Abstract:
A kitchen appliance ( 1 ) having a housing ( 2 ), a motor ( 6 ) and a protection device ( 9 ) by which the motor ( 6 ) can be turned off compulsively in certain operating conditions, and having a container ( 15 ) which can be closed with a cover ( 30 ) and which can be placed onto the housing ( 2 ) and which has a control slide ( 35 ) coupled to the cover ( 30 ) via a first coupling device ( 36 ) and also coupled to the protection device ( 9 ) via a second coupling device ( 37 ). Both the first coupling device ( 36 ) and the second coupling device ( 37 ) are constructed in such a manner that an automatic activation of the safety device ( 9 ) can be achieved by these two coupling devices ( 36, 37 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a kitchen appliance having a housing and a motor which is accommodated in the housing; having protection means for the motor accommodated in the housing; and having a container, which can be placed onto the housing and is removable from the housing. The container contains a derivable tool and can be closed by means of a cover, and has control means, which cooperate with the cover and aid in controlling the protection means of the kitchen appliance. 
     The invention further relates to a container for a kitchen appliance, which container has the features outlined briefly above. 
     Such a kitchen appliance and such a container are known from the patent document U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,049 A. In the known kitchen appliance the cover of the container must be placed onto the container in a comparatively accurate angular position relative to the container and must be pressed down onto the container parallel to the height direction of the container, in order to guarantee that the cover is locked to the container with the aid of a snap-on latching hook. This process requires a comparatively precise manipulation. A first coupling device couples the cover to the control means. Furthermore, the construction of the known kitchen appliance is such that the first coupling device has an arm which is led out of the cover towards the container, as a result of which this projecting arm is relatively likely to be damaged once the cover has been removed. 
     In the known kitchen appliance the arm of the first coupling device cooperates with a control slide provided in the handle portion of the container. The control slide forms the control means, and is adapted and arranged to cooperate with a safety slide. The safety slide forms a part of the protection means of the known kitchen appliance and is led through an upper wall of the housing of the known kitchen appliance. In the known kitchen appliance the safety slide is spring-loaded with the aid of a pressure spring, as a result of which the control slide, which is disposed in the container, is also spring-loaded by said pressure spring when the container is placed on the kitchen appliance. 
     In the known kitchen appliance the construction outlined above leads to the situation that with the aid of the force exerted on the control slide via the arm of the first coupling means, i.e. ultimately the force exerted on the cover by the user, the control slide provided as control means is actuated compulsively (that is, is forced to move) when the cover is brought into its closed position. With the aid of the safety slide, which projects from the kitchen appliance, the control slide is actuated by the force of the pressure spring when the cover is removed. 
     This construction creates the problem that the area where the safety slide projects from the housing of the known kitchen appliance may become soiled comparatively easily, which soiling in an unfavorable case may even extend up to the pressure spring provided as the return spring. As a result of this soiling it is no longer guaranteed that the safety slide is movable into its locking position by means of the force of the pressure spring. This leads to the disadvantage that in spite of the removal of the container from the known kitchen appliance, the safety slide is in its disengaging position and thus driving of the motor continues despite the removal of the container from the kitchen appliance. This result is unsafe and undesirable. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to preclude the aforementioned problems and to provide an improved kitchen appliance and an improved container for a kitchen appliance. 
     In order to achieve the aforementioned object, characteristic features in accordance with the invention have been provided in a kitchen appliance in accordance with the invention. In such a kitchen appliance the container has control means, which are movable between a rest position and an active position and which are coupled to the cover via first coupling means and are coupled to the protection means via second coupling means. The first coupling means are arranged such that as a result of a movement of the cover from its open position into its closed position the control means are compulsively moved from their rest position into their active position by means of the force exerted on the control means by the cover via the first coupling means; and such that as a result of a movement of the cover from its closed position into its open position the control means are compulsively moved from their active position into their rest position by means of the force exerted on the control slide by the cover via the first coupling means. 
