Hand-held mixer

A hand-held mixer, comprising:

• a housing having a front side and a rear side opposite the front side;
• a first pillar that is coupled to the housing at a first pillar proximal end and extends outward therefrom to a first pillar distal end;
• a second pillar that is coupled to the housing at a second pillar proximal end and extends outward therefrom to a second pillar distal end;
• a motor that is positioned within at least one of the housing and the second pillar;
• a first beater having a beater head and a shaft coupled to the beater head, the first beater being operably engaged with the motor in a removably engaged condition of the first beater with the housing, such that operation of the motor is configured to drive rotation of the first beater about a first beater axis of rotation;
• a battery receptacle extending between the first pillar distal end and the second pillar distal end to form a loop defining a handle aperture;
• and
• a battery pack having a battery for powering the motor, the battery pack being operable between a docked condition, wherein the battery pack is engaged with the battery receptacle to provide power to the motor, and an undocked condition, wherein the battery pack is disengaged from the battery receptacle, and wherein the battery pack moves along a battery pack axis that is substantially parallel to the first beater axis of rotation from the undocked condition to the docked condition.

A hand-held mixer, comprising:

• a housing having a front side and a rear side opposite the front side;
• a first pillar that is coupled to the housing at a first pillar proximal end and extends outward therefrom to a first pillar distal end;
• a second pillar that is coupled to the housing at a second pillar proximal end and extends outward therefrom to a second pillar distal end, wherein the second pillar is nearer than the first pillar to the front side of the housing;
• a motor that is positioned within at least one of the housing and the second pillar, the motor being configured to drive rotation of a drive shaft about a drive shaft axis of rotation;
• a gearbox having a plurality of gears disposed within at least one of the housing and the second pillar and being operably coupled to the motor;
• a first beater having a beater head and a shaft coupled to the beater head, the first beater being operable between an engaged condition, wherein the shaft of the first beater is partially inserted into a first aperture defined by the front side of the housing and operably engaged with the motor via the gearbox, such that rotation of the drive shaft about the drive shaft axis of rotation causes the first beater to rotate about a first beater axis of rotation that is substantially perpendicular to the drive shaft axis of rotation, and a disengaged condition, wherein the shaft of the first beater is not operably engaged with the motor via the gearbox and is removable from the first aperture defined by the housing;
• a battery receptacle coupled to the second pillar distal end;
• and
• a battery pack configured for 12-volt operation to power the motor and being operable between a docked condition, wherein the battery pack is engaged with the battery receptacle to provide power to the motor, and an undocked condition, wherein the battery pack is disengaged from the battery receptacle, and wherein the battery pack moves along a battery pack axis that is substantially parallel to the drive shaft axis of rotation from the undocked condition to the docked condition wherein the battery pack includes a bottom surface that is configured to rest upon a level surface to maintain said hand-held mixer in an upright position, wherein the first beater axis of rotation extends substantially horizontally in the upright position.