Patent Document

TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This application relates generally to mixing machines and, more particularly to a mixing machine and associated bowl support arrangement. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Mixers are used to mix and blend a variety of materials, such as food product. Typically, the materials are placed in a bowl and the bowl is located below a mixer head that includes a rotatable output member with a mixer tool. Various arrangements have been used to support the bowl beneath the mixer head. In some instances, the bowl is supported using a pair of bowl mount arms that extend about the bowl. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    In an aspect, a mixing machine includes a head including a rotatable output member for receiving a mixer tool. A mixer body includes a bowl receiving assembly below the head. The bowl receiving assembly includes a pair of bowl support arms extending outwardly from the mixer body to respective ends located at opposite sides of a bowl receiving location. Each bowl support arm includes a mount protrusion extending upwardly therefrom. The mount protrusions include a notch located at bases of the mount protrusions. The bowl receiving assembly is mounted for movement between a lowered position away from the head and a raised position toward the head. 
         [0004]    In another aspect, a method of mounting a bowl on a mixing machine for a mixing operation is provided. The method includes locating the bowl at a bowl receiving assembly positioned below a mixer head of the mixing machine. The bowl receiving assembly includes a pair of bowl support arms extending outwardly from the mixer body to respective free ends located at opposite sides of the bowl. Each bowl support arm includes a mount protrusion extending upwardly therefrom. The mount protrusions include a notch located at the bases of the mount protrusions. The bowl receiving assembly is mounted for movement between a lowered position away from the head and a raised position toward the head. The mount protrusion of one of the bowl support arms is inserted within an enlarged portion of a keyway extending through a first mount support of the bowl. The mount protrusion of the other of the bowl support arms inserted within an enlarged portion of a keyway extending through a second mount support of the bowl. The bowl is rotated in a securing direction to slide the notches of the mount protrusions along necked-down portions of the keyways to mount the bowl on the bowl support arms. 
         [0005]    In another aspect, a bowl for use with a mixing machine includes a first mount support having a first keyway extending therethrough. The first keyway has an enlarged portion sized and arranged to receive a mount protrusion of a first support arm of the mixing machine and a necked-down portion sized and arranged to slide within a notch of the respective mount protrusion. A second mount support has a second keyway extending therethrough. The second keyway has an enlarged portion sized and arranged to receive a mount protrusion of a second support arm and a necked-down portion sized and arranged to slide within a notch of the respective mount protrusion. 
         [0006]    The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an embodiment of a mixing machine; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a top view of an embodiment of a bowl and arm support assembly for the mixing machine of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a partial, side view of an arm of the arm support assembly of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the bowl and arm support assembly of  FIG. 2  with the bowl in an initial mount position; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a detail, section view of a bowl mount support mounted to the arm support assembly of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is another embodiment of a mixing machine with a hand truck positioned beneath the bowl; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is another embodiment of a bowl for use with a mixing machine; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a partial front view of another embodiment of a mixing machine for use with the bowl of  FIG. 7 ; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a top view of another embodiment of a bowl for use with a mixing machine. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a mixing machine  10  includes a mixer body  12  having a base portion  14 , a head portion  16  and a support portion  18  (e.g., in the form of a column) connecting the head portion and the base portion in a vertically spaced-apart relationship. A front-to-back head portion axis A is shown. An output member  20  (e.g., a shaft for receiving a mixer tool such as a beater or whip) extends downward from the head portion  16  in a direction toward a bowl receiving location  22  formed between arms  24  of a bowl receiving yoke that can be moved up and down relative to the head portion  16  by rotation of a handle  26 . A motor is located within the head portion  16  and may be mechanically linked to the output member  20 , as by a gear system, for effecting rotation of the output member about a first axis  30  and rotation of the first axis  30  about a second axis  32  (e.g., a planetary movement or rotation). 
         [0017]    Although not shown in  FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, the mixing machine  10  includes a power take off that extends outwardly from a front side of the head portion  16  and may take the form of a protruding hub or boss that is adapted for connection with mixer accessories such as meat grinders, slicers, etc. Internal of the power take off may be a drive member that is rotated by the motor that also rotates the output member  20  via the gear system. 