     The second coupling means is arranged such that as a result of a movement of the container from its placement position into its operating position the protection means are compulsively moved from their locking position into their disengaging position, and such that as a result of the movement of the container from its operating position into its placement position the protection means are compulsively moved from their disengaging position into their locking position. 
     In order to achieve the aforementioned object characteristic features in accordance with the invention have been provided in a container in accordance with the invention, in such a manner that a container in accordance with the invention can be characterized in the manner defined hereinafter, namely: 
     A container for a kitchen appliance, which container serves to hold a substance to be processed and which is adapted to be placed onto a housing of the kitchen appliance in the area of a housing wall of the housing and which by its placement onto the housing can be brought into a placement position on the housing and which is adapted to be movable from its placement position into an operating position and vice versa, in which operating position it is also disposed on the housing of the kitchen appliance in the area of the housing wall, and which contains a derivable tool for processing a substance present in the container, which tool, and which can be closed by means of a removable cover, which cover is movable relative to the container between an open position and a closed position, and which has control means, which are movable between a rest position and an active position and which are coupled to the cover via first coupling means and which, moreover, can be coupled to protection means of the kitchen appliance via second coupling means, in which the first coupling means have a construction which is such that as a result of a movement of the cover from its open position into its closed position the control means are compulsively movable from their rest position into their active position by means of the force exerted on the control means by the cover via the first coupling means, and in which the first coupling means further have a construction which is such that as a result of a movement of the cover from its closed position into its open position the control means are compulsively movable from their active position into their rest position by means of the force exerted on the control slide by the cover via the first coupling means, and in which the second coupling means have a construction which is such that as a result of a movement of the container from its placement position into its operating position the protection means are compulsively movable from their locking position into their disengaging position, and in which the second coupling means further have a construction which is such that as a result of the movement of the container from its operating position into its placement position the protection means are compulsively movable from their disengaging position into their locking position. 
     Owing to the provision of the measures in accordance with the invention it is achieved in a simple and cost-effective as well as space-saving manner that both during the movement of the cover from its open position into its closed position and during the movement of the cover from its closed position into its open position the control means and, consequently, protection means, which are coupled to the control means via the second coupling means, are always actuated compulsively, as a result of which it is not only guaranteed that starting of the motor of the kitchen appliance is enabled in a reliable manner upon closure of the cover but that it is also guaranteed that starting of the motor is inhibited in a reliable manner upon opening of the cover, thereby assuring that undesired continued operation of the motor is precluded. Furthermore, it is thus achieved that both when the container is moved from its placement position into its operating position and when the container is moved from its operating position into its placement position, which is also its removal position, the protection means are always actuated compulsively, which guarantees that starting of the motor of the kitchen appliance is always enabled in a reliable manner when a container is moved into its operating position and which guarantees that starting of the motor is always inhibited in a reliable manner when the container is moved into its placement position or removal position, thereby assuring that undesired continued operation of the motor is precluded. 
     In a kitchen appliance in accordance with the invention and in a container in accordance with the invention it has proved to be particularly advantageous when the first coupling means are formed by a pin-and-slot coupling because this forms a particularly reliable and trouble-free construction. 
     In a kitchen appliance in accordance with the invention it has further proved to be advantageous when the second coupling means are formed with the aid of a movable slide and two coupling pins which project from the slide as well as two inclined coupling surfaces, which are each adapted to cooperate with one of the two coupling pins and of which one coupling surface has been provided on the control means and the other coupling surface has been provided on the container. 
     The aforementioned aspects as well as further aspects of the invention will be apparent from the example of an embodiment described hereinafter and will be elucidated with the aid of this example. 
     The invention will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to an embodiment which is shown in the drawings by way of example but to which the invention is not limited. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 shows a kitchen appliance with a container that can be placed onto the housing of the kitchen appliance in a highly diagrammatic manner, the container and parts of the container being shown in a diagrammatic oblique view. 
