Kitchen appliance with spiral cutter

Abstract

The invention relates to a kitchen appliance (30), comprising: a container (31); placing a lid (32) which can be placed on the container (31); a tool capable of being placed on the container (31) in place of the lid (32), wherein the tool comprises a first part and a second part; locking means for locking the lid (32) placed on the preparation container (31) and locking the tool placed on the preparation container (31); a sensor (34), which is triggered when the placed lid (32) is locked by the locking device or the placed tool, where the sensor (34) is not triggered when only a portion of the tool is placed on the preparation container (31) and locked. The tool includes a spiral cutter. The invention further relates to a vegetable cutter with the spiral cutter. The method can be used for making summer squash noodles.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a kitchen device for preparing food. The kitchen device may include a container in which food can be prepared. The kitchen device may include a lid for the container. The kitchen device may include a locking device for locking the lid when the lid is placed on the container. The kitchen device may include a sensor that is triggered when the locking device locks the placed lid. The kitchen device may include a multi-component attachment. The present invention also relates to a vegetable cutter for the kitchen device and a tool having the vegetable cutter.

[0002] From the patent documents DE 10 2014 111 193 A1 and DE 10 2017 121 946 A1, electric kitchen devices having a container and a lid for the container are known. The lid placed on the container can be locked with an electric locking device. If the lid is locked, it can no longer be separated from the container. In order to separate the lid, the locking device must first be unlocked.

[0003] For such a kitchen device, a sensor can be used to check whether the lid is placed on the container and properly locked. Accordingly, the further operation of the kitchen device can be controlled. A kitchen device having a sensor for checking the locking of the placed lid is sold by Vorwerk Deutschland Stiftung & Co. KG (Wuppertal, Germany) under the brand.

[0004] From the patent document FR 3 069 143 A1, a tool for cutting vegetables is known. The patent document EP4119016 A1 discloses a kitchen device having a vegetable cutting tool.

[0005] Vegetables can be cut in different ways. For example, zucchini can be made into zucchini noodles (zoodles) by cutting. The term "zoodles" is a combination of the two words "zucchini" and "noodles". In order to make zucchini noodles, the zucchini needs to be cut into long, thin strips or spirals with a spiral cutter, and then they can be used like noodles.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to further develop a kitchen device having a vegetable cutting tool.

[0007] The object of the present invention is achieved by a kitchen device having the features of the first claim. The dependent claims relate to a tool for the kitchen device. Advantageous embodiments are derived from the dependent claims.

[0008] To achieve this purpose, the kitchen appliance may include a container. The kitchen appliance may include a lid that can be placed on the container. The kitchen appliance may include a tool that can be placed on the container instead of the lid. The tool may include a spiral cutter. Thus, the tool is a tool for cutting vegetables and is therefore a vegetable cutting tool. The tool may include at least two parts. The kitchen appliance may include a locking device for locking the lid placed on and / or already placed on the container. The kitchen appliance may include a sensor that is triggered when the placed lid is locked by the locking device or the placed tool. If only a part of the tool covers the container and is locked, the sensor will not be triggered.

[0009] The kitchen appliance according to the invention is an electrical appliance, i.e., an appliance that requires electricity to operate. The kitchen appliance according to the invention is an appliance with which at least one step of food preparation can be performed, such as mixing, chopping, moistening, drying, cooling, or heating. Thus, with this kitchen appliance, at least one food can be mixed, chopped, moistened, dried, cooled, and / or heated, for example. Examples of foods are zucchini, potatoes, carrots, peas, or onions.

[0010] The container is provided for food preparation. The food located in the container can be chopped, for example, by a rotatable mixing tool. The container may include a heating element so that food can be heated in the container. However, the kitchen appliance may also include a heating element for heating the container, which exists separately from the container. The base part of the kitchen appliance may include a receiving part that can determine the position of the container. The receiving part can be a dish-shaped depression into which the container can be inserted or has already been inserted. The receiving part may include a drain opening through which liquid can be prevented from accumulating in the receiving part. In particular, the container can be removed from the recess and is thus separated from the base part of the kitchen appliance.

[0011] The container includes an opening. The lid can be placed on the container such that the opening is then covered by the lid.

[0012] The tool has a different function from the lid. The function of the lid is to completely or at least mostly completely enclose the container. The tool can help prepare the dish in another way. For example, the tool can chop food. For example, the tool can cut out pieces of food. Since the lid cannot chop, the function of the lid is different from the function of the tool.

[0013] It cannot be excluded that the tool can also completely or at least almost completely enclose the container. However, compared with the lid, the tool in the sense of the present invention must be able to perform at least one additional function.

[0014] The tool includes a first part and a second part, provided that the two parts can be separated from each other and reassembled in a non-destructive manner. The separation requires no tools. Each part can be made partially or entirely of plastic. Each part can be made in one piece, i.e., a one-piece type.

[0015] It is feasible that the at least two parts of the tool can be assembled such that they are then connected to each other, for example, by snap connection. In order to separate the two parts from each other again, the snap connection must first be released. If the snap connection is released, the two parts are not assembled in the sense of the present invention. Such a snap connection can include, for example, a latch that can be moved to a locked position and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the latch can then be latched so that the latch cannot move out of the unlocked position in an unplanned manner.

[0016] It is feasible that the two parts can only be loosely assembled. An example of loose assembly exists when the first part can be inserted into a receiving portion provided for this purpose in the second part. If the first part has been inserted into the receiving portion provided for this purpose in the second part, the two parts are assembled in the sense of the present invention. Then, in the sense of the present invention, the two parts are only loosely assembled because lifting the first part is sufficient to separate it from the second part. That is, in the case of loose assembly, there is no connecting device that ensures a firm mechanical connection between the two parts, and the connecting device must first be released in order to separate the two parts from each other.

[0017] The tool can include more than two parts that can be assembled into a tool and can be separated from each other again without tools.

[0018] A spiral cutter is a cutting device for cutting vegetables into spiral strips or slices. The spiral cutter is rotated to form the desired shape. Spiral cutters are particularly popular when preparing zucchini noodles (i.e., zucchini pasta), but they can also be used for other foods such as carrots, cucumbers, or potatoes. Fruits can also be cut with a spiral cutter.

[0019] When the lid is placed on the container, the locking device can lock the lid. If the lid is locked, it is no longer possible to separate the lid from the container. If the lid is to be separated from the container, the locking device must first be unlocked.

[0020] If a tool is placed on a container instead of a lid, the locking device can lock the tool. In order to separate the tool from the container, it is then also necessary to first unlock the locking device. This applies at least to two parts of the tool. If the tool includes more than two parts, when the locking device locks the tool, it is not necessary to make any part of the tool inseparable. That is, for example, the tool can include four parts. If the tool is locked, for example, three parts are inseparable, but the fourth part can be separated. However, it is also possible that the tool is designed such that all four parts are inseparable when the tool has been locked by the locking device. For example, the tool can include five parts. If the tool is locked, for example, four parts are inseparable, but the fifth part can be separated.

[0021] The spiral cutter can have a conical base. The spiral cutter can have a blade with which food, especially vegetables, can be cut into strips or slices. An opening can adjoin the blade. The food cut with the blade can pass through the opening through the base of the spiral cutter.