         [0018]    An exemplary mix position of a bowl  40  is shown by  FIG. 1  along with an exemplary position of a bowl guard assembly  42 . A bowl guard support  44  is located at an underside of the head portion  16  and supports at least part of the bowl guard assembly  42  in a manner that enables the bowl guard assembly to be moved between a bowl guarding position and a bowl access position. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates the bowl  40  and an arm assembly  46  in isolation. The arm assembly  46  includes the arms  24   a  and  24   b  that are used to support the bowl  40 . Each arm  24   a  and  24   b  includes a mount protrusion  48   a  and  48   b  and a bowl guide pin  50   a  and  50   b  that are located alongside their respective mount protrusion. The mount protrusions  48   a ,  48   b  and bowl guide pins  50   a ,  50   b  extend upwardly from an upper surface  52   a ,  52   b  of their respective mount arms  24   a ,  24   b.    
         [0020]      FIG. 3  shows a side, detail view of one of the mount protrusions  48  extending upwardly from surface  52 . The mount protrusions  48  include a tapered head portion  54  and a stem portion  56  that is narrower than the head portion to form a notch  58  between the head portion and the surface  52 . The head portion  54  may be other shapes, however, in the illustrated embodiment, the head portion is in the shape of a truncated cone. 
         [0021]    Referring back to  FIG. 2 , the bowl  40  includes a bowl-shaped body  60  and a pair of bowl mount supports  62   a  and  62   b  extending outwardly from an exterior surface  64  of the bowl-shaped body. Each bowl mount support  62   a ,  62   b  includes a keyway  66   a ,  66   b  including an enlarged portion  68   a ,  68   b  and a necked-down or narrower portion  70   a ,  70   b . Extending inwardly from a periphery of each bowl mount support  62   a ,  62   b  is a guide pin receiving notch  72   a ,  72   b.    
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the bowl  40  is illustrated in an initial bowl connect position. As can be seen, the enlarged portions  68   a ,  68   b  of the keyways  66   a ,  66   b  are sized and arranged to simultaneously receive the mount protrusions  48   a ,  48   b  such that their enlarged head portions  54   a ,  54   b  extend upwardly through the keyways and beyond the bowl mount supports  62   a ,  62   b . The bowl guide pins  50   a  and  50   b  are engaged by the bowl mount supports  62   a  and  62   b  within the pin receiving notches  72   a  and  72   b . The bowl guide pins  50   a ,  50   b  are used to stabilize the bowl  40  and allow controlled forward tilting of the bowl with the protrusions  48   a ,  48   b  located at the enlarged portions of their respective keyways  66   a ,  66   b . Without the bowl guide pins  50   a  and  50   b , the bowl  40  would tend to tilt forward (in the direction of arrow  69 ) an undesired amount due to the size of the enlarged portions  68   a ,  68   b , notches  58  and position of the protrusions  48   a ,  48   b , arms  24   a ,  24   b  and bowl mount supports  62   a ,  62   b  rearward on the bowl-shaped body  60 . Some forward tilting of the bowl  40  can be desirable, for example, to expose more of the bowl&#39;s interior to the operator. Forward tilting of the bowl  40  an undesired amount can require forward and rearward maneuvering to lift the bowl from the arms  24   a ,  24   b . As can be seen, the arms  24   a  and  24   b  together extend about the bowl-shaped body  60  a distance less than 180 degrees (e.g., about 120 degrees). In other embodiments, however, the arms may extend about the bowl-shaped body  60  to a greater or lesser degree than illustrated. 
         [0023]    In order to secure the bowl  40  in place on the mount arms  24 , the bowl is rotated, in this instance, in a clockwise direction (a securing direction) which locates the necked-down portions  70   a  and  70   b  within the notches  58  as shown by  FIG. 5 . Locating the necked-down portions  70   a ,  70   b  in the notches  58  places edges of the keyways  66   a ,  66   b  underneath the head portions  54  of the mount protrusions  48  thereby capturing the bowl mount supports  62   a ,  62   b  between the enlarged head portions  54  and the surface  52  of the arms  24   a ,  24   b.    