     FIG. 2 is a partly diagrammatic plan view of a part of the housing of the kitchen appliance and the container as well as a cover for the container of the kitchen appliance shown in FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 shows a kitchen appliance  1 . The kitchen appliance  1  has a housing  2 , which is shown in dash-dot lines in FIG.  1  and which has an upper wall  3  and a side wall  4  as well as a rear wall  5 . The other walls of the housing  2  are not shown in FIG.  1 . The housing  2  accommodates a motor  6 , which can be turned on and turned off by the actuation of an on/off switch  7 , namely in that a supply voltage V is connected or the supply voltage V is disconnected. The motor  6  can drive means  8 , which are shown only diagrammatically in dash-dot lines in FIG.  1  and which extend through the upper wall  3  of the housing  2 . A derivable tool can be driven with the aid of the drive means  8 , which will be briefly described hereinafter. 
     The kitchen appliance  1  further has protection means  9 , which are accommodated in the housing  2  and which are movable between a disengaging position, not shown in FIG. 1, and a locking position, shown in FIG.  1 . The protection means  9  include a safety switch  10 , which is included between the on/off switch  7  and the motor  6  in the motor circuit. The protection means  9  further include an actuating slide  11 , which is acted upon by a return spring  12 , which urges the actuating slide  11  towards its locking position shown in FIG. 1, the location of this locking position being defined with the aid of means, not shown. In the locking position the safety switch  10  is open and starting of the motor  6  is consequently inhibited. From the locking position of the actuating slide  11 , which position is shown in FIG. 1, the actuating slide  11  is movable into a disengaging position, which is not shown in FIG. 1, which is effected against the force of the return spring. In the disengaging position the safety switch  10  is closed, thus allowing the motor  6  to be started. 
     The kitchen appliance  1  further has a container  15 . The container has a circumferential wall  16 , which ends in a bottom area  17  at one side and in a top area  18  at the other side. In the area of the circumferential wall  16  a grip  19  is connected to the container  15 . In the area of the circumferential wall  16  a masking portion  20  extends parallel to the grip  19 , which masking portion is integral with the circumferential wall  16  and serves to mask a guide channel  20 G, which is not shown in FIG. 1 but is visible in FIG.  2 . 
     The container  15  serves to hold a substance to be processed. The container  15  can be placed onto the housing  2 , namely in the area of the upper wall  3  of the housing  2 . By placing the container  15  onto the housing  2  the container is movable into a placement position  15 A, as is indicated in the right-hand part of FIG. 2, the placement position  15 A of the container  15  being shown in broken lines. The container  15  can be brought from its placement position  15 A into an operating position  15 B, which is shown in solid lines in the left-hand part of FIG.  2 . In the present case, the container  15  can be moved, i.e. rotated, output of its placement position  15 A in a direction indicated by an arrow  21 . In its operating position  15 B the container  15  is positioned on the housing  2  in the area of the upper wall  3 . The container  15  and the housing  2  are equipped with a so-called bayonet device  22  having a bayonet ridge  23 , which is connected to the housing  2 , i.e. the upper wall  3 , and which projects from the upper wall  3 , and having a bayonet lock  24 , which is connected to the container  15  via a connecting limb  25 . When the container  15  is placed into its placement position  15 A, the bayonet lock  24  engages a recess  26  in the upper wall  3  of the housing  2 . When the container  15  is subsequently rotated into operating position  15 B as indicated by the arrow  21  the bayonet lock  24  is brought into a position in which it engages behind or underneath the bayonet ridge  23 . Upon completion of the rotation of the container  15  the connecting limb  25  abuts against a stop surface  27 , which defines the operating position  15 B of the container  15 . In this operating position the bayonet lock  24  engages behind the bayonet ridge  23 . 
     The container  15  contains a rotationally derivable tool  28  for processing a substance present in the container  15 . When the container  15  is in its operating position  15 B the tool  28  can be driven by the motor  6 . 
