DESCRIPTION
ELECTRIC COOKING DEVICE
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to electric food processors for making
processed food, such as juice, typically by placing vegetables and fruits in
a container, and cutting and blending them using a cutter.
BACKGROUND ART
Fig. 6 shows a conventional electric food processor equipped with a
safety device. Fig. 6 s a sectional view of a key part of the conventional
electric food processor.
In Fig. 6, main body 100 of the conventional electric food processor
contains motor 2 and switch 3. Main body 100 also includes first pin 101,
which is the safety device interlocked with energizing mechanism 7.
Cooking cup 4 placed on main body 100 includes cutter 5 that is rotated
by motor 2 via connector 8.
When cooking cup 4 is placed on main body 100, bottom protrusion
6 provided on the outer bottom of cooking cup 4 pushes down first pin 101,
and energizing mechanism 7 becomes electrically connected. Cutter 5
then rotates by turning on switch 3. However, when cooking cup 4 is
removed from main body 100, first pin 101 rises, and energizing
mechanism 7 becomes electrically disconnected. Accordingly, motor 2 is
not operated even if switch 3 is turned on, and thus connector 8 does not
rotate. (For example, refer to Patent Literature 1.)
However, in the structure of the above electric food processor, if
processed food, such as juice, adheres to first pin 101, and first pin 101
becomes stuck in a state that cooking cup 4 is placed on main body 100,
energizing mechanism 7 remains being pressed. Motor 2 thus remains
electrically connected even if cooking cup 4 is removed. Then, if switch 3
is turned on, motor 2 operates and connector 8 rotates.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication NO.
S58-122030
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An electric food processor of the present invention includes a main
body containing a motor and an energizing mechanism with contact for
controlling electrical connection, a first pin for turning on and off the
energizing mechanism, a second pin interlocked with the first pin via a
movable mechanism, a cooking cup removably placed on the main body,
and a bottom protrusion provided on an outer bottom of the cooking cup.
The first pin is disposed at a position pushed down by the bottom
protrusion, and the first pin and the second pin operate in opposite
directions. The motor can be electrically connected only when the bottom
protrusion pushes down the first pin.
Even if the first pin is stuck, the movable mechanism pushes up
the first pin by the second pin being pushed down at removing the cooking
cup or a cup cover. This forcibly moves the first pin to release the first
pin from adhesion. Accordingly, a safe electric food processor is
achievable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a side sectional view of an electric food processor in
accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2A is a plan view of the electric food processor.
Fig. 2B is a sectional view of the electric food processor with a
safety mechanism at the front in the electrically-connected state by
pushing the first pin.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the electric food processor with the
safety mechanism at the front in the electrically-disconnected state by
pushing the second pin.
Fig. 4A is a sectional view of a movable mechanism of an electric
food processor in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the
present invention.
Fig. 4B is a magnified view of a key part in Fig. 4A.
Fig. 5A is a sectional view of an electric food processor in
accordance with a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 5B illustrates a clearance generated when a lever shaft in Fig.
5A pushes the second pin.
Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a key part of a conventional electric
food processor.
REFERENCE MARKS IN THE DRAWINGS
1 Main body
2 Motor
4 Cooking cup
5 Cutter
6 Bottom protrusion
7 Energizing mechanism
9, 29 Movable mechanism
10 First pin
11 Second pin
12 Cup receiver
12a Cup receiver fit
13 Drain guide
14 Seesaw portion
17 Waterproof cover
18a, 18b, 18c Contact
20 First spring
21 Second spring
24 Sliding portion
24a, 24b Slope
26 Cup cover
27 Lever shaft
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described
below with reference to drawings. However, the present invention is not
limited to these exemplary embodiments.
(FIRST EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT)Fig. 1 is a side sectional view of an
electric food processor in the first exemplary embodiment of the present
invention. Fig. 2A is a plan view of the electric food processor. Fig. 2B
is a sectional view of the electric food processor with a safety mechanism
at the front in the electrically-connected state by pushing the first pin.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the electric food processor with the safety
mechanism at the front in the electrically-disconnected state by pushing
the second pin.
A basic structure of the electric food processor in the first
exemplary embodiment of the present invention is substantially the same
as that of a conventional electric food processor shown in Fig. 6. Same
components are given the same reference numerals to omit their
description.