[0022] The opening of the spiral cutter can be L-shaped. The L-shaped leg can adjoin the outer edge of the base. This opening shape facilitates the start of spiral cutting of food.

[0023] The spiral cutter can be part of a vegetable cutter. The term "vegetable cutter" refers to a device that has other components in addition to the spiral cutter, so that, for example, vegetables can be cut with the spiral cutter. The inner circumferential edge of the spiral cutter can be placed, for example, on a cylindrical projection of the vegetable cutter so that the spiral cutter can be rotatably mounted.

[0024] The vegetable cutter can include a base on which components for operation can be mounted. For example, the mentioned cylindrical projection can be fixed on the base, through which the spiral cutter can be rotatably mounted. Alternatively, the base can have an opening into which the spiral cutter can be inserted to be rotatably mounted. The opening can be circular so that a spiral cutter with a circular cross-section can be rotatably mounted. A handle can be installed at the base so that the vegetable cutter can be easily grasped and disassembled. The base can be a plate. The plate can be flat so as to keep the overall height low.

[0025] The vegetable cutter may include a shaft for driving a spiral cutter. The shaft may be arranged beside the spiral cutter. The shaft may pass through the middle of the base. Then, the spiral cutter is arranged eccentrically. Thus, the spiral cutter can be shaped independently of the shaft. Then the spiral cutter can be designed to be more suitable so that spirals can be cut from food. In addition, it is thus feasible to integrate a transmission. Then the spiral cutter can be driven via the shaft and the transmission such that the spiral cutter rotates slower than the shaft. The slowly rotating spiral cutter facilitates the cutting of spirals from food. In contrast, the fast rotating shaft facilitates the use of the kitchen device for other tasks, such as chopping food or mixing food.

[0026] The transmission can be realized by two gears. The shaft of the vegetable cutter can pass through the gears. The teeth can be arranged at the outer circumference of the vegetable cutter such that another gear is provided thereby. If the diameter of the gear of the shaft is smaller than the diameter of the gear of the vegetable cutter, the shaft will rotate faster than the vegetable cutter. Alternatively, the rotational movement of the shaft can be transmitted to the large wheel of the spiral cutter via a belt or a chain via a pulley of the shaft such that the shaft will rotate faster than the vegetable cutter.

[0027] The transmission ratio of the transmission can be such that the shaft rotates at least 1.5 times, at least twice or at least three times faster than the spiral cutter.

[0028] The shaft may have a coupling at the bottom surface so as to be directly or indirectly connected to the drive of the kitchen device such that the drive can rotate the shaft. For this purpose, for example, the coupling can be placed on the shaft below the kitchen device or on the mixing tool below such that a non-rotatable connection is produced between the shaft below or the mixing tool below and the coupling. By the placement, it can also be achieved that the vegetable cutter can be held at the height provided for this purpose. It is feasible that the coupling can be latched, for example, together with the shaft below. However, for example, in order to be able to cut vegetables reliably, this is not necessary.

[0029] The shaft of the vegetable cutter can be a hollow shaft. A rod can extend into the hollow shaft so as to better stabilize the position of the vegetable cutter. The rod can be, for example, the rod of a tool. The shaft located below can have a rod that extends into the hollow shaft of the vegetable cutter during operation to stabilize the position of the vegetable cutter.

[0030] Another cylindrical bulge can be fixed at the base for stably and rotatably mounting the shaft of the vegetable cutter. The shaft can include a widened portion that can act as a stop for holding the shaft. For example, the widened portion can abut against the bottom surface or the top surface of the cylindrical bulge so as to be able to stabilize the position of the shaft. The widened portion can be a wheel, such as a gear.

[0031] The locking device of the kitchen appliance may be designed such that the tool is moved from the initial position to the final position by locking in a placed state, and the sensor is triggered when the tool is in the final position.

[0032] The locking device can be designed so that a first part of the tool is moved from an initial position to a final position by locking, and the first part is designed so that it moves a second part of the tool from the initial position to the final position by locking, and the second part is designed so that it triggers a sensor when the second part is in its final position.

[0033] The second part of the tool may be a container. The first part of the tool may be a cover of the container. The tool may include a vegetable cutter as a third part. The vegetable cutter may be arranged between the cover and the container so that the vegetable cutter can be operated. Vegetables cut by the spiral cutter may fall into the container and be caught. The container may also be arranged to shield the vegetables cut by the spiral cutter from the mixing tool of the kitchen appliance to avoid the mixing tool causing damage to the cut vegetables.

[0034] The vegetable cutter and the container may cooperate in such a way that the vegetable cutter can be held by the container. For example, the container may taper slightly from top to bottom at least on its top surface. The diameter of the vegetable cutter may be such that the vegetable cutter can be inserted into the container but ultimately held on the top surface of the container by the taper. It may be such that the edge of the vegetable cutter may rest on the upper edge of the container so that the vegetable cutter can be held by the container.

[0035] The vegetable cutter may have a surrounding frame in order to better hold the vegetable cutter on the top surface of the container. For example, the surrounding frame may lie against the inside of the container so that the position of the vegetable cutter can be stabilized. The surrounding frame may, for example, protrude upwards and / or downwards from the base or the bottom plate. The surrounding frame may also be provided to protect the base or the bottom plate. The surrounding frame is in principle the outer side of the vegetable cutter.

[0036] The base part of the kitchen device may include a locking device, which can connect the lid to the container in a locked state. If the kitchen device is designed so that the container can be separated from the base part, placing the lid on the preparation container or placing the tool on the preparation container includes such a content that the container is not separated from the base part afterwards. The container is then inserted, for example, into a receiving part of the base part. The base part may include a control device, an electric drive, a sensor, a switch and / or a display. The control device may include a computing unit, such as a processor or a microcontroller. The control device may include an electronic memory.

[0037] The sensor can be in a triggered and an untriggered state and can emit a signal indicating its state. Thus, the sensor can assume two different states. The emission of the status signal can be effected by an electrical signal. The kitchen appliance checks the locked and unlocked states via the sensor, since the sensor is triggered when the placed lid or the placed tool is locked by the locking device. Alternatively or additionally, the kitchen appliance can display the locked or unlocked state. If only one part of the tool is placed on the container and locked, the sensor is not triggered. This part can be the first part or the second part. If the placed tool is not locked and the placed lid is not locked, the sensor is not triggered. If only the tool or the lid is placed on the container but not locked, the sensor is not triggered. The sensor is triggered by locking. The sensor then assumes the triggered state. The sensor is brought into the untriggered state by unlocking. After unlocking, the sensor is thus in the untriggered state.

[0038] Since the tool comprises a plurality of parts, the user may accidentally place only one part of the tool on the container. The user may then, for example, actuate the container in such a way that the placed part is locked thereby and can no longer be separated from the container. Since the sensor is not triggered when only one part of the tool is locked, a fault can be detected by the kitchen appliance. The presence of the fault can then, for example, be displayed to the user. The user thus has the opportunity to determine in good time that at least one part of the tool is missing. He can then correct the error in good time. Faultless operation can thus be ensured in an improved manner. It is also feasible that the container does not permit further processing steps until the fault has been corrected. In this way, problems that may be associated with the fault can also be avoided.