     The container  15  can be closed by means of a cover  30 . The cover  30  is movable relative to the container  15  between an open position  30 A and a closed position  30 B. In the present case, the movement between the open position  30 A and the closed position  30 B is possibly by rotation. The rotation of the cover  30  from its open position  30 A into its closed position  30 B is effected in a direction indicated by an arrow  31 . The cover  30  has a laterally projecting cap  32 , which is flush with the grip  19  of the container  15  when the cover  30  has been placed onto the container  15  and the cover  30  has been rotated into its closed position  30 B. 
     The container  15  further has control means  35 , which in the present case are simply formed by a control slide  35 . The control slide  35  is guided in the guide channel  21  in the area of the circumferential wall  16  of the container  15  so as to be movable in its longitudinal direction. The control slide  35  is movable between a rest position  35 A, which is shown in FIG. 2, and an active position  35 B, which is also shown in FIG.  2 . With the aid of means, not shown, the control slide  35  is locked against disengagement. 
     At its end which faces the upper area  18  of the container  15  the control slide  35  is coupled to the cover  30  via first coupling means  36 , which are not shown in FIG.  1 . At its end which faces the bottom area  17  of the container  15  the control slide  35  is coupled to the protection means  9  via second coupling means  37 . 
     In the present case, the first coupling means  36  have a construction which is such that as a result of a movement of the cover  30  from its open position  30 A into its closed position  30 B the control slide  35  is compulsively moved from its rest position into its active position  35 B by means of the force exerted on the control slide  35  by the cover  30  via the first coupling means  36 . Furthermore, the first coupling means  36  have a construction which is such that as a result of a movement of the cover  30  from its closed position  30 B into its open position  30 A the control slide  35  is compulsively moved from its active position  35 B into its rest position  35 A by means of the force exerted on the control slide  35  by the cover via the first coupling means  36 . 
     The second coupling means  37  have a construction which is such that as a result of a movement of the container  15  from its placement position  15 A into its operating position  15 B the protection means  9  are compulsively moved from their locking position into their disengaging position. The second coupling means  37  further have a construction which is such that as a result of a movement of the container  15  from its operating position  15 B into its placement position  15 A the protection means  9  are compulsively moved from their disengaging position into their locking position. 
     In the present case, the first coupling means  36  by a pin-and-slot coupling  36 . The pin-and-slot coupling  36  now consists of a coupling pin  38 , which projects laterally from the control slide  35  and of a coupling slot  39  formed in the cover  30 . The coupling slot  39  has a first portion  39 A and a second portion  39 B. The first portion  39 A extends in a direction which is inclined with respect to the direction of movement  31  of the cover  30  relative to the container  15 . The second portion  39 B extends parallel to the direction of movement  31  of the cover  30  relative to the container  15 . As regards the coupling slot  39  it is to be noted that the coupling slot  39  of the pin-and-slot coupling  36  is open in the area of the end of the coupling slot  39  where the coupling pin  38  is situated when the cover  30  is in its open position  30 A. 
     The second coupling means  37  include a coupling slide  40 , which extends through the upper wall  3  of the housing  2  and which is led through a passage  41  in the upper wall  3 . The coupling slide  40  has a first coupling pin  42  and a second coupling pin  43 , which pins project from the coupling slide  40 . The first coupling pin  42  serves to cooperate with the control slide  35 . For the cooperation with the first coupling pin  42  the control slide  35  has a coupling surface  44 , which comprises a first portion  44 A and a second portion  44 B. The first portion  44 A extends in a direction which is inclined with respect to the direction of movement of the container  15  relative to the housing  2 . The second portion  44 B extends parallel to the direction of movement  21  of the container  15  with respect to the housing  2 . The second portion  44 B of the coupling surface  44  changes to a circularly curved surface portion  44 C, which in its turn changes into a surface portion  44 D which extends parallel to the second portion  44 B. The second portion  44 B of the coupling surface  44  and the two surface portions  44 C and  44 D enclose a recess  45 , in which recess  45  the first coupling pin  42  is engageable. The second coupling pin  43  serves to cooperate with the container  15 . The container  15  has a coupling surface  46  for cooperation with the second coupling pin  43 , which surface has a first portion  46 A and a second portion  46 B as well as a third portion  46 C. The first portion  46 A and the third portion  46 C each extend in a direction which is inclined with respect to the direction of movement  21  of the container  15  relative to the housing  2 . The second portion  46 B extends parallel to the direction of movement  21  of the container  15  with respect to the housing  2 . In the present case, the coupling surface  46  is formed by the bounding surface of the bayonet lock  24 . 
