Description:Kitchen appliance comprising at least one lock

The present invention relates to a kitchen appliance having a body and a cover, such as a juicer comprising a cover, a juicer body, and at least one lock that holds the cover and the juicer body together and secures both to each other.

Several juicers with a lock are known from the prior art. In a known juicer, a first lock, which fixes a cover to the juicer body, is in the form of an L-shaped lever, which is rotata-bly mounted at the lower end in a recess on the juicer body. The second lock is attached to the opposite side of the juicer body. In the open state, the two locks are swung open later-ally so that the cover can be released from the juicer body. In the locked state, the two locks are folded towards the juicer body and engage at the upper end of the lock to the catch connections provided for this purpose on the upper side of the cover.

A disadvantage of this juicer is that for mounting the lock in the trough on the juicer body, openings are provided for mounting a mechanical shaft for supporting the lower end of the lock. For this purpose, the juicer body must be double-sided, and during assembly the fitter must reach with his hands between the two walls to push on a spring washer for fixing the mechanical shaft.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a kitchen appliance having a body and a cover such as a juicer with a lock that ensures easy assembly and material savings.

This object is solved by a kitchen appliance with the features of claim 1.

The invention relates to a kitchen appliance comprising a cover, a body and at least one lock which holds the cover and the body together and fixes both to each other. Thereby, at least a first locking part is arranged on an outer side of the body and at least a second cor-responding locking part is arranged on the lock, wherein the first locking part forms a snap lock with the second locking part, which is designed in such a way, to allow rotation of the lock relative to the body about an axis of the first locking part, the lock having a first ele-ment which, when the lock is rotated about the axis, is pushed over a corresponding sec-ond element on the cover to fix the cover relative to the body. An example of such a kitch-en appliance is a juicer. An advantage of the lock is that the at least one lock is mounted in a simple manner by means of a snap lock on the outside of the body, so that no break-through openings are required on the outer wall of the body and therefore the body can be designed with one wall. This facilitates assembly and manufacture of a body with only one wall leads to additional material savings. The first locking member on the exterior of the body and the second locking member on the lock are configured to provide a snap-lock by mechanical engagement, but sufficiently loose to allow mechanical rotation about the first axis of the first locking member.

Advantageously, the cover, the body, the lock, the two locking parts and the two elements can be made of plastic. This allows the cover, the body and the lock to be manufactured in one piece from plastic in large numbers fully automatically by automated injection pro-cesses. The plastic used has sufficient stability but is flexible enough to allow the snap lock to engage between the first locking part and the second locking part.

Advantageously, the first member on the lock and the second member on the cover may have sufficient flexibility such that when the lock is rotated about its axis, the first member may be pushed over the second member under pressure so that a spring force is applied to the cover in the direction of the body when locked. In addition, a seal can be provided between the cover and the body. As a result, as the lock is rotated about its axis and con-tact is made between the first element on the lock and the second element on the cover, spring force is exerted on the cover so that the cover is pressed onto the body, thereby sealing the gasket. For example, the seal may be a circular rubber seal on the upper edge of the body.

Advantageously, the first member on the lock may be formed as a projection having a flat contact surface which is slid over the second member on the cover, the second member being formed as a projection having a concave contact surface so that when the first member is rotated relative to the second member, the flat contact surface of the first member comes into contact with the concave contact surface of the second member at two different locking locations. As a result, the flat contact surface of the first element is pressed onto the concave contact surface of the second element by the spring force dur-ing rotation, so that the seal between the cover and the body is sealed. The flat contact surface is thereby fixed between both locking points of the concave contact surface in the locked state by the spring force.

Advantageously, a second lock may be arranged relative to the first lock on the opposite side of the body so that the cover is fixed to the body on both sides, with a corresponding locking member on the body and a corresponding member on the cover arranged on the opposite side. This fixes the cover to the body on both sides of the body by means of the two locks, so that when the two locks are unlocked, the cover can be completely released from the body.

Advantageously, the first locking member on the body may include an area having a first minimum radius about the axis of the first locking member, a tapered area having a sec-ond maximum radius about the axis, the second maximum radius being greater than the first minimum radius, and a centrally located slot parallel to the axis. This shape of the first locking part enables efficient engagement with the second locking part.

