WO2005051145A1

WO2005051145A1 - Kitchen machines

Info

Publication number: WO2005051145A1
Application number: PCT/GB2004/004345
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Cotton
Original assignee: Kenwood Marks Limited
Priority date: 2003-10-30
Filing date: 2004-10-14
Publication date: 2005-06-09
Also published as: GB2407483A; GB0325400D0; GB2407483B

Abstract

A kitchen machine, for example a centrifugal juicer (1), incorporates a covered container in which food or other produce can be sliced, shredded or otherwise macerated by means of a macerating device which is rotated by means of an electric motor. In order to at least partially wash produce residues from the walls of the container and/or from the macerating device, provision is made for the introduction into the container of a rinsing fluid which, on operation of the motor, is distributed around the surfaces of the container and/or the macerating device. The rinsing fluid is introduced into the container through a pusher device (8) inserted into an aperture (7) in the cover of the container and used to urge the produce against the macerating plate (2). Provision may be made for the application of pressure to the fluid to encourage its entry into the container.

Description

KITCHEN MACHINES

This invention relates to kitchen machines, and it relates especially, though not exclusively, to juicing machines, and more particularly to centrifugal juicers intended for the domestic market. Such juicers typically comprise motor-driven appliances capable of extracting the juice from natural produce such as fruits (typically citrus fruits) and/or vegetables, and delivering the juice into a vessel, such as a jug or carafe, that is positioned adjacent the main body of the appliance to receive the juice by way of an outlet duct.

Such appliances typically are constructed with a macerating device, such as a discoidal cutter plate to pulp the produce; the cutter plate overlying, or forming part at least of, the base of an open-topped, drum-like container, the upright wall of which is foraminated, i.e. pierced or otherwise formed with small holes and/or narrow slits, thus being sufficiently porous to permit juice to pass therethrough. The drum-like container is spun sufficiently rapidly to separate the juice from the pulped produce, leaving behind pulp residues, comprising mainly fibrous bulk matter. It is also conventional for the appliances to incorporate, within the drum-like container, one or more removable filters, configured and located to assist in the interception and retention of the residues, partly because the presence of undue amounts of such residue materials in the prepared juice is considered unpalatable by many users and partly because such residue materials would otherwise tend to block outlet ducts and internal paths, passageways and/or galleries through which the juice is conveyed to the outlet ducts. Appliances based upon the foregoing general arrangement are well established, can be economically manufactured and work quite well. Difficulties arise however in certain respects, such as the provision of facilities whereby residue materials adherent to the working parts can be readily and conveniently cleaned. Such difficulties relate especially, though not exclusively, to the removal of pulp residues from the filtration surfaces between juicing operations.

Some juicing appliances require the provision of scraping devices to remove unwanted residue materials from the filtration surfaces, but such arrangements are not wholly effective and can be used only with certain kinds of filtration surfaces.

It has recently been proposed, in GB-2376649-A, that a rinsing cycle might be used to clean the working components in-situ after removal of the bulk of the residues; the rinsing cycle involving the introduction of water into the working compartment of the juicer and its distribution over the working surfaces by operation of the juicer motor. The aforementioned proposal, however, is concerned principally with juicers utilising a special lid construction and with drying the working surfaces after the rinse has taken place, and does not specifically describe any specific means whereby the rinsing water might be introduced into the compartment. It will be appreciated that such a rinsing procedure may also be used in relation to other kitchen machines, such as food processors and other electrically driven slicing and/or shredding appliances. It is an object of this invention to provide kitchen machines which address the above-mentioned difficulties with a view to overcoming, or at least reducing them, and which moreover provides a convenient and user-friendly means whereby rinsing fluid can be introduced into the working compartment of such a machine.

According to the invention there is provided a kitchen machine comprising a container for produce to be macerated, a macerating device in operative communication with the container, urging means for urging produce against the macerating device, a motor capable of rotating the container and/or the macerating device to slice, shred or otherwise fragment the produce, and fluid introduction means for introducing rinsing fluid into said container, whereby at least some residue materials adherent to said container and/or said macerating device can be washed therefrom; characterised in that said fluid introduction means includes part at least of said urging means. By this means, water or another rinsing fluid can be conveniently introduced into the container. Moreover, by operation of the motor, the fluid can be readily dispersed around, or distributed over, the container due to the interaction of the fluid with rotating components of the machine.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the kitchen machine comprises a juicer provided with a container having a foraminated wall and with a removable filter material disposed to intercept macerated material; the filter material and the wall being adapted to permit juice to pass out of said container whilst substantially constraining residue materials within it. Preferably the fluid is water, although other media can be used if desired, subject to any regulatory provisions that may be specified from time to time regarding the treatment of surfaces intended to be contacted by materials intended for human consumption.