[0039] In one embodiment, the locking device is designed such that the tool is moved from an initial position to a final position by locking in the placed state. The sensor is triggered by moving the tool to the final position. In the final position, the tool is locked. Thus, when the tool is in the final position, the sensor is triggered.

[0040] For example, it is feasible to place the tool and then rotate the tool in order to reach the final position and thus the locked position. The rotation of the tool can be effected, for example, manually by the user. But the rotation can also be effected by an electric motor.

[0041] In the placed state, an elastically deformable sealing ring or an elastic seal of another shape of the tool can, for example, be placed flat on the container. By means of a locking device, for example, the tool can be moved further in the direction of the container, since the elastically deformable sealing ring or the elastic seal of another shape can be compressed. Thus, the presence of the deformable sealing ring or the elastic seal of another shape makes it possible for the placed tool to be linearly moved from its initial position, where it is located at that time, to its final position after placement. If unlocked, the elastically deformable sealing ring or the elastic seal of another shape moves the tool back to its initial position. This movement can also be effected manually by the user. However, in this embodiment, it is particularly simple to effect the movement to the final position by means of an electric motor.

[0042] It is also possible for the tool to be placed on the elastic part of a mechanical switch by being placed on the container. The mechanical switch can be arranged such that a gap remains between the tool and the container, specifically at least in the vicinity of the mechanical switch. For example, by a tilting movement, the tool can then be pivoted further to the final position, for example by means of a locking device. The mechanical switch, or rather its elastic part, is thereby actuated and the switch is triggered. The movement to the final position can in turn be effected in a technically simple manner by means of an electric motor. The return movement of the tool to its initial position can be effected by the spring force of the elastic part and / or by the elastic seal.

[0043] The above also applies to a lid. Here, the locking device is designed such that the lid is moved from its initial position to its final position by locking in the placed state. A sensor is triggered by moving the lid to the final position. In the final position, the lid is locked. Thus, the sensor is triggered when the lid is in the final position.

[0044] In one embodiment, the locking device is designed such that a first part of the tool is moved from its initial position to its final position by locking. The first part is designed such that the first part moves a second part of the tool from its initial position to its final position by locking. The second part is designed such that when the second part is in its final position, the second part triggers a sensor.

[0045] Thus, the second part is not directly moved to the final position, for example in a motor-driven manner by the locking device. This is done by the first part. If the first part does not exist, the second part cannot be moved from its initial position to its final position during locking. On the contrary, however, it can also be the case that the first part can be moved to the final position and locked, for example in a motor-driven manner by the locking device, without the second part being present.

[0046] In one embodiment, the second component is a container and the first component is a cover for the opening of the container. The cover can be placed on the container. Then the opening of the container is at least partially closed. The container is such that the container can be inserted into the container. The container preferably has a widening at its top surface, which can be placed on the edge of the opening of the container. Thus, the widened part is always outside the container. Therefore, even when the remaining part of the container is inserted into the container, the widened part is in principle visible from the outside. Even when the cover is placed on the container, the widened part is in principle visible from the outside. The widened part of the container can be circular or partially circular.

[0047] The container preferably has a retaining part for the cover, such that when the cover is placed on the container, the cover is fixed by the retaining part to prevent lateral sliding.

[0048] In one embodiment, the container at least partially has a laterally protruding edge at its top surface. The edge protrudes laterally relative to the rest of the container like a flange and widens the top surface of the container. The widened part of the container can include a receiving part for the cover. The cover can be inserted into the receiving part. The receiving part of the widened part can prevent the cover from sliding laterally. Thus, the receiving part serves as a retaining part or can be part of the retaining part. The flange-like protruding edge can completely or at least partially surround the opening of the container.

[0049] In one embodiment, the sensor can be triggered by the flange-like or laterally protruding edge of the container. For example, when the container has been inserted into the container, the laterally protruding edge of the container can lie flat on the button or rocker of an electrical switch. The container is then inserted into the container such that at least a part of the laterally protruding edge at the electrical switch can be pressed down, specifically against the spring force of the button. If the laterally protruding edge of the container is pressed down, the button or rocker moves and triggers the electrical switch. Thus, the electrical switch is a sensor in the sense of the present invention. The movement of the laterally protruding edge or a part of the laterally protruding edge from the initial position to the final position can also be detected, for example, optically or by using ultrasound.

[0050] In one embodiment, the container includes at least one handle protruding upward and / or laterally at its top surface. If the handle protrudes laterally, the handle can be used as a widened part that prevents the container from sliding completely into the container. If the handle protrudes upward, it can prevent the cover from sliding laterally and can thus at least be part of the retaining part for the cover. If the handle protrudes both laterally and upward, the handle can be used both as a widened part and as a retaining part for the cover.

[0051] The container can be made of plastic, for example.

[0052] In one embodiment, in addition to the spiral cutter, the tool further includes another chopping tool for chopping dishes. The tool can optionally operate together with a vegetable cutting part or a chopping tool. The chopping tool is arranged relative to the container, or can be arranged relative to the container, such that the ingredients of the food or dish fall due to gravity after being chopped by the chopping tool, so as to be received in the container of the tool. The chopping tool can be rotatable so as to chop the ingredients of the food or dish by rotation. The chopping tool can be, for example, a rotatable friction disk. Such a friction disk can include teeth protruding upward. Additionally, the friction disk can include holes such that the ingredients of the dish that have been chopped by the teeth can pass through the friction disk and fall into the container.

[0053] The chopping tool particularly has at least one cutting part for chopping. The chopping tool can be a cutting disk. It can have elongated, substantially radially arranged blades for cutting slices, such as potato slices. Alternatively or additionally, it can have local recesses or grooves provided with blades, for example for chopping vegetables. Here, the function depends on the rotation direction of the cutting disk. For example, strips are cut in one direction of rotation of the cutting disk, while slices are cut in the opposite direction.

[0054] The chopping tool enables particularly controlled chopping of the ingredients for the food, because the dish or ingredients fall into the container after being chopped and cannot be chopped further. However, the way the chopping tool chops the food is different from that of the vegetable cutter. The chopping tool can, for example, cut the food into strips or slices. Thus, the chopping tool cannot produce a helix.

[0055] The container can have a central opening and / or a vertical opening through which the drive shaft of the kitchen device can pass in order to drive the spiral cutter and, if appropriate, also the chopping tool. The kitchen device can be designed such that when the container is in a state positioned in this way, the shaft passes through the container in order to drive the spiral cutter by means of an electric motor located below the container and, if appropriate, also the chopping tool. The shaft can be multi-part and include coupling elements in order to connect the various parts of the shaft to each other.

[0056] In an advantageous embodiment, a part of the shaft can non-rotatably connect the mixing tool of the kitchen device to the shaft of the vegetable cutter and, if appropriate, also to the chopping tool. Then, the rotation of the mixing tool causes the optionally provided chopping tool to rotate at the same rotational speed. This part of the shaft can particularly be separable from the mixing tool of the kitchen device so that the kitchen device can be used independently of the chopping tool having the relevant part of the shaft and independently of the container when equipped with the mixing tool located therein. The chopping tool can be firmly connected to this part of the shaft. However, it is also feasible that the chopping tool can be detachably connected to the said part of the shaft for ease of storage and cleaning. Such an embodiment is preferred such that this part of the shaft can also be used to operate the spiral cutter.

