AU2015200508B2 - Mixer attachment - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a mashing attachment for an electric mixer, the attachment including: a 0 coupling for attaching the mashing attachment to the electric mixer; a blade housing defined by a ceiling and at least one sidewall depending therefrom, the blade housing being open opposite the ceiling, the blade housing including a plurality of apertures; a blade assembly located within the blade housing, the blade assembly being adapted to be coupled to a drive shaft of the electric mixer and including at least one blade having a trailing edge with a deformable wiper element in 5 contact with the blade housing, wherein on rotation of the blade assembly a foodstuff received in the blade housing is mashed by the blade assembly and is extruded through the plurality of apertures by the deformable wiper element sweeping the blade housing. ii 28 V ~KFIGURE)3

Description

Mixer attachment

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a mashing attachment for an electric mixer, in particular for hand-held electric mixers commonly referred to as stick mixers or hand mixers.

Background of the invention

Hand-held electric mixers commonly support a variety of attachments, each designed to perform specific tasks such as chopping, blending and whisking. Attachments have also been developed for mashing foodstuffs, such as potato, pumpkin and avocado. These mashing attachments typically include slow moving, high torque 0 paddles or blades that draw in and crush the foodstuff, then force the foodstuff through an array of holes to create a mash. These paddles or blades are made from hard plastic materials to provide a firm crushing surface.

Problems with this arrangement are that foodstuffs can build up in the attachment, resulting in less efficient mashing and/or a need to frequently clean the 5 attachment.

Therefore, it is desirable to overcome or ameliorate problems of known mashing attachments and/or provide a useful alternative thereto.

Reference to any prior art in the specification is not an acknowledgment or suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in any :0 jurisdiction or that this prior art could reasonably be expected to be understood, regarded as relevant, and/or combined with other pieces of prior art by a skilled person in the art.

Summary of the invention

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a mashing attachment for an electric mixer, the attachment including: a coupling for attaching the 25 mashing attachment to the electric mixer; a blade housing defined by a ceiling and at least one sidewall depending therefrom, the blade housing being open opposite the ceiling, the blade housing including a plurality of apertures; a blade assembly located within the blade housing, the blade assembly being adapted to be coupled to a drive shaft of the electric mixer and including at least one blade having a trailing edge with a deformable wiper element in contact with the blade housing, wherein on rotation of the blade assembly a foodstuff received in the blade housing is mashed by the blade assembly and is extruded through the plurality of apertures by the deformable wiper element sweeping the blade housing.

The plurality of apertures may be formed in the ceiling and the deformable wiper 35 element may sweep the ceiling.

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The plurality of apertures may be formed in the at least one sidewall, and the deformable wiper element may sweep the side wall.

The trailing edge may extend radially away from an axis of rotation about which the blade assembly, in use, rotates.

At least one aperture of the plurality of apertures may include an inlet region formed with a depression such that the foodstuff is encouraged into the apertures.

The at least one blade may be a two-part structure including the deformable wiper element affixed to a relatively rigid a paddle element.

The paddle element may be formed from a hard material including acrylonitrile 0 butadiene styrene, polypropylene, or nylon.

The deformable wiper element may be formed from a material from a group of materials including silicone, thermoplastic polyurethane, thermoplastic polyester elastomer, or rubber.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an electric mixer 5 including: a main body; a motor located within the main body; a controller operative to activate and de-activate the motor; a drive shaft coupled to the motor; and a mashing attachment described herein.

Further aspects of the present invention and further embodiments of the aspects described in the preceding paragraphs will become apparent from the following :0 description, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a stick mixer with a mashing attachment in accordance with an embodiment of invention.

Figure 2 is a top perspective view of the stick mixer of Figure 1, with the mashing attachment separated from the main body of the stick mixer.

Figure 3 is a bottom perspective view of a mashing attachment in accordance with the invention.

Figure 4 is a bottom perspective view of the mashing attachment of Figure 3, showing the 30 blade assembly detached from the blade housing.

Figure 5 is a front view of the mashing attachment of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a bottom view of the mashing attachment of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a side view of a blade assembly in accordance with the invention.

Figure 8 is a bottom view of the blade assembly of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a cross-section at line A-A of the blade assembly of Figure 8.

