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US 11,186,005 B2Granted
Impeller for centrifugal food cutting apparatus and centrifugal food cutting apparatus comprising same
AssigneeFam
InventorBrent L. Bucks
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Impeller for a centrifugal food cutting apparatus, comprising a base plate and at least one set of paddle parts mounted on the base plate and provided for imparting centrifugal force to food products to be cut. Each set comprises inner and outer paddle parts defining at least a first stage and a second, cutting stage, the inner and outer paddle parts being offset from each other in radial and angular direction of the impeller, such that a safe compartment is defined for food product which is in the second stage.
Claims20
An impeller for a centrifugal food cutting apparatus, provided for being concentrically rotated within a cutting head, comprising
- a base plate having a central zone for receiving food products to be cut by said cutting head and
- a plurality of paddle elements arranged outside said central zone, the paddle elements being mounted on the base plate and being provided for imparting centrifugal force to food products to be cut,
- wherein each paddle element comprises an inner paddle part and an outer paddle part, the inner paddle parts being arranged on an inner circle and defining a first stage for food product which is present on the impeller wherein the food product is impelled by one of the inner paddle parts, the outer paddle parts being arranged on an outer circle and defining a second stage for food product present on the impeller wherein the food product is impelled by one of the outer paddle parts while being cut by the cutting elements of the cutting head, the second stage being subsequent to the first stage, the inner and outer paddle parts of each paddle element being offset from each other both in radial and angular directions of the impeller, such that they together define a safe compartment for the food product which is in the second cutting stage wherein the food product is protected from being touched by subsequent food product which is fed onto the impeller;
- wherein the inner paddle parts each have an outer edge which is offset in angular direction from the respective outer paddle part and defines a threshold size at which the food product transitions from the first stage to the second stage;
- and
- wherein each paddle element has a first side and a second side, the first side comprising a first surface;
- the second side comprising an outer paddle part surface parallel to the first surface, a transitional part with a surface which angles away from the outer paddle part surface, and an inner paddle part surface which is angled with respect to the transitional part, wherein the transitional part permits the food product to move from the first to the second stage.
4 more elements
A centrifugal food cutting apparatus comprising:
- a cutting head comprising at least one cutting element;
- an impeller concentrically rotatable within the cutting head, the impeller comprising a base plate having a central zone for receiving food products to be cut by said cutting head and a plurality of paddle elements arranged outside said central zone, the paddle elements being mounted on the base plate and being provided for imparting centrifugal force to food products to be cut, wherein each paddle element comprises an inner paddle part and an outer paddle part, the inner paddle parts being arranged on an inner circle and defining a first stage for food product which is present on the impeller wherein the food product is impelled by one of the inner paddle parts, the outer paddle parts being arranged on an outer circle and defining a second stage for food product present on the impeller wherein the food product is impelled by one of the outer paddle parts while being cut by the cutting elements of the cutting head, the second stage being subsequent to the first stage, the inner and outer paddle parts of each paddle element being offset from each other both in radial and angular directions of the impeller, such that they together define a safe compartment for the food product which is in the second cutting stage wherein the food product is protected from being touched by subsequent food product which is fed onto the impeller, wherein the inner paddle parts each have an outer edge which is offset in angular direction from the respective outer paddle part and defines a first threshold size at which the food product transitions from the first stage to the second stage, wherein each paddle element has a first side and a second side, the first side comprising a first surface;
- the second side comprising an outer paddle part surface parallel to the first surface, a transitional part with a surface which angles away from the outer paddle part surface, and an inner paddle part surface which is angled with respect to the transitional part, wherein the transitional part permits the food product to move from the first to the second stage;
- and
- a first drive mechanism for driving the rotation of the impeller.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.