[0057] In another embodiment, the chopping tool is rotatably arranged in the housing part of the container or can be rotatably arranged in the container.

[0058] The spiral cutter and the chopping tool can be arranged or can be arranged such that the food introduced through the opening in the cover is caught in the container after passing through the spiral cutter or the chopping tool. This also applies to the description of dish ingredients (such as spices) here and elsewhere. The opening particularly has the shape of a sleeve-like structure. It can be closed by a push rod which can be designed for pushing in the food.

[0059] In one embodiment, when the tool is placed on the container, the tool is between two locking elements of the locking device. The same applies to the placed lid. The tool and the lid can thus be locked particularly reliably.

[0060] In one embodiment, the locking elements of the locking device are arms which can rotate about their longitudinal axes and can be rotated from an open position to a locking position and back. The rotatable arms can preferably be rotated by an electric drive of the kitchen appliance. The arms can have a partially circular cross-section. Preferably there are two such arms. Here, when the tool is placed on the container, the tool is located between these two arms. The same applies to the lid.

[0061] The sensor can be, for example, an optical sensor which can optically determine whether the tool or the lid is locked. The sensor can include, for example, a grating. By locking, the grating is interrupted, for example. If the grating is interrupted, the sensor is in a triggered state. The sensor can be, for example, an inductive sensor. Here, an inductive signal can be triggered by locking. Then the sensor is in a triggered state. The sensor can be a pressure sensor. By locking, pressure can be applied to the sensor, for example. Then the sensor is in a triggered state. In a preferred embodiment, the sensor is an electrical switch with a button or rocker on which the tool lies flat when the tool is placed on the container.

[0062] The kitchen appliance can include a rotatable mixing tool for mixing and / or chopping food in the bottom region of the container. One or more ingredients of the dish can be mixed and / or chopped particularly quickly and easily by this mixing tool. However, comminution can be done in a less controlled manner compared to the chopping tool.

[0063] For particularly rapid and easy chopping, it has proven that the mixing tool can rotate at at least 2000 or 3000 revolutions per minute, preferably 5000 revolutions per minute. However, lower rotational speeds are also sufficient for rapidly and easily chopping the ingredients of food or dishes. Particularly preferably, it can rotate at at least 8000 revolutions per minute. The low rotational speed can be used for merely mixing the food or ingredients of a dish without the need to chop the ingredients of the food or dish.

[0064] The lid of the container can be two-piece. The first lid part of the two-piece lid can include a relatively small opening which can be closed by the second part of the lid. The second part of the lid can be manually removed in particular, specifically completely independently of the locking state and be manually removed. A small opening can be obtained here through which the ingredients of the food or dish can be filled into the container even if the first part of the lid is fixedly connected to the container by a locking device. The second part of the lid can include a utensil shape which can serve here as, for example, a measuring cup in order to be able to measure the ingredients. The lid is completely closed such that the container cannot be accessed from the outside. The lid in the sense of the present invention is at least mainly closed.

[0065] The kitchen device preferably includes a control unit by means of which the rotational speed of the mixing tool can be set. By means of the control unit, a rotational speed of at least 5000 revolutions per minute, preferably at least 8000 revolutions per minute can in principle be set for the mixing tool. That is, the mixing tool can rotate here at at least 5000 revolutions per minute, preferably at least 8000 revolutions per minute. Particularly preferably, 10,000 revolutions per minute or more is feasible. What is achieved by the rotational speeds mentioned is that the food and / or other ingredients of the dish located directly in the container can be chopped rapidly and reliably. Such high rotational speeds are not absolutely necessary in order to be able to chop the food and other ingredients. However, such high rotational speeds make the desired comminution easier. Therefore, the control unit does not necessarily have to be able to set a rotational speed of at least 5000 revolutions per minute or at least 8000 revolutions per minute.

[0066] The kitchen device, more precisely, the base part of the kitchen device can in principle include an input device, such as a slider, a knob and / or a touch-sensitive display. The desired rotational speed can be set manually via the input device. By means of the input device, for example, it can be set that the mixing tool rotates at 5000 revolutions per minute. Depending on the corresponding input, the control unit controls the rotational speed here such that the mixing tool rotates at 5000 revolutions per minute. Other rotational speeds can also be selected via the input device, these other rotational speeds being, for example, less than 5000 revolutions per minute or higher. The input device can be designed such that the rotational speed can be varied steplessly. The input device can be designed such that different levels can be set and thus different rotational speeds can be set. The input device can be designed such that there are at least five different levels for the rotational speed.

[0067] The control unit can be designed to limit the rotational speed of the mixing tool to below 25,000 revolutions per minute to avoid mechanical overload.

[0068] The control unit can be adapted to select, for example, via a touch-sensitive display, a knob or via another interface, a mode for making "zucchini noodles" (Zoodles). The control unit can be adapted such that, if this mode is selected, the spiral cutter rotates at less than 800 revolutions per minute or less than 600 revolutions per minute. The control unit can be adapted such that, if this mode is selected, the spiral cutter rotates at more than 300 revolutions per minute or more than 400 revolutions per minute. Experiments have shown that very good results can be obtained at these rotational speeds. The control unit can be adapted such that, if this mode is selected, the mixing tool rotates at less than 1500 revolutions per minute or less than 1300 revolutions per minute. The control unit can be adapted such that, if this mode is selected, the mixing tool rotates at more than 700 revolutions per minute or more than 900 revolutions per minute. The transmission ratio of the transmission can be such that the rotation of the mixing tool at the rotational speeds mentioned results in the rotational speeds mentioned of the spiral cutter. For example, the transmission ratio of the transmission can be 1:2.158, which can be achieved, for example, using a gear transmission in which one gear has 19 teeth and the other gear has 41 teeth. Then the mixing tool can rotate, for example, at 1100 revolutions per minute. Then, the spiral cutter can rotate at more than 500 revolutions per minute to make "zucchini noodles".

[0069] The control unit can be designed such that it can automatically set the rotational speed of the mixing tool, for example according to a digitally stored recipe or according to one or more measured values determined using one or more sensors. One or more sensors can be part of the kitchen appliance, for example part of the base part and / or the container. However, it can also be an external sensor, such as a thermometer, which can wirelessly exchange data with the kitchen appliance, specifically in particular with the base part.

[0070] The mixing tool can include at least one blade protruding from a shaft. The blade includes at least one cutting edge through which food can be chopped particularly well. The cross-section of the cutting edge tapers. The blade can have a blunt edge on the side opposite the cutting edge. In contrast to the cutting edge, the blunt edge cannot chop food, or at least not well. In particular, in this embodiment of the invention, the rotational direction of the mixing tool can be selected so that it is possible to optionally crush or only mix.

[0071] The mixing tool may include several such blades. There may be, for example, two, three or four blades, which may protrude from the shaft, for example, evenly distributed radially. In the axial direction, the blades may be arranged at least in sections at different heights so as to be able to grasp the dishes in the container or the food at different heights. In principle, all the blades are arranged close to the bottom of the container. Thus, the blades are, for example, only in the lower third of the container. Therefore, one or several blades of the mixing tool are preferably arranged close to the bottom of the container so as to be able to grasp the food close to the bottom.