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	Figures 10 and 11 are partial cross-sections of a blade housing showing alternative types of apertures formed in the blade housing in accordance with embodiments of the invention. Figure 12 is a bottom depiction of a mashing attachment in accordance with another
5	embodiment of the invention. Detailed description of the embodiments A mashing attachment according to one embodiment will now be described with reference to the Figures. Fig. 1 shows a mashing attachment 10 attached to a hand-held electric mixer
0	12. The electric mixer has a main body 14 housing a motor (not shown). The main body 14 has a grip portion of the outer surface which provides a handle 16. The main body 14 includes a user interface 18, which in this case includes control buttons (as illustrated). Alternative and/or additional user interfaces may be provided, such as an information display or a rotatable dial interface. The user interface is linked to a controller (not shown)
5	of the electric mixer 12 which is operative to activate and deactivate the motor. The motor is coupled to and causes rotation of a drive shaft (not shown). A lower region 20 of the main body 14 is adapted to releasably connect to attachments - in this case a mashing attachment 10. Mashing attachment 10 includes a mashing attachment housing 28 which includes a coupling adapted to attach to the lower
0	region 20 of the main body 14. Attachment of the mashing attachment 10 to the main body 14 may be performed by any suitable means such as, for example, catch mechanisms adapted to engage with detents provided in the lower region 20 of the main body 14. Fig. 2 shows, for example, a twist and lock bayonet-type coupling to secure the mashing attachment 10 to the lower region 20 of the main body 14. The female portion of
5	the bayonet coupling may include a female coupling member 22 that is defined at the upper end in the inner wall of the mashing attachment housing 28. The male portion of the bayonet coupling may include a corresponding male coupling member 24 with lugs mounted on the lower region 20 of the main body. In the present embodiment the mashing attachment housing 28 houses a drive
30	mechanism which engages with the drive shaft of the electric mixer 12 at one end and with a blade assembly 38 (discussed below) at the opposite end. In this way, the drive mechanism operably links the blade assembly 38 to the drive shaft of the electric mixer 12, allowing the motor of the electric mixer 12 to drive the blade assembly 38 about an axis of rotation.
35	In an alternative embodiment the drive shaft of the electric mixer 12 may engage directly with rotatable blade assembly 38 as discussed below, obviating the need for a drive mechanism within the mashing attachment. As a further alternative, the mashing attachment 10 may be integrally formed with the electric mixer 12 - i.e. the main body 14 and mashing attachment housing 28 may be formed as a single piece.

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	The mashing attachment 10 will now be described with reference to Figs 3 to 6. The mashing attachment housing 28 includes a blade housing 30. The blade housing 30 is defined by a ceiling 32 and at least one sidewall 34. In the present embodiment the ceiling 32 is circular and extends substantially transversely to the axis of
5	rotation. Sidewall 34 is substantially cylindrical and extends downwardly from the ceiling 32, i.e. substantially parallel to the axis of rotation and away from the main body 14 of the electric mixer 12. The lowermost edge of the sidewall is provided with a series of recesses 35 (in this case four), giving the sidewall 34 a castellated profile. The blade housing 30 is open opposite the ceiling 32 so that foodstuffs can be received into the
0	blade housing 30. The blade housing 30 further includes a plurality of apertures 36 through which foodstuffs or liquids are extruded. In the present embodiment, the apertures 36 are formed in the ceiling 32. As shown in Figs. 3 to 6, the apertures 36 are arranged in concentric rings centred on the axis of rotation (or, viewed alternatively, arranged along
5	radial lines extending along the ceiling 32 from the axis of rotation towards to the sidewall 34). In alternative embodiments apertures 36 may be arranged in any suitable configuration, whether ordered/regular or otherwise. The blade housing 30 houses a rotatable blade assembly 38. Blade assembly 38 includes a hub 39 internally shaped/configured to allow the blade assembly 38 to be
0	coupled to the drive mechanism (and, via the drive mechanism, the drive shaft and motor of the electric mixer 12). The blade assembly 38 may be removably secured to the drive mechanism by a twist and lock bayonet-coupling 29 shown in Fig. 4. In use the blade assembly 38 is driven about the axis of rotation in direction of rotation R shown in Fig. 6. The blade assembly 38 of the present embodiment includes two diametrically
5	opposed blades 40A and 40B extending from the hub 39 towards the sidewall 34. Together the two blades 40A and 40B extend substantially across the diameter of the blade housing 30. Each blade 40A and 40B is shaped such that its face is at an angle of approximately 35 to 45 degrees to the axis of rotation. The blade assembly 38 of the present embodiment does not extend below the sidewall 34, as shown in Fig. 5.
30	The blades 40A and 40B each include a trailing edge 42 with a deformable wiper element 44. The blade assembly 38 is sized and shaped such that when the blade assembly 38 is coupled to the drive mechanism, the deformable wiper element 44 contacts the blade housing 30. Upon rotation of the blade assembly 38, foodstuff received in the blade housing 30 is mashed by the rotation of the blade assembly 38 and
35	the deformable wiper elements 44 sweep the ceiling 32 of the blade housing 30 so that mashed foodstuff is pushed into and through the apertures 36. The deformable wiper elements 44 also extend along the tips/ends 46 of the blades 40A and 40B. Turing to Fig. 7, the angle of the blade faces can be seen. This encourages foodstuffs in the blade housing 30 to be drawn upwards towards the ceiling 32 and

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36.

In Figs. 8 and 9, an example construction of the blade assembly 38 is shown.

