Patent ID: 12185876

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

As seen inFIG.1, a kitchen device10according to an embodiment includes a base12and a removable vessel assembly14received in the base12. Arranged on the base12are a number of control input devices13, in this embodiment a touchscreen13a, two buttons13b, and a dial13c. The vessel assembly14includes a vessel16and a lid18received on the vessel16. The kitchen device10further includes a locking arm20to secure the lid18against the vessel16, when the vessel16is received in the base12.

As shown inFIG.2, the locking arm20comprises two generally upright elongated members22joined by a rounded member24, the rounded member24being configured to engage the lid18. The locking arm20is pivotable about a locking arm axis21between a free position, where the vessel assembly14may be removed from the base12, and a locking position shown inFIG.2, where the rounded member24engages the lid18. The rounded member24includes two channels26that each contain a lid sensor28. The lid sensor28is configured to cooperate with a protrusion30on the lid18to generate a lid locking signal when the lid18is secured against the vessel16by the locking arm20. The kitchen device10also has a controller31configured to receive the lid locking signal.

As seen inFIG.3, the vessel16has a bottom wall32and a sidewall34extending upwardly therefrom. The bottom wall32and sidewall34define a space36provided by the vessel16to receive ingredients to be processed. The sidewalls34extend upwardly to a rim35defining an opening37to the space36. The lid18, when received atop the vessel16, seals the space36. The vessel assembly14further includes a blade assembly38at least partly located in the space36to process the ingredients.

The vessel assembly14further includes a collar40engaged with the blade assembly38to secure the blade assembly38to the vessel16. As best seen inFIG.6, the collar40has a plurality of slanted tabs42that engage a plurality of tabs44located on the blade assembly38to urge the blade assembly38against the bottom wall32of the vessel16when the collar40is pivoted relative to the vessel16. The blade assembly38further has a plurality of protrusions46that engage a complimentary plurality of recesses48surrounding an aperture49in the bottom wall32to prevent rotation of the blade assembly38relative to the vessel16. The collar40also has an aperture50that cooperates with a protrusion52on the vessel16.

As best seen inFIG.4, the kitchen device10also includes a sensor mechanism39, the sensor mechanism39including a first sensor portion in the collar40, which in this embodiment is a magnet54. The magnet54is located towards the external perimeter of the collar40and retained in a recess55. The magnet54is retained in the recess55by a tab57secured by two fasteners59.

Returning toFIG.3, the sensor mechanism39also includes a second sensor portion, which in this embodiment is a hall sensor56, located in the base12to cooperate with the magnet54to generate a securing signal. The controller31is configured to receive the securing signal.

The kitchen device10further includes a motor58arranged below the vessel assembly14. The motor58has a shaft (not shown) that engages the blade assembly38, which also projects outwardly from the vessel16, to rotate the blade assembly38about an axis60to process the ingredients received in the space36.

As shown inFIG.3, the kitchen device10also includes a heating element70mounted below the bottom wall32of the vessel16to heat the vessel16for cooking the ingredients to be received in the vessel16.

Use of the kitchen device10will now be discussed.

To use the kitchen device10, the vessel assembly14must be assembled. Referring toFIG.5, the blade assembly38is placed into the aperture49such that the protrusions46engage the recesses48. A lower portion of the blade assembly38thus projects beyond the bottom wall32. Referring toFIG.6, the collar40is moved from position towards the bottom wall32of the vessel16, such that the tabs42,44engage each other, as shown inFIG.7. Any of these positions of the collar40can be considered a release position, as the blade assembly38may be moved relative to the vessel16. The collar40is then pivoted about the axis60relative to the vessel16, as shown inFIG.8, until the aperture50aligns with the protrusion52. The angular shape of the slanted tabs42urges the tabs44, and thereby the blade assembly38, downward, i.e. away from the opening37. The blade assembly38is thus constrained from movement relative to the bottom wall32. The collar40is now in a securing position fixing the blade assembly38.

The vessel assembly14is now mounted on the base12. The aperture50and protrusion52both align with a receptacle62housing a plurality of connectors (not shown) to locate the vessel assembly14in a predetermined position on the base12, shown inFIG.3. When the collar40is in the securing position, and the vessel assembly14is in the predetermined position, the magnet54and the hall sensor56are aligned such that the hall sensor56produces the securing signal indicating that the collar40is in the securing position.

The locking arm20is now moved to secure the lid18against the vessel16. The lid sensors28in the channels26are actuated by the protrusions30to generate the lid locking signal. A user may now, using the touchscreen13a, buttons13b, and dial13cselect an operating mode of the kitchen device10. As shown inFIG.9, when an operation is selected, at step S101, the controller31determines, at step S103, whether it has received a lid locking signal. The controller31then determines, at step S105, whether it has received a securing signal. If the controller31has received both the lid locking signal and the securing signal, at step S107, it proceeds to perform the requested operation, for example by controlling the motor58using a motor controller (not shown) to rotate the blade assembly38about the axis60. If the controller31has not received either the lid locking signal and/or the securing signal, at step S109, an error message is displayed on the touchscreen13a, and the motor58is not operated. Similarly, the heating element70can only be operated if the controller31received the lid locking signal and the securing signal.

Advantages of the kitchen device10will now be discussed.

The magnet54and hall sensor56enable a positive confirmation that the collar40is in the securing position and that the kitchen device10is safe to operate. This is a substantial safety improvement over previous devices, which were unable to perform this safety check.

Similarly, by ensuring that the motor58can only operate if a securing signal is received is a consumer-friendly fail-safe design.

The location of the blade assembly38in the vessel16by the reception of the protrusions46in the recesses48and the location of the vessel assembly14in the base12by the aperture50, protrusion52, and receptacle62ensure that in use, there may only be a single possible, predetermined position that the vessel16, blade assembly38, collar40, and base12can have to each other. It will, however, be understood that as there are multiple protrusions46and recesses48, the position of the blade assembly38may be rotated (i.e. radially oriented) to a number of other positions within the aperture49(e.g. six different radial positions in the depicted embodiments). This enables the use of a single magnet54, as the location of the magnet54in relation to the hall sensor56is predetermined.