[0072] The shaft of the mixing tool may be driven by an electric motor of the container. Then the control unit may control the rotational speed of the electric motor and thus the rotational speed of the mixing tool. The control unit may preferably also control the direction of rotation of the mixing tool.

[0073] The shaft of the mixing tool may pass through the bottom of the container so that the shaft does not prevent the filling of food into the container. The shaft of the mixing tool may also extend into the container from above.

[0074] The mixing tool may be fixedly connected to the container. This does not exclude the case that the mixing tool can be removed from the bottom of the container without tools so that, in particular, the mixing tool can be easily and thoroughly cleaned from all sides.

[0075] The container is liquid-tight. That is, liquid can be filled into the container without the liquid flowing out of the container.

[0076] The shaft of the mixing tool may include a coupling element below the bottom of the container, which coupling element may be connected to the coupling element of the shaft of the electric motor. In the coupled state, the rotational movement of the electric motor can then be transmitted to the mixing tool. By providing such a coupling element, it is possible that the container can be separated from the rest of the container. That is, the two coupling elements connect the two shafts to each other in a rotation-resistant manner, specifically, in principle, in a non-rotatable manner in both rotational directions. It is not necessary for the two coupling elements to connect the two shafts to each other in the axial direction. On the contrary, doing so is even disadvantageous because it makes it difficult to remove the container. If the ingredients of the dish are in the container of the tool, the ingredients are not directly in the container. The ingredients in the container cannot be mixed or chopped by the mixing tool.

[0077] The container of the tool may be liquid-tight like the container. However, the container may be, for example, sieve-shaped. The function of the container may be to prevent the chopped food from being further chopped by the mixing tool. This can be achieved by the sieve-shaped wall of the container. Therefore, the wall and / or the bottom of the container do not necessarily have to be liquid-tight. However, a liquid-tight container is particularly preferred because it particularly reliably prevents the chopped dish or the chopped ingredients from entering the container in an unplanned manner.

[0078] The invention also relates to a tool for insertion into a container of a kitchen appliance according to the invention, the tool comprising a container and a covering for the container, wherein when the covering covers the container, at least one stepped structure is inserted into an opening of a handle of the container, and the container comprises a laterally protruding upper edge.

[0079] The tool may comprise a spiral cutter and optionally another chopping tool. The tool may also be designed as described above.

[0080] The invention also relates to a method of chopping food using a kitchen appliance according to the invention, wherein the tool is placed on the container of the kitchen appliance and locked after placement, wherein by locking, a sensor is triggered by a component of the tool.

[0081] The invention also relates to a vegetable cutter for a kitchen appliance. The vegetable cutter may be designed as described above. The vegetable cutter may for example have a flat base plate, the outer periphery of which may be circular. On the base plate there may for example be provided two cylindrical protrusions and / or handles. The shaft of the vegetable cutter may pass through the cylindrical protrusions or may be capable of passing through the cylindrical protrusions. The spiral cutter of the vegetable cutter may be placed rotatably on another cylindrical protrusion. The spiral cutter may be driven via a transmission of the vegetable cutter such that the spiral cutter rotates slower than the shaft. The outer diameter of the vegetable cutter may not be greater than 20 cm or not be greater than 17 cm in order to be able to cut courgettes with the spiral cutter in a very small space. That is, by choosing this upper limit, an excessive installation space is avoided.

[0082] The invention also relates to a tool having the described vegetable cutter, the described covering and the described container. The tool may also comprise the described cutting disc, wherein the tool may here be operated optionally with the vegetable cutter or with the cutting disc. The tool may be operated as described above. The invention will be explained in more detail below with the aid of the drawings. Unless otherwise stated, the following features may be combined individually or in plurality with the claimed subject matter. The scope of the claimed patent protection is not limited to the embodiments.

[0083] wherein:

[0084] Figure 1 : a pressing tool, having a push rod of the tool;

[0085] Figure 2 : the covering of the tool;

[0086] Figure 3 : the cutting disc of the tool;

[0087] Figure 4 : the container of the tool;

[0088] Figure 5: Shaft of the tool;

[0089] Figure 6 : Kitchen machine with a lid part;

[0090] Figure 7 : Interior view of the kitchen machine and the container;

[0091] Figure 8 : Kitchen machine with a tool;

[0092] Figure 9 : Vegetable cutter;

[0093] Figure 10 : Cross-sectional view of a partially shown kitchen machine with a spiral cutter;

[0094] Figure 11 : Top surface of the spiral cutter;

[0095] Figure 12 : Figure 11 Bottom surface of the spiral cutter in;

[0096] Figure 13 : Extrusion tool with a holding part;

[0097] Figure 14 : With a cap Figure 13 Extrusion tool in;

[0098] Figure 15 : Receiving device with a drawer and a vegetable cutter

[0099] Figure 16 : Figure 15 Bottom surface of the receiving device in;

[0100] Figure 17 : Drawer for inserting the vegetable cutter;

[0101] Figure 18 : Receiving device;

[0102] Figure 19 : Adapter

[0103] Figure 20 : Pressure cone.

[0104] Figures 1 to 5 A schematic diagram showing a total of five parts of the tool. The tool is for kitchen equipment such as a kitchen machine. A kitchen machine is a kitchen equipment that includes at least one detachable container and a mixing tool, and through this mixing tool, at least the food in the container can be mixed.

[0105] Figure 1Shows an extrusion tool with two push rods 1. The two push rods 1 are fixedly connected to each other at their top surfaces by a surrounding edge 2. The edge 2 protrudes laterally. Each push rod 1 can also be designed as a container, such as a measuring cup. At the bottom surface, the two push rods 1 can have protruding small bumps 3, which are used to fix food. As Figure 1 shown, there can be a gap 4 between the two push rods 1. The lengths of the two push rods 1 are the same in principle.

[0106] In Figure 2 shows the covering part 5 of the tool. The covering part 5 includes two well-like structures 6, which are formed by upwardly protruding sleeve-like structures with internal partitions. The well-like structures 6 are adapted to the two push rods 1 such that the push rods 1 can be inserted into the two well-like structures 6. Through the laterally protruding edge 2, the push rods 1 are prevented from falling through the well-like structures 6. With the help of the push rods 1, food can be pressed through the well-like structures 6 towards Figure 3 the chopping tool 14 shown in Figure 9 or the spiral cutter shown in

[0107] The well-like structures 6 or the sleeve-like structures are connected to the arched cap 7 at their bottom surfaces, specifically in the edge region of the cap 7. At the bottom surface of the cap 7, there are partially circular stepped structures 8 on opposite sides. The two partially circular stepped structures 8 protrude laterally and downward from the cap 7.

[0108] The mandrel 9 protrudes upward from the cap 7, specifically approximately from the middle of the cap 7. The rod 10 protruding downward relative to the cap 7 is held by the mandrel 9. For reasons of stability, the outer diameter of the mandrel 9 is larger than the maximum outer diameter of the rod 10. The rod 10 can have a cylindrical thickening 11 at its free end, which has a tapered free end 12. The bottom surface of the stepped structure 8 can be designed as a hook 13.