     As is apparent from FIG. 1, the second coupling means  37  include, in addition to the coupling slide  40 , a coupling lever  47 . The coupling lever  47  is arranged so as to be pivotable with respect to the upper wall  3  of the housing  2  with the aid of a projection  48 . In the area of its end  49  the coupling lever  47  is articulated to the coupling slide  40  via an articulated joint  50 . In the area of its other end  51  the coupling lever  47  is articulated to the actuating slide  11  in a manner not shown. 
     The operation of the protection means  9  and the control means  35 , i.e. of the control slide  35  and of the first coupling means  36  and the second coupling means  37 , will be described hereinafter. 
     It is assumed that the container  15  without the cover  30  is brought into its placement position  15 A, as is shown diagrammatically in broken lines in the right-hand part of FIG.  2 . In this case, the control slide  35  is in its rest position  35 A. 
     Starting from this situation two schemes are possible, i.e. in accordance with a first scheme the cover  30  can be placed onto the container  15 , after which the cover  30  is in its open position  30 A, and subsequently the cover  30  can be rotated from its open position  30 A into its closed position  30 B and substantially the container  15  can be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow  21  from its placement position  15 A into its operating position  15 B, or in accordance with a second scheme the container  15 , which has first been brought into its placement position  15 A, can be moved into its operating position  15 B in the direction indicated by the arrow  21  and subsequently the cover can be placed onto the container  15  and can thus be brought into its open position  30 A, after which the cover can be turned from its open position  30 A into its closed position  30 B in the direction indicated by the arrow  31 . 
     When in accordance with the first scheme the cover  30  is first placed onto the container  15  and is subsequently rotated from its open position  30 A into its closed position  30 B, this rotation of the cover  30  from its open position  30 A into its closed position  30 B causes the coupling slot  39 , via the coupling pin  38 , to move the control slide  35  into the active position  35 B of the control slide  35 , as shown in dash-dot lines in the right-hand part of FIG.  2 . When subsequently the container  15  is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow  21  from its placement position  15 A into its operating position  15 B, upon which the control slide  35 , which is situated in the container  35  and is now in its active position  35 B, as well as the bayonet lock  24  of the container are actuated, the first portion  46 A of the coupling surface  46  on the bayonet lock  24  first enters into operative engagement with the second coupling pin  43  when, for whatever reason, the second coupling pin  43  is not in its position corresponding to the locking position of the protection means  9 , as a result of which the protection means  9  are compulsively moved into their locking position with the aid of the coupling surface  45 . As the movement proceeds, the bayonet lock  24  is moved away from the second coupling pin  34  in the direction indicated by the arrow  21 , as a result of which the second coupling pin  43  is disengaged. Subsequently, when the container  15  is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow  21 , the control slide  35 , which is in its active position  35 B, assumes an intermediate position  35 C, which is shown in dash-dot lines in the left-hand part of FIG.  2  and in which the coupling surface  44  enters into operative engagement with the second coupling pin  42  (in its position shown dotted). As the movement of the container  15  including the control slide  35  in the direction indicated by the arrow  21  continues the coupling surface  44  causes the first coupling pin  42  to be moved in a direction indicated by an arrow  52 , as a result of which the coupling slide  40  is also moved in the direction indicated by the arrow  52 . This causes the coupling lever  47  to be pivoted, as a result of which the actuating slide  11  is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow  13  against the force of the return spring  12  and thereby causes the safety switch  10  to be closed. After this sequence of events the container  15  is in its operating position  15 B and the cover is in its closed position  30 B, as is required for a correct and safe operation, so that owing to the closed safety switch  10  the motor  6  can be started with the aid of the on/off switch  7  and, as a consequence, processing of a substance loaded into the container  15  is possible. 