         [0024]    In some instances, the bowl  40  may be turned manually to secure the bowl in place on the mount arms  24 . In other instances, the mixing action of the mixer tool and its planetary motion provides sufficient turning force to turn the bowl in its securing direction (e.g., clockwise) to lock the bowl in place as shown by  FIG. 5  without any manual application of turning force. In some embodiments, an automated bowl turning device may be provided for turning the bowl in its securing direction. 
         [0025]    To release the bowl  40 , the bowl is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction (an unsecuring direction), which locates the mount protrusions  48  at the enlarged portions  68   a ,  68   b  of the keyways  66   a ,  66   b . In addition to controlling the amount of forward tilt of the bowl  40 , the bowl guide pins  50   a ,  50   b  serve as stops to prevent over rotation of the bowl and to align the enlarged head portions  54  of the mount protrusions  48  with the enlarged portions  68   a ,  68   b  of the keyways  66   a ,  66   b  such that the bowl can be lifted vertically from the arms  24   a ,  24   b  with the head portions passing through the enlarged portions of the keyways. Use of the bowl guide pins  50   a ,  50   b  can reduce the need for an operator to reposition the bowl  40  to align the enlarged portion  68   a ,  68   b  of the keyways  66   a ,  66   b  with the enlarged head portions  54  in the event of over rotation of the bowl so that the bowl can be removed. 
         [0026]      FIG. 6  illustrates another advantage of the above-described bowl attachment system, particularly in relatively heavy duty applications (e.g., 60 to 140 quarts). As mentioned above, the arm assembly  46  can be moved up and down to lift and lower the bowl  40  between mixing and access positions. In heavy duty applications, the lifting and lowering of the bowl  40  and arm assembly  46  may be accomplished via a powered, mechanical system, as opposed to the handle described above. 
         [0027]    In some embodiments after a mixing operation, the bowl  40  may be rotated in the unsecuring direction as described above to align the enlarged portions  68  of the keyways  66  with the mount protrusions  48 . In this position, the bowl guide pins  50  are engaged by the bowl mount supports  62  within the pin receiving notches  72 . The bowl guide pins  50  serve to align the mount protrusions  48  with the enlarged portions  68  of the keyways  66  and control forward tilting of the bowl  40 . A hand truck  74  may be positioned beneath the bowl  40  prior to lowering the bowl. As the bowl  40  is lowered by the power lifting system, the bowl engages the hand truck  74  and is lifted from the mount arms  24  with the mount protrusions  48  passing through the enlarged portions  68  of the keyways  66 . This lifting of the bowl  40  from the mount arms  24  can be accomplished without any need for additional positioning of the bowl once the bowl is rotated to its unsecuring position with the bowl guide pins  50  engaged within the pin receiving notches  72  of the bowl mount supports  62 . 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, such as in heavier duty applications (e.g., 20 quarts or higher), a bowl  80  includes a rear support member  82  that is used to provide additional support for the bowl when it is mounted on support arms  24  of a mixing machine  84  (see  FIG. 8 ) in a fashion similar to that described above. The rear support member  82  is offset from a midpoint M on an arc spanning between bowl mount supports  86 . Referring also to  FIG. 8 , this offset allows the rear support member  82  to be placed within a central mounting slot  88  provided on mixing body  90  of the mixing machine  84  when the bowl  80  is rotated as described above. In some embodiments, the central mounting slot  88  is connected to the arm assembly  46  and moves up and down therewith. 
         [0029]    It is to be clearly understood that the above description is intended by way of illustration and example only and is not intended to be taken by way of limitation, and that changes and modifications are possible. For example, referring to  FIG. 9 , the orientation of the keyways may be reversed so that counter-clockwise rotation of the bowl places the bowl in its securing position and clockwise rotation of the bowl aligns the mount protrusions with the enlarged portions of the keyways. Accordingly, other embodiments are contemplated and modifications and changes could be made without departing from the scope of this application.

Technology Category: 1