[0109] In Figure 3 shows the chopping tool, specifically shows the cutting disk 14 with knives or blades 15 and additional cutting devices 16. Through the knives 15 and other cutting devices 16, food can be chopped by rotating the cutting disk 14 around its axis 17. Through this chopping, the chopped food passes through the cutting disk 14. The axis 17 is handle-shaped, at least partially hollow and has a wreath-shaped coupling 18 and 19 at its ends. The rod 10 can be inserted into the handle of the axis 17 through the upper coupling 18. This stabilizes the position of the axis 17 during the operation in the assembled state of the tool.

[0110] Figure 4Shows the container 20 of the tool. There are two opposite handles 21 at the top surface of the container 20. These two handles 21 first extend upward from the upper edge portion 22 of the container 20, and then extend outward to the side. Each handle 21 thus forms an opening 23. The stepped structure 8 can be inserted into these openings 23. Then the bottom surface of the stepped structure 8 lies on the edge portion 22. The upwardly directed strip portion 24 of the handle 21 prevents the covering portion 5 with the cap 7 from sliding laterally here and helps to position the covering portion 5. The hook 13 on the bottom surface can grasp the edge portion 22 in a surrounding manner here, and thus complementarily helps to position the covering portion 5 relative to the container 20 and prevents lateral sliding (also see Figure 8 ).

[0111] The bottom 25 of the container 20 has a funnel-shaped opening 26 that leads to a hollow handle.

[0112] Shown in Figure 5 is the shaft 27, which can be inserted into the funnel-shaped opening 26 and the adjacent hollow handle. The upper end of the shaft 27 has a coupling 28, which can be inserted into the lower coupling 19 of the cutting disc 13. The outer contour of the coupling 28 corresponds to the inner contour of the coupling 19. Thus, it is achieved that when the coupling 28 is inserted into the coupling 19, the two couplings are connected to each other in a non-rotatable manner. This can be applied in the same way to Figure 9 the coupling 52 of the vegetable cutter 44 shown.

[0113] The shaft 27 has a lower coupling 29. The lower coupling 29 can be placed on the mixing tool inside the container of the kitchen machine such that the coupling 29 is connected to the mixing tool in a non-rotatable manner. If the shaft 27 is connected to the Figure 9 shaft 50 of the vegetable cutter 44 shown or to the cutting disc 13 in a non-rotatable manner, the rotation of the mixing tool causes the spiral cutter or alternatively the cutting disc 13 to rotate here.

[0114] Figure 6Shows such a kitchen machine 30 with a container 31. The container 31 can consist entirely or mainly of metal. An electric heating part can be integrated in the container 31. A lid part 32 is placed on the container 31. The lid part 32 for the container 31 is locked by an arm-shaped locking element, namely an arm 33. The lid part 32 is between two arms 33. The arms 33 can be rotated by a motor about their longitudinal axes, thus rotating back and forth between an open position and a locked position. The lid part 32 has a sensor, specifically a rocker 34 of an electrical switch, which is pressed and thus triggered. The arm-shaped locking element 33 and the rocker 34 are installed at the base part 35 of the kitchen machine 30. The container 31 is inserted into the base part 35 and can be removed from the base part 35. In order to be able to remove the container 31, the container includes a handle 36. The base part 35 includes an operating display 37 and a rotary switch 38. The lid part 32 includes an opening 39 in the middle, which can be closed by a vessel-shaped closing part. Since the rocker 34 is triggered, the control unit of the kitchen machine 30 has received the information that the lid part is correctly placed and locked. However, the control unit of the kitchen machine 30 cannot obtain information about the state of the vessel-shaped closing part (not shown).

[0115] If the arm-shaped locking element 33 is rotated to its open position, the rocker 34 is moved upward to its non-triggered position by spring force. This movement of the rocker 34 correspondingly lifts the lid part 32. The lid part 32 is placed on the rocker 34 here, but is not locked.

[0116] Figure 7 Shows Figure 6 The kitchen machine 30 in. The area of the container 31 is shown cut away so that the interior is visible. At the bottom 40 of the container 31 there is a rotatable mixing tool 41. The mixing tool 41 is driven by a shaft 43 which passes through the bottom 40 of the container 31. The shaft 43 is inserted into a coupling 42 of the base part 35 through a lower coupling and is thus non-rotatably connected. The coupling 42 is connected to the shaft of an electric motor in the base part 35. The mixing tool 41 can be rotated via the electric motor in the base part 35.

[0117] If the locking element 33 shown in the upper left in Figure 7 is turned counterclockwise and the locking element 33 shown in the upper right is turned clockwise, the lock will be released and the lid part 32 can be removed from the container 31.

[0118] Figure 5 The coupling 29 shown in can be placed on the shaft 43 in such a way that a non-rotatable connection is established between the mixing tool 41 and the coupling 29.

[0119] This tool, rather than replacing the lid part 32, can be placed on the container 31. Figure 8Shows a partial view of the container in the locked position. The locking element 33 is located on the stepped structure 8 of the cover part 5 in such a way that the cover part 5 can no longer be separated from the container 31. The cover part 5 and the handle 21 are located on the upper edge 22 of the utensil. Therefore, neither the utensil nor the handle 21 can be removed from the container 31. The rocker 34 is actuated by the side protruding edge part 22a of the utensil with the handle 21.

[0120] Nevertheless, the cover part 5 can also be locked in the absence of the utensil including the handle 21. However, then the rocker 34 will not be actuated and thus not be triggered. Nevertheless, the control device of the kitchen machine is adapted to recognize the locked state then. At the same time, the control device will also obtain the information that the rocker 34 is not triggered due to the absence of the utensil with the handle 21. Therefore, the control device recognizes a fault situation.

[0121] The locked state achieved by the locking element 33 can be recognized via a pressure sensor or but also, for example, via evaluating the power consumption of the motor for locking, which must exert a greater force when locking.

[0122] Examples show that at least two components of a multi-component tool can be easily monitored.

[0123] Figure 9 Shows a vegetable cutter 44. With the vegetable cutter 44, "zucchini noodles" can be made from vegetables. The vegetable cutter 44 may include a bottom plate 45. Suitably, the outer periphery of the bottom plate 45 is circular, even if the top of the container is also circular. Suitably, the outer periphery of the bottom plate is at most 20 cm or 17 cm to avoid excessive installation space. The bottom plate 45 can be flat, i.e., not arched. For stable support, the bottom plate may have, for example, an upwardly extending circular border 46. One or two cylindrical ridges 47 and 48 and a handle 49 may be installed on the bottom plate. The bottom plate 45, the one or two cylindrical ridges 47 and 48, and the handle 49 may be made of plastic together. The bottom plate 45, the one or two cylindrical ridges 47 and 48, and the handle 49 may be manufactured as an integral piece together. The bottom plate 45, the cylindrical ridges 47 and 48, and the handle 49 may be manufactured in one process, for example, by an injection molding process. However, other materials besides plastic may also be provided. Manufacture with metal is also feasible, even if this material is less preferred due to manufacturing reasons.