In a preferred embodiment, the urging means comprises a pusher device designed to be introduced into said container by way of an aperture through a lid thereof; said aperture being dimensioned to receive therethrough produce from which, for example, juice is to be extracted. Further preferably, the aperture comprises part of a tubular passage extending into said container and providing a feed-tube for said produce. In this way, the fluid can be introduced into the container by means of components that perform an existing function.

The pusher device may be open-ended and configured to accept the insertion of a funnel device therein; the funnel device having an exit opening aligning with corresponding openings provided in overlying side walls of the feed-tube and said pusher device respectively.

It is preferred that the pusher device is provided with, or has associated therewith, a reservoir for said fluid. In such circumstances, a user may merely top up the reservoir with fluid at an appropriate time (e.g. following removal of the filter material with the adherent pulp or cake) and energise the motor briefly to rinse the container of residues of pulplike material. The rinsing fluid can of course follow the same path out of the appliance as is followed by the juice, and thus it is readily collected for disposal.

Means are preferably provided for pressurising the fluid in said reservoir to promote its flow through said apertures.

Preferably, the pusher device and the feed tube have aligning apertures positioned to permit and/or promote the flow of said fluid into the container. The pusher device may also preferably be provided with an opening or removable lid. This permits the pusher device to be operated with the lid closed, or in place, for ease of use when it is employed for its conventional purpose of urging produce to be juiced against the macerator. The lid is opened when it is desired to introduce the rinsing fluid into the container.

The container preferably supports, substantially axially thereof, a pillar located and configured to receive the rinsing fluid and to promote its distribution within the container. To that objective, the pillar may be formed with vanes or arms positioned to throw the fluid against the inner surface of the container wall.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, one embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows, in exploded perspective view, the essential components of a kitchen machine in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; the machine in this example comprising a juicer arrangement; and

Figure 2 shows the components of the arrangement shown in Figure 1 assembled as for use.

Referring now to the drawings, the arrangement comprises a juicer appliance, part of which is shown generally at 1 and which includes a drum-like container (not shown) which is formed with a foraminated side wall, through which juice is intended to pass on its way to an outlet port. A filter medium (not shown) of any convenient kind is provided in known manner to intercept the major part of the fibrous residues of the pulp and other unwanted by-products of the juicing process, and may be supported on an inner surface of the foraminated wall of the container, or may be otherwise disposed in the container. A disc-shaped macerating plate 2 is incorporated into, or mounted just above, the base of the drumlike container; the plate 2 being suspended from a contoured blade carrier 3 which extends linearly along the rotational axis of the container. The carrier 3 may be integrally formed with the plate 2. Alternatively, the carrier 3 may be formed separately from the plate 2, in which case the carrier may be either removable from or affixed to the plate. Where the carrier 3 and the plate 2 are formed separately, they may be made of the same material (though not necessarily the same grade), or they may be of different materials. The upper extremity 4 of the carrier 3 is journalled for rotation in a suitable support region 5 of a lid 6 which should always be firmly secured in place when the juicer is in use to cover all of the rotating components. It will be appreciated that, in some embodiments, the drum and the macerating plate 2 rotate together in the same direction and at the same rate. In alternative embodiments, the two components may rotate in the same direction at different rates or in opposite directions. In some sophisticated appliances, different combinations of the foregoing rotational arrangements may be available, either being called into use automatically, depending upon function selections made by the user, or manually, as directly selectable user options.

The lid 6 is formed with a feed-tube 7, through which produce from which juice is to be extracted can be introduced into the chamber defined within the drum-like container. A pusher device 8 is also provided; the pusher being in the nature of a rod, shaped and dimensioned to pass through the feed-tube and intended for use, in known manner, to urge the produce against the macerating plate 2. Typically, pusher 8 is a slidable fit in the feed-tube 7; the external configuration of the pusher matching the shape of the inner surface of the feed-tube. It will be appreciated that the feed-tube 7 provides an aperture, through the lid 6, which is closed by the insertion of the pusher 8.

In accordance with this example of the invention, a side wall of the feed tube 7 is formed with a small aperture 9 which communicates, when the pusher is inserted completely into the feed-tube, with an aperture 10 formed in a corresponding side wall of the pusher 8. The pusher 8 is hollow, at least as far as the aperture 10, and a moulded funnel 11 is dimensioned for insertion into the top of the pusher and to be supported therein either by a wall or web provided at an appropriate height within the pusher or by a rim designed to sit atop a flange 12 formed at the open end of the pusher 8.