Each blade 40 includes a two part structure including the deformable wiper element 44 5 and a paddle element 48. The deformable wiper element 44 is formed from a resilient material such as silicone, thermoplastic polyurethane, thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPE), or rubber. Such materials allow the deformable wiper element 44 to have a degree of flexibility so as to reduce the impact of the friction caused by rotation of the blade assembly 38 whilst the deformable wiper element 44 maintains contact with the ceiling 32 0 of the blade housing 30. The paddle element 48 is formed of a hard plastic material such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene (PP), or nylon (PA). The paddle element 48 is relatively rigid in comparison to the deformable wiper element 44 in order to provide a firm crushing surface for foodstuffs in the blade housing 30. Deformable wiper element 44 includes a slot 45 into which a corresponding ridge 47 of the paddle element

48 extends and is bonded in place through an injection moulding process. Alternative means of attaching the wiper element 44 to the paddle 48 are, of course, also possible, for example by complementarily shaped paddle elements 48 and wiper elements 44, and or by using a pin or other fastener.

The apertures 36 of the blade housing 30 will be further described with :0 reference to Fig. 10. When viewed in cross-section, each aperture 36 includes a leading edge 50 (i.e. the edge encountered first by the rotating blade 40A or 40B) and a trailing edge 52 (i.e. encountered after the leading edge 50 by the rotating blade 40A or 40B). On the inside of the blade housing 30 (i.e. the underside of the ceiling 32) each aperture 36 is preceded by an inlet region 54 such that the rotating blade 40A pr 40B passes over the :5 inlet region 54 before reaching the leading edge 50), In this embodiment, the inlet region is a depression or cut-out portion of the ceiling which leads into the aperture 36. When the blade assembly 38 is rotated, the deformable wiper element 44 of a given blade initially sweeps over the inlet region 54 causing foodstuff to be pushed into the inlet region before being further urged or encouraged out through the aperture 36 by the sweeping contact of deformable wiper element 44 passing over the aperture 36. In another embodiment, shown in Fig. 11, the trailing edge 52 is sloped to further assist in guiding the foodstuff out of the aperture 36.

In the above embodiment, the apertures 36 are formed in the ceiling 32 of the blade housing 30. In alternative embodiments, the apertures 36 may instead be formed in the sidewall 34 of the blade housing 30. For example, Fig. 12 shows an embodiment in which the apertures 36 are formed in the sidewall 34 of the blade housing 30. In this case the deformable wiper element 44A is placed on the tip/end of the blades 40A and 40B and the blades 40A and 40B are shaped to sweep the inner surface of the side wall 34.

As with the previous embodiment, in use the deformable wiper element 44A sweeps the foodstuff into and through the apertures 36 formed in the sidewall 34.

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While the blade assembly has been described as having two blades 40A and 40B, it will be appreciated that alternative embodiments are possible. For example, the blade assembly 38 may include a single blade 40 with a deformable wiper element 44, additional blades 40, or one blade 40 with a deformable wiper element 44 and one or more blades 40 without a deformable wiper element 44.

It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.

Claims (10)

1. A mashing attachment for an electric mixer, the attachment including:

a coupling for attaching the mashing attachment to the electric mixer;

a blade housing defined by a ceiling and at least one sidewall depending therefrom, the

5 blade housing being open opposite the ceiling, the blade housing including a plurality of apertures;

a blade assembly located within the blade housing, the blade assembly being adapted to be coupled to a drive shaft of the electric mixer and including at least one blade having a trailing edge with a deformable wiper element in contact with the blade housing, wherein on rotation of the blade assembly a foodstuff received in the blade housing is

0 mashed by the blade assembly and is extruded through the plurality of apertures by the deformable wiper element sweeping the blade housing.

2. The mashing attachment according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of apertures are formed in the ceiling and the deformable wiper element sweeps the ceiling.

3. The mashing attachment according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the plurality of apertures are formed in the at least one sidewall and the deformable wiper element sweeps the side wall.

:0

4. The mashing attachment according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the trailing edge extends radially away from an axis of rotation about which the blade assembly, in use, rotates.

5. The mashing attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures includes an inlet region formed with a depression such that the

25 foodstuff is encouraged into the apertures.

6. The mashing attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each aperture of the plurality of apertures includes an inlet region formed with a depression such that the foodstuff is encouraged into the apertures.

7. The mashing attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the at least one blade is a two-part structure including the deformable wiper element affixed to a relatively rigid a paddle element.

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8. The mashing attachment according to claim 7, wherein the paddle element is formed from a hard material from a group of materials including acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polypropylene, or nylon.

5

9. The mashing attachment according to any one of claims 1 -8, wherein the deformable wiper element is formed from a material from a group of materials including silicone, thermoplastic polyurethane, thermoplastic polyester elastomer or rubber.

10. An electric mixer including:

0 a main body;

a motor located within the main body;

a controller operative to activate and de-activate the motor;

a drive shaft coupled to the motor; and a mashing attachment according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the

5 mashing attachment is attached to the main body and coupled to the drive shaft.