[0124] The cylindrical ridge 47 may be provided in the middle, and a shaft 50 may be guided through the cylindrical ridge and stably held therein. On the cylindrical ridge 47, a gear 51 fixedly connected to the shaft 50 may be rotatably supported. At the bottom of the shaft 50, a coupling 52 attached to the shaft 50 may be installed. The coupling 52 may be of the following form, i.e., it may be coupled to, for example, Figure 5The shaft 27 shown in [figure]. If the shaft 27 is rotated by means of the mixing tool of the kitchen machine 30, then this rotational movement is transmitted to the shaft 50 of the vegetable cutting tool 44.

[0125] The shaft 50, the gear 51 and / or the coupling 52 can be made of plastic so that they can be manufactured at very low technical cost. The shaft 50, the gear 51 and / or the coupling 52 can be manufactured, for example, as one piece and / or in one process from plastic. However, in principle, other materials such as metal are also feasible. The outer diameter of the coupling 52 can be smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical projection 47 so that the coupling 52 can be inserted through the cylindrical projection 47. That is to say, the cylindrical projection is provided for holding the shaft 50. Then, the shaft 50 can be manufactured independently of the base plate together with the gear 51 and the coupling 52. However, it is also feasible that the gear 51 has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical projection 47 so as to enable separate manufacturing. Then it is appropriate that the coupling 52 has an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the cylindrical projection 47 so as to be used as a stop. However, for reasons of assembly and operation, this alternative is less preferred.

[0126] In addition to the cylindrical projection 47, a second projection 47 can be provided for rotatably supporting the spiral cutter. The spiral cutter can have a downwardly tapering conical base 53. The spiral cutter can have, for example, blades 54 made of metal. The blades 54 can be fixed to the base 53. The cutting part of the blade 54 can be adjacent to the opening 55 through which the cut vegetables can pass through the base 53. When viewed from above, the opening 55 can be L-shaped, as Figure 9 shown. The short side of the L-shape can be adjacent to the outer edge of the base 53 for the preliminary cutting of vegetables. The short side of the cross shape can be wider than the long side of the L-shape for the preliminary cutting of vegetables. The cutting part of the blade 54 can extend straight. The blade 54 can extend from the outer edge of the base 53 towards the middle of the base 53. The blade 54 can extend approximately to the middle or terminate in front of the middle.

[0127] Starting from the outer edge of the base 53, the frame 56 can extend upwards. The outer side of the frame 56 can have teeth. The teeth of the frame 56 can mesh with the teeth of the gear 51 so that the rotational movement of the gear 51 is transmitted to the frame 56.

[0128] However, in order to enable the transmission, it is not necessarily required to provide teeth or gears. For example, it is also feasible to transmit the rotational movement of the shaft 50 to the spiral cutter via a belt.

[0129] The gear 51 may have a diameter smaller than the frame 56 of the spiral cutter, such that the spiral cutter may rotate slower than the shaft 50. The slow rotational movement of the spiral cutter is advantageous for cutting zucchini noodles. In the case of a belt drive, it may also be adapted such that the spiral cutter rotates slower than the shaft 50. The same applies if the rotational movement is transmitted from the shaft 50 to the spiral cutter in another way, for example by means of a chain drive.

[0130] The base 53 may be made of plastic, for example, integrally with and / or in one process with the frame 56. It can be manufactured by an injection molding process. Since the blade 54 is suitably made of a material harder than plastic, it is then connected to the base 53 in a further process. For example, the connection can be made by riveting or screwing. Advantageously, the blade 54 is installed at the top, i.e., inside the conical base 53, so as to be able to cut vegetables particularly well.

[0131] Advantageously, the spiral cutter can be separated from the cylindrical protrusion 48 by lifting and reinserted into the cylindrical protrusion 48. Advantageously, the spiral cutter can then be separated from the other parts of the vegetable cutting tool 44 and cleaned.

[0132] Suitably, the cylindrical protrusion 47 provided for insertion into the shaft 50 is located between the cylindrical protrusion 48 provided for the spiral cutter and the handle 49. The handle 49 can be U-shaped, and the sides of the U-shape can be connected to the bottom plate 45. This makes the grasping easier.

[0133] Figure 10 There is shown a kitchen machine with Figure 9 a ready-to-use vegetable cutter 44 in

[0134] The spiral cutter may have a circumferential inner edge 57, which can be placed on the top surface of the cylindrical protrusion 48, as Figure 10 shown. The outer diameter of the spiral cutter may be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical protrusion 48, as Figure 10 shown. The circumferential inner edge 57 may be at a certain distance from the bottom surface of the frame 56 of the spiral cutter, such that the cylindrical protrusion 48 can abut against the inner side of the frame 56 of the spiral cutter, as Figure 10 shown. In this way, the spiral cutter can be held rotatable particularly reliably. Then, the cylindrical protrusion 48 can extend into the frame 56 of the spiral cutter.

[0135] The shaft 50 can be a hollow shaft, as Figure 10As shown. Then, the rod 10 can extend into the hollow shaft 50, thereby keeping the operation stable. The rod 10 can have a plurality of cylindrical thickened portions 11, 58, 59. The upper thickened portion 58 can be used to permanently hold the rod 10 in the dome 9. The middle thickened portion 59 and / or the lower thickened portion 11 can be used to enable the shaft 50 of the vegetable cutter 44 to be held with a particularly small gap and still with very little friction.

[0136] The vegetable cutter 44 can operate only when the container 20 and the cover 5 are present and locked. To cut vegetables, there is a well-like structure 6 above the spiral cutter. Then, vegetables can be fed through the well-like structure 6 to cut zucchini noodles. There can be an alignment device to align the cover 5 relative to the vegetable cutter 44 accordingly. For example, it can be envisaged that the border 56 of the spiral cutter must extend into the well-like structure 6 in order to be able to place and lock the cover 5 correctly. However, Figure 10 this is not shown in it.

[0137] Figure 11 Another spiral cutter is shown. With this spiral cutter, a helix can be cut. The spiral cutter can include a cylindrical base body 60. The base body 60 can be made of plastic, for example. The base body 60 can be inserted into the cylindrical protrusion 48 with a very small gap, for example, and is thus rotatably supported by the cylindrical protrusion 48. The border 56 with gears can be integrally formed with the base body 60, for example, by an injection molding process. The plate 61 can be integrally connected to the border 56, for example. The plate 61 can be located within the border 56. That is to say, the plate 61 can also be manufactured together with the border 56 and the base body 60 in one process by an injection molding process.

[0138] The plate 61 can be molded onto the insert 62 and / or 63 with blades during its manufacture. For this purpose, the insert 62 with the blade 54 and / or the insert 62 with one or more blades 65 can have openings 64 to enable connection by injecting plastic into the openings 64. The insert 62 with the blade 54 and / or the insert 62 with one or more blades 65 can be made of metal.

[0139] For example, the insert 62 with the blade 54 can be inclined and mounted on the plate 61 at an angle such that the blade 54 of the insert 62 extends into the plane above the plate 61. Below the blade 54, the plate 61 can be opened in such a way that the cutting material, that is, for example, the cut zucchini noodles, can pass through the plate 61 after being cut and passing through the blade 54.