Advantageously, the corresponding second locking part on the lock may have an at least partially cylindrical recess, wherein the wall of the at least partially cylindrical locking part has at least two slots, preferably four slots, parallel to the axis of the second locking part, so that the cylindrical area of the second locking part is divided into at least two, preferably four, flexible lips, so that, when the first locking part engages with the second locking part, the flexible lips of the second locking part are spread open by the tapered region of the first locking part and, in an end position, latching projections at a front end of the lips engage in a groove provided for this purpose in the cylindrical region of the first locking part, so that rotation of the lock relative to the body about the axis of the first locking part is then made possible. As a result, in the retracted state, the latching projections at the front end engage the lips of the second latching part with the notch provided for this purpose on the first latching part, producing a secure snap-locking action that allows rotation.

Advantageously, the lock can have stabilizing ribs on an inner surface which run parallel to the axis of the second locking part and/or perpendicular to an inner surface of the lock in order to ensure the necessary mechanical stability of the lock during twisting. The stabiliz-ing ribs ensure the necessary stability of the lock, and the wall thickness of the lock can be kept as low as possible in order to save material during manufacture.

In what follows, preferred embodiments of the present invention are explained with respect to the accompanying drawings. As is to be understood, the various elements and compo-nents are depicted as examples only, and they may be facultative and/or combined in a manner different than that depicted. Reference signs for related elements are used com-prehensively and not defined again for each figure.

Fig.1 schematic representation of an inventive juicer with an inventive lock;
Fig.2 schematic representation of the juicer without lock;
Fig.3 schematic representation of the first locking part on the body of the juicer;
Fig.4 schematic representation of the lock with the second locking part;
Fig.5 schematic representation of the body with the lock in a sectional view;
Fig.6 schematic representation of the body with the lock in a side sectional view.

Fig.1 shows a schematic representation of an inventive juicer 1 with a first lock 2, which holds a cover 3 and a body 4 together and fixes both to each other in the locked state. The first lock 2 is arranged on an outer side 5 of the body 4, wherein on an opposite outer side of the body 4 relative to the first lock 2 a second lock is attached to the body 4 in the same manner, which is not shown, so that in the locked state the first lock 2 and the second lock fix the cover 3 firmly to the body 4, so that a seal 6 seals between the cover 3 and the body 4 in a liquid-tight manner.

Fig.2 shows a schematic representation of the juicer 1 from Fig.1 without lock 2, wherein a first locking part 10 is arranged on the outer side 5 of the body 4 for producing a snap lock with the lock 2, which is not shown. On the lock 2 of Fig. 1, the first element is provided on the inside, which is not shown, wherein on the cover 3 the corresponding second element 11 is formed as a projection 12 with a concave contact surface 13.

Fig.3 shows a schematic representation of the first locking part 10 on the outer side 5 of the body 4 of Fig.2 in side view, wherein the first locking part 10 has a first approximately cylindrical region 20 with a first minimum radius 21 around a symmetrical axis 22 of the first locking part 10 and a conical region 23 with a second maximum radius 24, wherein the second maximum radius 24 is larger than the first minimum radius 21. Furthermore, a slot 25 is provided centrally parallel to the axis 22, so that during locking the two parts of the first locking part 10 are elastically deformed laterally of the slot 25 towards the axis 22 and return to the original position after the snap lock has engaged.

Fig.4 shows a schematic representation of the lock 2 in rear view, wherein the second locking part 30 with a symmetrical axis 31 is arranged at the lower end of the lock 2. The second locking part 30 comprises an at least partially cylindrical recess 32, wherein the wall 33 of the at least partially cylindrical locking part 30 has four slots 34 running parallel to a symmetrical axis 31 of the cylindrical recess 32, so that when the first locking part of Fig.2 and Fig.3 is engaged with the second locking part 30, flexible lips 35 between the slots 34 are spread open by the conical region 23 of the first locking part 10 of Fig.3 and a snap lock is formed in an end position. At the upper end 36, the lock 2 has the first element 37 with a flat contact surface 38, which is formed as a counterpart to the second element 11 of Fig.2. On an inner side 39, a plurality of stabilizing ribs 40 are provided perpendicular to the inner side 39 to provide the necessary stability when the lock 2 is rotated.

Fig.5 shows a schematic representation of the body 4 with the lock 2 and the cover 3 in a sectional view in the locked state, wherein the flat contact surface 38 of the first element 37 exerts a compressive force on a concave contact surface 13 of the second element 11, which is not shown, so that the cover 3 is firmly fixed to the body 4 and a seal 50 in the form of a sealing ring made of rubber is compressed, thereby sealing the interior of the juicer 1 in a liquid-tight manner.

Fig.6 shows a schematic representation of the body 4 with the lock 2 in a lateral sectional view, wherein the flexible lips 35 of the second locking part 30 have latching projections 60 at the front end, which latch into a groove 61 provided for this purpose on the first locking part 11 in an end position, so that the rotatable snap lock is produced.