In Fig. 1, main body 1 contains motor 2 and energizing mechanism
7 for controlling electrical connection. First. Pin 10 turns on and off
electrical connection of energizing mechanism 7. Movable mechanism 9
is provided under first pin 10 and above energizing mechanism 7. As
shown in Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B, substantially annular cup receiver 12 is
provided centering on a shaft of motor 2. Cup receiver fit 12a is provided
on the side face of cup receiver 12. Cooking cup fit 4a that fits into a
groove of cup receiver fit 12a is provided at the bottom of cooking cup 4.
In this way, cooking cup 4 is removably placed on main body 1.
In Figs. 2A, 2B, and 3, first pin 10 is substantially L-shaped, and
convex drain guide 13 is provided on its surface. Metal sliding portion
10a is configured at a bottom part of first pin 10, and protrusion 10b
receives seesaw portion 14 of movable mechanism 9, which has a seesaw
structure. In the same way, second pin 11 is also substantially L-shaped,
and drain guide 13 is provided on its surface. Metal sliding portion 11a
is configured at a bottom part of second pin 11, and protrusion 11b
receives seesaw portion 14 of movable mechanism 9.
The right and left sides of seesaw portion 14 of movable
mechanism 9 move upward and downward centering on shaft 15. When
first pin 10 goes down, second pin 11 goes up, and when second pin 11
goes down, first pin 10 goes up. In this way, second pin 11 is interlocked
with first pin 10 via movable mechanism 9, and operates in a direction
opposite to the operating direction of first pin 10.
Sliding portion 10a interlocked with first pin 10 branches to two
parts, which is connected to energizing mechanism 7, and these two parts
configure contact holding members with insulating plates 16, respectively.
Contact 18c of energizing mechanism 7 makes contact with contact 18a
and contact 18b of resilient contact plate when insulating plate 16 goes
down by pushing first pin 10. Then, electrical connection between lead
wire 19a and lead wire 19b becomes feasible. Waterproof cover 17 is
provided over contacts 18a, 18b, and 18c.
First spring 20 that pushes up first pin 10 is provided on first pin
10, and second spring 21 that pushes down second pin 11 is provided on
second pin 11.
Cup receiver fit 12a is substantially L-shaped, and includes
opening 12b. Cooking cup fit 4a can be inserted or removed only at
opening 12b. Bottom protrusion 6 is provided on an outer bottom face of
cooking cup 4, and first pin 10 is disposed at a position pushed down by
bottom protrusion 6.
With respect to cup receiver fit 12a and cooking cup fit 4a, bottom
protrusion 6 of cooking cup 4 pushes a top part of second pin 11 when
cooking cup fit 4a is aligned to the position of opening 12b so as to place
cooking cup 4.
First pin 10 and second pin 11 are disposed in a concentric fashion
to cup receiver 12. Packing seal 22 for preventing entry of liquid or
processed food is provided on a hole where each pin passes through the
top part of main body 1
Cooking cup fit 4a of cooking cup 4 is inserted only from opening
12b of cup receiver 12 in main body 1, and first pushes down second pin
11, as shown in Fig. 3. Then, protrusion 11b of second pin 11 pushes
down seesaw portion 14 at the side of second pin 11. Contrarily,
protrusion 10b of first pin 10 rises. At this point, even if first pin 10 is
stuck by processed food, first pin 10 is released from this fixed state. As
described above, when cooking cup 4 is placed on main body 1, second pin
11 operates first, and then first pin 10.
As a result, first pin 10 rises, and lifts up contact plate 18 that is
held down via insulating plate 16 of sliding portion 10a. Electrical
connection between lead wire 19a and lead wire 19b thus become
disconnected when multiple contact 18a and contact 18b are released from
contact 18c. When cooking cup 4 is turned, and cooking cup fit 4a is set
at the back of cup receiver fit 12a, first pin 10 is pushed down, and second
pin 11 rises by seesaw portion 14, as shown in Fig. 2. Then, sliding
portion 10a of first pin 10 goes down, and insulating plate 16 pushes down
contact 18a and contact 18b of contact plate 18 onto contact 18c. Lead
wire 19a and lead wire 19b are thus electrically connected. In this way,
electrical connection of motor 2 is feasible only when bottom protrusion 6
pushes down first pin 10.