     When, in accordance with the second scheme, after placement of the container  15  onto the housing  2 , the container  15 , without the cover  30  being closed, is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow  21  from its placement position  15 A into its operating position  15 B the control slide  35  will be in its rest position  35 A. When in this case the container  15  is rotated into its operating position  15 B the coupling surface  46  of the bayonet lock  24  again enters into operative engagement the second coupling pin  43 . Subsequently, the bayonet lock, i.e. its coupling surface  46 , again disengages the second coupling pin  30 . Subsequently, as a result of the rotation of the container  15 B into its operating position  15 B, which is shown in the left-hand part of FIG. 2, the control slide  35 , which is still in its rest position  35 A, is brought into a position relative to the coupling slide  40  and the second coupling pin  42  (the position shown in dash-dot lines) in which the second portion  44 B of the coupling surface  44  engages underneath the first coupling pin  42 . When subsequently the cover  30  is turned from its open position  30 A into its closed position  30 B as indicated by the arrow  31 , the coupling pin  38 , which is located in the area of the cover  30 , is lifted by means of the coupling slot  39  in the direction indicated by the arrow  52 , as a result of which the first coupling pin  42  is also lifted in the direction indicated by the arrow  52  with the aid of the second portion  44 B of the coupling surface  44  of the control slide  35 , which results in the protection means  9  being moved into their disengaging position, as already described hereinbefore. This again enables operation of the kitchen appliance  1 . 
     When, while the container  15  is in its operating position  15 B and the cover  30  is in its closed position  30 B, the cover  30  is turned from its closed position  30 B into its open position  30 A in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow  31 , this causes the control slide  35  to be moved compulsively in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow  52  with the aid of the pin-and-slot coupling  36 , as a result of which the coupling slide  40  is compulsively moved direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow  52  with the aid of the control slide  35  and the first coupling pin  42 , which engages the recess  45  in the control slide  35 , which compulsively causes the protection means  9  to be moved into their locking position. When upon opening of the cover  30  the motor is still energized via the on/off switch  7 , this will result in the motor  9  being turned off immediately via the safety switch  10  of the protection means  9 , turning off being effected compulsively, thus guaranteeing a very high degree of safety for the present kitchen appliance  1 . 
     When, while the container  15  is in its operating position  15 B and the cover  30  is in its closed position  30 B, the container  15  is rotated out of its operating position  15 B in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow  21  this causes the coupling surface  44  of the control slide  35  to be moved away from the first coupling pin  42  of the coupling slide  40  in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow  21 , as a result of which the coupling slide  40  is disengaged from the control slide  35 . Subsequently, during the rotation of the container  15  in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow  21 , the third portion  46 C of the coupling surface  46  of the bayonet lock  24  enters into operative engagement with the second coupling pin  43 , after which the second coupling pin  43  is compulsively moved in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow  52  with the aid of the third portion  46 C of the coupling surface  46 , as a result of which the coupling slide  40  is moved compulsively and, as a consequence, the protection means  9  are moved compulsively into their locked position. Thus, the protection means  9  also ensure a reliable blocking in this operating condition, as a result of which the motor  6  is switched off in a reliable manner. 
     In the kitchen appliance in accordance with the embodiment described hereinbefore by way of example the first coupling means are formed by a pin-and-slot coupling and the second coupling means are formed with the aid of two coupling pins arranged on a coupling slide and two coupling surfaces adapted to cooperate with the coupling pins, one being provided on the control slide and the other one on the container. It is to be noted that it is alternatively possible to provide a pin-and-slot coupling as second coupling means between the control means and the protection means and to provide first coupling means between the control means and the cover for the container, which first coupling means comprise a coupling surface on the cover and another coupling surface on the container, which two coupling surfaces then each cooperate with a coupling pin arranged on a coupling slide. Furthermore, it is to be noted that the two coupling means may also be realized in another manner, for example with the aid of gear transmissions comprising toothed racks and toothed wheels.