The invention relates to a kitchen appliance, for instance a juicer 1, comprising a cover 3, a body 4 and at least one lock 2, which holds the cover 3 and the body 4 together and fixes both to each other, wherein at least one first locking part 10 is arranged on an outer side 5 of the body 4 and at least one second corresponding locking part 30 is arranged on the lock 2, wherein the first locking part 10 forms a snap lock with the second locking part 30, designed to allow rotation of the lock 2 relative to the body 4 about an axis 22 of the first locking part 10, wherein the lock 2 has a first element 37 which, when the lock 2 is rotated about the axis 22, is pushed over a corresponding second element 11 on the cover 3 in order to fix the cover 3 relative to the body 4.

Reference signs

1 Kitchen appliance, for instance a juicer
2 lock
3 cover
4 body
5 outer side
6 seal
10 first locking part
11 second element
12 projection
13 concave contact surface
20 first approximately cylindrical region
21 first minimum radius
22 symmetrical axis
23 conical region
24 second maximum radius
25 slot
30 second locking part
31 symmetrical axis
32 partially cylindrical recess
33 wall
34 four slots
35 flexible lips
36 upper end
37 first element
38 flat contact surface
39 inner side
40 stabilizing ribs
50 seal
60 projections
61 groove
, Claims:PATENT CLAIMS

1. Kitchen appliance (1), for instance a juicer, comprising a cover (3), a body (4) and at least one lock (2), which holds the cover (3) and the body (4) together and fixes both to each other, characterized in that at least one first locking part (10) is arranged on an outer side (5) of the body (4) and at least one second corresponding locking part (30) is arranged on the lock (2), wherein the first locking part (10) forms a snap lock with the second locking part (30), designed to allow rotation of the lock (2) relative to the body (4) about an axis (22) of the first locking part (10), wherein the lock (2) has a first element (37), which, when the lock (2) is rotated about the axis (22), is pushed over a corresponding second element (11) on the cover (3) in order to fix the cover (3) relative to the body (4).

2. Kitchen appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cover (3), the body (4), the lock (2), the two locking parts (10, 30) and the two elements (11, 37) are made of plastic.

3. Kitchen appliance (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first element (37) on the lock (2) and the second element (11) on the cover (3) have sufficient flexibility so that the first element (37) can be pushed over the second element (11) under pres-sure when the lock (2) is rotated about the axis (22), so that a spring force is exerted on the cover (3) in the direction of the body (4) during locking.

4. Kitchen appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the first element (37) is formed on the lock (2) as a projection with a flat contact surface (38) which is slid over the second element (11) on the cover (3), wherein the second element (11) is formed as a projection (12) with a concave contact surface (13), so that when the first element (37) is rotated relative to the second element (11), the flat contact sur-face (38) of the first element (37) comes into contact with the concave contact sur-face (13) of the second element (11) at two different locking points.

5. Kitchen appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein a second lock (2) is arranged on the opposite side of the body (4) relative to the first lock (2) so that the cover (3) is fixed to the body (4) on both sides, wherein a corresponding locking part is arranged on the body (4) on the opposite side and a corresponding element is ar-ranged on the cover (3).

6. Kitchen appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the first locking member (10) on the body (4) comprises a region (20) having a first minimum radius (21) about the axis (22), a conical region (23) having a second maximum radius (24) about the axis (22) larger than the first minimum radius (21), and a centrally located slot (25) parallel to the axis (22) of the first locking member (10).

7. Kitchen appliance (1) according to claim 6, wherein the corresponding second lock-ing part (30) on the lock (2) has an at least partially cylindrical recess (32), wherein the wall (33) of the at least partially cylindrical locking part (30) has at least two slots, preferably four slots (34), parallel to the axis (31) of the second locking part (30), so that the cylindrical area of the second locking part (30) is divided into at least two, preferably four, flexible lips (35), so that, when the first locking part (10) engages with the second locking part (30), the flexible lips (35) of the second locking part (30) are spread open by the conical region (23) of the first locking part (10) and, in an end position, latching projections (60) at a front end of the lips (35) latch into a groove (61) provided for this purpose in the cylindrical region of the first locking part (10), so that subsequently a rotation of the lock (2) relative to the body (4) about the axis (22) of the first locking part (10) is made possible.

8. Kitchen appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lock (2) has stabilizing ribs (40) on an inner side, which ribs run parallel to the axis (31) of the second locking part (30) and/or perpendicular to an inner surface (39) of the lock (2) in order to ensure the necessary mechanical stability of the lock (2) during twist-ing.

9. Kitchen appliance (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the kitchen appliance (1) is a juicer.