A downward return force of the pin applied to second pin 11 is
always added to an upward return force of the pin applied to first pin 10.
Therefore, the force of second spring 21 that pushes down second pin 11 is
set small, in order to smoothly push down first pin 10. First spring 20
that pushes up first pin 10 preferably operates as an independent safety
device, and thus its compression force is set stronger than that of second
spring 21.
Next, to remove cooking cup 4 from main body 1, so as to take out
or pour processed food, cooking cup 4 is turned again to align cooking cup
fit 4a and opening 12b of cup receiver 12. As shown in Fig. 3, second pin
11 is then pushed down, and first pin 10 is pushed up by seesaw portion
14. This ensures electrical disconnection of energizing mechanism 7.
In addition, since multiple contacts, such as contact 18a and
contact 18b, are provided, safety is secured even if one contact is stuck
unless the other contact is also stuck.
The L-shaped structure of first pin 10 and second pin 11 prevents a
liquid or processed food from making a direct contact with contacts 18a
18b, and 18c even if liquid or processed food enters from pin holes on main
body 1.
Still more, drain guides 13 provided on first pin 10 and second pin
11 guide entered liquid or processed food to a safe area. Furthermore,
waterproof cover 17 is provided over contacts 18a, 18b, and 18c so that no
liquid or processed food makes contact with these contacts.
As described above, the exemplary embodiment of the present
invention offers an electric food processor with high safety against the
fixed state.
(SECOND EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT)
Fig. 4A is a sectional view of a movable mechanism of an electric
food processor in the second exemplary embodiment of the present
invention. Fig. 4B is a magnified view of a key part in Fig. 4A.
Components same as those in the electric food processor in the first
exemplary embodiment of the present invention are given the same
reference marks to omit their description.
Movable mechanism 29 of the electric food processor in the second
exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes two slopes, and
is configured with sliding portion 24 in which the slopes are tilted in the
opposite directions. Protrusion 10b provided on first pin 10 makes
contact with slope 24a of sliding portion 24, and protrusion 1 lb provided
on second pin 11 makes contact with slope 24b of sliding portion 24.
Sliding portion 24 moves rightward centering on shaft 15 when
first pin 10 moves downward. Second pin 11 then rises as slope 24b
pushes up protrusion 11b of second pin 11. Contrarily, when second pin
11 goes down, sliding portion 24 moves leftward, and first pin 10 is
pushed up.
The slopes are not limited to two. Depending on the shapes of
first pin 10 and second pin 11, there may be three or more slopes.
As described above, in the second exemplary embodiment of the
present invention, sliding portion 24 simply moves horizontally. This
achieves movable mechanism 9 that is simpler and more stable compared
to seesaw portion 14.
(THIRD EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT)
Fig. 5A is a sectional view of an electric food processor in the third
exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5B illustrates a
clearance generated when a lever shaft in Fig. 5A pushes down the second
pin. Same reference marks are given to components same as those of the
electric food processors in the first and second exemplary embodiments to
omit their description. Only the points that differ are described below.
As shown in Fig. 5A, when cup cover 26 is set to cover an opening
of cooking cup 4, protrusion 26a on cup cover 26 pushes down lever shaft
27 that pushes second pin 11 of the electric food processor in the third
exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Accordingly, lever shaft
27 protrudes from the bottom face of cooking cup 4 in this position. In
other words, lever shaft 27 operates interlocked with attachment and
detachment of cup cover 26, and is provided on an outer bottom of cooking
cup 4.
Cutter 5 is disposed on an inner bottom of cooking cup 4, and is
rotated by a motor. As shown in Fig. 5B, when cooking cup 4 is not
placed, clearance 28b of second pin 11 is set to be larger than clearance
28a when lever shaft 27 pushes down second pin 11.
With this structure, lever shaft 27 achieves the same function as
bottom protrusion 6 on cooking cup 4 in the first exemplary embodiment
of the present invention. More specifically, with respect to cup receiver
fit 12a and cooking cup fit 4a, lever shaft 27 pushes the top part of second
pin 11 when cooking cup 4 is placed. If cup cover 26 is removed from
cooking cup 4, lever shaft 27 rises at removing cooking cup 4. Second pin
11 is then pushed, and first pin 10 also rises. This cuts electrical
connection of the energizing mechanism, and stops cutter 5. In other
words, the motor can be electrically connected only when first pin 10 is
pushed down by lever shaft 27.
