Patent ID: 7306362

Claim:
A food processor comprising: a drive unit; a food processing tool driven rotatably by said drive unit; a rotary support disposed below said food processing tool; and a transmission device including: a first transmission unit coupled to and driven rotatably by said drive unit, said first transmission unit defining a first drive axis; a second transmission unit coupled to said rotary support for driving rotation of said rotary support, said second transmission unit defining a second drive axis; and a coupling member permitting movement of said first transmission unit to said second transmission unit, said coupling member permitting movement of said first transmission unit relative to said second transmission unit from a first portion, where the first drive axis is aligned with the second drive axis, to a second position, where the first drive axis forms an angle with the second drive axis, said coupling member enabling drive power from said drive unit to be transmitted to said rotary support through said first transmission unit, said coupling member, and said second transmission unit when said first transmission unit is at the first position; wherein said first transmission unit includes a first drive shaft that extends along the first drive axis and that has a bottom end, and a first bearing component mounted to said bottom end of said first drive shaft; wherein said second transmission unit is disposed below said first transmission unit, and includes a second drive shaft that extends along the second drive axis and that has a top end, and a second bearing component mounted to said top end of said second drive shaft; wherein said coupling member includes a sleeve having said first and second drive shafts extending therein and further having said first and second bearing components disposed therein; wherein said sleeve has an inner well surface that confines a non-circular sleeve hole, said first and second bearing components engaging said inner wall surface of said sleeve so as to permit the drive power from said drive unit to be transmitted to said rotary support through said transmission device when said first transmission unit is at the first position; and wherein said sleeve hole is formed with a plurality of corners, and each of said first and second bearing components is provided with a plurality of bearing balls that engage said inner wall surface of said sleeve at corresponding ones of said corners of said sleeve hole when said first transmission unit is at the first position.