  18  causes vertical movement of the rotating disc  28  relative to the cutting blade  30 . As such, when the adapter shaft  18  is moved downwardly, the rotating disc  28  is moved downwardly, and the distance between the cutting edge of the cutting blade  30  and the upper surface of the rotating disc  28  is increased, thereby producing thicker slices of food. Conversely, as the adapter shaft is moved upwardly, the rotating disc  28  is moved upwardly, and the distance between the cutting edge of the cutting blade  30  and the upper surface of the rotating disc is decreased, thereby producing thinner slices of food. 
         [0039]    In the preferred embodiment, the dial  64  may include a plurality of markings corresponding to a variety of selectable slice thicknesses. Preferably, the slice thickness adjustment mechanism is operable to provide a maximum slice thickness of approximately  10 mm, although the components may be altered to provide for greater or less separation distance between the blade  30  and disc body  28  to provide for an even greater range of slice thicknesses, without departing from the broader aspects of the present invention. 
         [0040]    The present invention therefore provides a food processing device and slice thickness adjustment mechanism therefor that permits a user to quickly and easily vary the thickness of processed food items. Importantly, the slice thickness adjustment mechanism  24  is integrated with the work bowl  20 , enabling the slice thickness adjustment mechanism to be utilized with almost any existing base. In particular, the work bowl  20  with the integrated slice thickness adjustment mechanism may be utilized as an accessory or aftermarket item with almost any base/motor, even bases or motors that were not designed to allow for slice thickness adjustment. This is in contrast to existing appliances which typically integrate any slice thickness adjustment device within the base itself. 
         [0041]    Although this invention has been shown and described with respect to the detailed embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed in the above detailed description, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of this disclosure.