The funnel 11 is formed with an aperture 13, in or near its base, positioned to align with the apertures 9 and 10 so that, when the funnel is inserted into the pusher and the pusher is fully inserted into the feed- tube, all three apertures align. In operation, once a juicing cycle has been concluded, most of the unwanted residue is removed by opening the lid and taking out the filter medium provided on the internal wall of, or otherwise disposed within the container. The lid is then replaced and water, or an alternative rinsing fluid, is poured into the funnel, exits through the aperture 9 in the feed-tube and is directed towards the carrier 3. In this example, the carrier 3 is formed with axially extending ribs, or wings, 15 the shaping of which is intended to promote spreading of the rinsing fluid around the inner surface of the drum-like container.

Since the axially-extending walls of the container are foraminated, the rinsing fluid can pass therethrough, taking with it unwanted residues of pulp fibre and the like, for collection at the same outlet port through which the juice is delivered. The motor is preferably activated for a short time (say 30 seconds) during the rinsing process to permit the fluid to be thrown onto the walls of the drum-like container by the ribs or wings 15 formed on the carrier 3, thereby to promote thorough cleaning. Subsequently, a further short operation of the motor, of similar duration, may be used to draw air through the drum and thereby promote drying of the working surfaces.

It will be appreciated that some care may be needed to ensure that the rinsing fluid is poured accurately into the funnel 11. If desired, this operation can be facilitated by providing a broadened extension at the top of the funnel. In other embodiments, the funnel 11 may comprise the lower portion of a relatively large hopper having a reservoir for the cleaning fluid. Moreover, such a reservoir may be provided with means such as a flexible wall or bulb, for pressurising the fluid to promote its flow into the chamber comprised within the drum-like container.

In alternative embodiments of the invention, instead of providing a separate insert such as the funnel 11, the feed tube may be formed internally with a suitably shaped wall, sited to deflect the rinsing fluid through the aperture 10 in the wall of the pusher 8, and thence out of the aperture 9 formed in the wall of the feed-tube.

The open end of the pusher 8 may, if desired, be closed by a pivoted or removable lid designed for user comfort when exerting sufficient pressure upon the end of the pusher to urge the products to be juiced against the macerating plate 2. Furthermore, the plate 2 may contain or be formed with any convenient contrivance, such as upstanding blades, ribs, teeth or other protuberances, for macerating the produce to be juiced. As mentioned previously, the invention also finds application to kitchen machines other than juicers. In this respect, any electrically driven kitchen machine in which a pusher device may be used to guide or compress produce to be processed in a container, and where residues of the produce can adhere to surfaces of the machine, can usefully incorporate the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A kitchen machine comprising a container for produce to be macerated, a macerating device in operative communication with the container, urging means for urging produce against the macerating device, a motor capable of rotating the container and/or the macerating device to slice, shred or otherwise fragment the produce, and fluid introduction means for introducing rinsing fluid into said container, whereby at least some residue materials adherent to said container and/or said macerating device can be washed therefrom; characterised in that said fluid introduction means includes part at least of said urging means.

2. A kitchen machine according to claim 1 configured as a juicer, wherein said container is provided with a foraminated wall and the juicer further comprises a removable filter material disposed to intercept macerated material; wherein the filter material and the wall are so configured to permit juice to pass out of said container whilst substantially constraining residue materials within it.

3. A kitchen machine according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein, by operation of the motor, the fluid can be dispersed around, or distributed over, the container.

4. A kitchen machine according to any of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the fluid is water.

5. A kitchen machine according to any preceding claim wherein the urging means comprises a pusher device designed to be introduced into said container by way of an aperture through a lid thereof.

6. A kitchen machine according to claim 5 wherein the aperture comprises part of a tubular passage extending into said container and providing a feed-tube for said produce, whereby the fluid can be introduced into the container by means of components that perform an existing function.

7. A kitchen machine according to claim 6 wherein the pusher device is open-ended and is configured to accept the insertion of a funnel device therein; the funnel device having an exit opening aligning with corresponding openings provided in overlying side walls of the feed-tube and said pusher device respectively.

8. A kitchen machine according to any of claims 5 to 7 wherein the pusher device is provided with, or has associated therewith, a reservoir for said fluid.

9. A kitchen machine according to claim 8 wherein means are provided for pressurising the fluid in said reservoir to promote its flow through said apertures.

10. A kitchen machine according to any of claims 6 to 9 wherein the pusher device and the feed tube have aligning apertures positioned to permit and/or promote the flow of said fluid into the container.

11. A kitchen machine according to any of claims 5 to 10 wherein the pusher device is provided with an opening or removable lid.

12. A kitchen machine according to any preceding claim wherein the container supports, substantially axially thereof, a pillar located and configured to receive the rinsing fluid and to promote its distribution within the container.

13. A kitchen machine according to claim 12 wherein the pillar is formed with vanes or arms positioned to throw the fluid against the inner surface of the container wall.