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US 5,380,086 AGranted
Multipurpose food mixing appliance specially adapted for kneading dough
AssigneeK-TEC, Inc.
InventorThomas D. Dickson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multipurpose electric food mixing appliance specially adapted to mix and knead bread dough in combination with a blender device utilizes one power source to drive both the blender and the mixer. The appliance can sense when dough is properly kneaded and automatically shut itself off. A special dough hook/stator arrangement reduces drag on the motor and an upwardly extending cover maximizes the effective volume of the mixing receptacle. A special blender blade configuration increases the effectiveness of the blender.
Claims15
A food mixing appliance adapted to knead dough comprising:
- an electric motor;
- a mixing receptacle;
- kneading implement means for kneading dough within the mixing receptacle, said kneading implement means including at least one dough hook member mounted for rotation in a direction of rotation in the receptacle, and extending forwardly into the receptacle in the direction of rotation, then extending downwardly and backwardly away from the direction of rotation, and finally extending upwardly and forwardly in the direction of rotation;
- drive means coupling the electric motor to the kneading implement means;
- sensing means for sensing the load on the motor as it drives the kneading implement means during kneading of dough;
- and
- means for stopping operation of the motor when the sensing means senses that the load on the motor begins to decrease after a period of increasing load.
4 more elements
A food mixing appliance adapted to knead dough, comprising:
- an electric motor;
- a base for mounting the electric motor, said electric motor having an output armature shaft being oriented perpendicularly to said base with a drive end thereof extending from the motor in a direction toward the base for coupling with the input end of a drive train and a blender end thereof extending from the motor in a direction opposite the base;
- a drive train mounted in the base and integral therewith and having an input end and an output drive socket, said input end being coupled to the motor output armature shaft whereby rotation of the output armature shaft causes rotation of the output drive socket, but at a reduced speed of rotation;
- a mixing receptacle having a central pillar therethrough;
- a drive shaft having a lower end matingly receivable in the output drive socket and an upper end, and adapted to fit inside the central pillar of the mixing receptacle;
- kneading implement means for kneading dough within the mixing receptacle, said kneading implement means mating with the upper end of the drive shaft to be driven within the mixing receptacle by the drive shaft;
- a plurality of post members secured to the motor and extending from the motor in a direction opposite the base and parallel with the motor armature shaft;
- a blender drive socket on the blender end of the motor armature shaft;
- a cover for said base, said cover including a blender drive socket receiving opening, and post receiving means for receiving the post members therein for securely positioning the cover on the base with respect to the motor and accurately positioning the blender drive socket receiving opening with respect to the blender drive socket;
- and
- means for controlling operation of the electric motor.
8 more elements
A food mixing appliance adapted to knead dough, comprising:
- an electric motor;
- a base for mounting the electric motor, said electric motor having an output armature shaft being oriented perpendicularly to said base;
- a drive train mounted in the base and integral therewith and having an input end and an output drive socket, said input end being coupled to the motor output armature shaft whereby rotation of the output armature shaft causes rotation of the output drive socket, but at a reduced speed of rotation;
- a mixing receptacle having a central pillar therethrough;
- a drive shaft having a lower end matingly receivable in the output drive socket and an upper end, and adapted to fit inside the central pillar of the mixing receptacle;
- kneading implement means for kneading dough within the mixing receptacle, said kneading implement means mating with the upper end of the drive shaft to be driven within the mixing receptacle by the drive shaft in a direction of rotation within the receptacle and including at least one dough hook member extending radially from the upper end of the drive shaft, then extending forwardly in the direction of rotation, then extending downwardly and backwardly away from the direction of rotation, and finally extending upwardly and forwardly in the direction of rotation;
- and
- means for controlling operation of the electric motor.
5 more elements
A food mixing appliance adapted to knead dough, comprising:
- an electric motor;
- a base for mounting the electric motor, said electric motor having an output armature shaft being oriented perpendicularly to said base;
- a drive train mounted in the base and integral therewith and having an input end and an output drive socket, said input end being coupled to the motor output armature shaft whereby rotation of the output armature shaft causes rotation of the output drive socket, but at a reduced speed of rotation;
- a mixing receptacle having a central pillar therethrough;
- a drive shaft having a lower end matingly receivable in the output drive socket and an upper end, and adapted to fit inside the central pillar of the mixing receptacle;
- kneading implement means for kneading dough within the mixing receptacle, said kneading implement means mating with the upper end of the drive shaft to be driven within the mixing receptacle by the drive shaft;
- blender drive means coupled to the electric motor;
- a blender receptacle for mounting on the appliance with blender blade drive means engaging the blender drive means;
- and
- blade means rotatably mounted in said blender receptacle for rotation therein, wherein said blade means includes an elongate blade mounted for rotation midway along its length and having leading edges extending along portions thereof in the direction of rotation of the blade, the blade being beveled downwardly toward the bottom of the blender receptacle along the leading edges, and upwardly extending blade tips at the ends of the blade, the upwardly extending blade tips having leading edges in the direction of rotation of the blade with the leading edges being beveled outwardly;
- and
- means for controlling operation of the electric motor.
9 more elements
A food mixing appliance adapted to knead dough comprising:
- an electric motor;
- a mixing receptacle;
- kneading implement means for kneading dough within the mixing receptacle;
- drive means coupling the electric motor to the kneading implement means;
- sensing means for sensing the load on the motor as it drives the kneading implement means during kneading of dough;
- means for stopping operation of the motor when the sensing means senses that the load on the motor begins to decrease after a period of increasing load;
- blender drive means coupled to the electric motor;
- a blender receptacle for mounting on the appliance with blender blade drive means engaging the blender drive means;
- and
- blade means rotatably mounted in said blender receptacle for rotation therein, wherein said blade means includes an elongate blade mounted for rotation midway along its length and having leading edges extending along portions thereof in the direction of rotation of the blade, the blade being beveled downwardly toward the bottom of the blender receptacle along the leading edges, and upwardly extending blade tips at the ends of the blade, the upwardly extending blade tips having leading edges in the direction of rotation of the blade with the leading edges being beveled outwardly.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.