If lever shaft 27 of cooking cup 4 becomes stuck by processed food,
lever shaft 27 is always pushed up by second pin 11 at removing cooking
cup 4 from main body 1. Accordingly, fixed lever shaft 27 can be released.
When cooking cup 4 is placed on main body 1, second pin 11 operates first,
and then first pin 10.
As described above, lever shaft 27 of the electric food processor
vertically moves depending on the presence of cup cover 26 in the third
exemplary embodiment of the present invention. This also stops the
rotation of cutter 5 in a state that cup cover 26 is not set to cooking cup 4.
In addition, even if lever shaft 27 is stuck typically by processed
food, second pin 11 pushes up lever shaft 27 to release fixed lever shaft 27.
Accordingly, a further safer electric food processor can be achieved.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
As described above, the electric food processor of the present
invention ensures the operation of a safety device by releasing a fixed pin
when the pin of safety device is stuck. The present invention is thus
applicable to a range of safety devices using a pin in addition to blenders,
food processors, and mills.
we claim:
1. An electric food processor comprising:
a main body containing a motor and an energizing mechanism, the
energizing mechanism controlling electrical connection and having a
contact;
a first pin for turning on and off the energizing mechanism;
a second pin interlocked with the first pin via a movable
mechanism;
a cooking cup removably placed on the main body; and
a bottom protrusion provided on an outer bottom of the cooking
cup;
wherein
the first pin is disposed at a position pushed by the bottom
protrusion, the first pin and the second pin operate in opposite directions,
and the motor can be electrically connected only when the bottom
protrusion pushes the first pin.
2. The electric food processor of claim 1, further comprising:
a cup cover for covering an opening of the cooking cup;
a cutter rotated by the motor, the cutter being disposed on an inner
bottom of the cooking cup; and
a lever shaft provided on the outer bottom of the cooking cup, the
lever shaft being operated interlocked with attachment and detachment of
the cup cover;
wherein
the motor can be electrically connected only when the lever shaft
pushes the first pin.
3. The electric food processor of one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the
second pin operates before the first pin operates when the cooking cup is
placed on the main body.
4. The electric food processor of claim 3, wherein an annular cup
receiver is provided at an upper part of the main body, the cup receiver
centering on a shaft of the motor; and a fitting portion is formed on the
cup receiver and the cooking cup.
5. The electric food processor of claim 4, wherein one of the bottom
protrusion and the lever shaft pushes the second pin when the cooking
cup is placed by the fitting portion.
6. The electric food processor of claim 5, wherein the lever shaft
pushes the second pin at attachment and detachment of the cooking cup if
the cup cover is detached.
7. The electric food processor of claim 1, wherein the movable
mechanism has a seesaw structure.
8. The electric food processor of claim 1, wherein the movable
mechanism includes a plurality of slopes, the slopes being formed by
sliding portions tilted in opposite directions.
9. The electric food processor of claim 1, wherein a first spring
pushing up the first pin from the movable mechanism has a compression
force greater than a compression force of a second spring pushing down
the second pin to the movable mechanism.
10. The electric food processor of claim 1, wherein a plurality of
contacts of the energizing mechanism are provided.
11. The electric food processor of claim 1, where in a waterproof
cover is provided at an upper part of the contact of the energizing
mechanism.
12. The electric food processor of claim 1, wherein the first pin and
the second pin are formed in an L shape.
13. The electric food processor of claim 1, wherein a water drain
guide is provided on the first pin and the second pin.

An electric food processor includes a main body containing a
motor and energizing mechanism with contact for controlling electrical
connection, a first pin for turning on and off the energizing mechanism, a
second pin interlocked with the first pin via a movable mechanism; a
cooking cup removably placed on the main body, and a bottom protrusion
provided on an outer bottom of the cooking cup. The first pin is disposed
at a position pushed by the bottom protrusion. The first pin and the
second pin operate in opposite directions. The motor can be electrically
connected only when the first pin is pushed by the bottom protrusion.