[0140] Another insert 62 with one or more blades 65 can have one or more blades 65 protruding upward. The cutting portion of the upwardly protruding blade 65 can be serrated, as Figure 11As shown. The serrated shape can make vegetable cutting easier. The cutting part may have at least one part that extends obliquely relative to the plate 61 so that the force required for cutting can be kept at a low level. The one or more blades 65 may extend substantially parallel to the adjacent area of the frame 56 so that incisions can be made on vegetables such as zucchini. Then, the opening area can be separated from the vegetable by the blade 54, so that zucchini noodles can be cut out of the vegetable in a linear manner. Therefore, the one or more blades 65 may terminate in the plane where the blade 54 of another insert 62 extends. The plurality of blades 65 may have different distances relative to the adjacent area of the frame 56 so that different incisions can be made on the vegetable. These distances between the blade 65 and the adjacent frame 56 may be selected such that the incisions on the vegetable always have the same width. Radially, then the adjacent blades 65 have the same distance. Then zucchini noodles of the same width can be cut out. These radial distances between two adjacent blades 65 may correspond to the distance between the surface of the plate 61 and the plane where the blade 54 extends. Then zucchini noodles of the same width and the same depth can be cut out.

[0141] The spiral cutter may only have one component with blades, namely the component 62 with the blade 54, so that zucchini noodles can be cut. Then these zucchini noodles are cut into ribbon-like spirals. There may be a set of spiral cutters so that linear zucchini noodles or ribbon-like zucchini noodles can be cut optionally. The set of spiral cutters may be designed as described with reference to Figure 11 Thus, the set of spiral cutters may only differ in terms of the components 62 and 63. The manufacturing effort for such spiral cutters can be kept low.

[0142] Preferably, the spiral cutter can be replaced without tools. Then the kitchen appliance 30 can be operated with one or the other spiral cutter optionally.

[0143] Alternatively or additionally, the spiral cutter can be rotatably mounted by a shaft. The top surface of the sleeve into which the shaft can be inserted may be closed, for example, by a cap 66. The cap 66 can prevent unwanted contamination. The cap 66 can form a stop for the shaft.

[0144] Figure 12 The spiral cutter is shown from the bottom surface Figure 11 in. The opening 67 of the sleeve can be seen, and this opening can be closed, for example, by the cap 66 at the top surface. For stability reasons, the spiral cutter may have one or several reinforcing ribs 68.

[0145] The spiral cutter can be made of exactly two or exactly three parts, namely one part usually made of plastic and two or three components 62, 63 usually made of metal.

[0146] Figure 13 shows an extrusion tool which, as Figure 1 the case may be, can have two push rods 1. The extrusion tool can also have only one push rod 1. If there are two push rods 1, they can be firmly connected to each other at their top surfaces, for example by a circumferential edge 2. As Figure 1 the case may be, such an edge 2 can also project at least partially laterally and downward at the outer edge so as to be used as a boundary and support when reaching the final position of the top surface of the well-like structure 7. If there is only one push rod 1, then for the above reasons, the push rod can also have a protruding edge 2 at its top surface. At the bottom surface, the push rod 1 can have protruding small cylinders 3 which are to hold the food. If there are two push rods 1, there can be a gap 4 between the two push rods 1, as Figure 1 the case may be. Contrary to Figure 1 , this gap 4 can terminate in front of the lower end of the one push rod 1 and can have small cylinders 3 at its bottom surface. The other push rod 1 can have a holding portion 69 in its bottom surface, and this holding portion is arranged to hold one end of the courgette. In particular, the courgette is to be held in a non-rotating manner by this holding portion, that is, in a manner that is particularly improved compared to the case where the small cylinders 3 are arranged flatly at the bottom surface.

[0147] The holding portion 69 can be installed at the bottom surface of the base 70. The base can have a smaller diameter than the area of the push rod 1 above it. The base 70 can be substantially annular and thus approximate the shape of the end of the courgette.

[0148] The diameter of the base 70 can be, for example, at least 2 cm or at least 3 cm or at least 4 cm so that courgette noodles can be made in an improved manner. The diameter of the base 70 can be, for example, not more than 5 cm or not more than 4 cm or not more than 3 cm so that courgette noodles can be made in an improved manner. The height of the base 70 can be at least 5 mm or at least 1 cm or at least 2 cm. The height of the base 70 can not exceed 4 cm or not exceed 3 cm or not exceed 2 cm. The base 70 can be provided so that the relevant push rod 1 can be more easily pressed downward to reach the spiral cutter. The base 70 can be provided so that a cap can be held, through which the extrusion tool is similar in shape to the extrusion tool in Figure 1 . If a cap is installed, then the cap then covers the holding portion 69 and, if necessary, the base 70.

[0149] The holding part 69 may include one or several downwardly protruding webs 71, which may protrude downwardly from the base 70, for example. Contrary to the small cylinders, the webs 71 are not arranged to be evenly distributed on the surface. The webs 71 may be arranged such that the end of the courgette can be held between the webs 71 in a clamped manner. One or several webs 71 may contribute to holding the generally larger courgettes in an improved anti-rotation manner. If there are several webs 71, they may be arranged in a ring shape and / or of the same length. If there are several webs 71, they may be spaced from each other by at least 5 mm or at least 1 cm or at least 2 cm. If there are several webs 71, they may be spaced from each other by no more than 4 cm or no more than 3 cm or no more than 2 cm. When viewed from the side of the web 71, the downwardly protruding web 71 may be shaped like a rectangle. Alternatively, the downwardly protruding web 71 may also be pin-shaped. The length of the web 71 may be at least 5 mm or at least 1 cm. The length of the web 71 may not exceed 3 mm or no more than 2 cm. The width or diameter of the web 61 may be smaller than its length.

[0150] The cross-section of the web may be T-shaped. The vertical part 72 of the T-shape may be pressed into the end of the courgette from above so that the courgette can be held in an improved manner. The horizontal part 73 of the T-shape is not absolutely necessary for this holding, i.e., it may also be omitted. However, for stability reasons, it is preferably present.

[0151] There may be at least three or four webs 71 in order to reliably hold the courgette in an anti-rotation manner. At a suitable bottom surface of the push rod, there may be one or several openings 74, for example in the form of slots, into which one or several corresponding snap-fasteners of the cap can be detachably snapped, for example, in order to hold the cap. There may be guide grooves 75 on the side surface of the base 70, for example in order to guide the guide elements of the cap. In Figure 14 is shown the Figure 13 extrusion tool equipped with the cap 76.

[0152] The spiral cutter may be inserted into the drawer 77, as Figure 15 shown. The drawer 77 may be pushed into the insertion part 78 provided for this purpose in the receiving device 79. The spiral cutter may be taken out of the drawer 77 so that it can be replaced by another tool. Another tool may be another spiral cutter. However, it is also feasible to use tools provided for other purposes. The drawer 77 may be replaced by a similarly shaped tool, so that tools much larger than the spiral cutter can be used. Another tool may be a grater or a grating disc, with which, for example, Parmesan cheese or nuts can be grated.

[0153] The drawer 77 can be composed of a lower housing 80 and an upper housing 81. Then the upper housing 81 can be removed from the lower housing 80 so that the spiral cutter can be removed, for example, for cleaning purposes, and, if necessary, replaced with another tool. The lower housing 80 and the upper housing 81 can be detachably connected to each other, for example, by snap locks. However, it can also be such that the upper housing 81 can only be loosely placed on the lower housing 80.

[0154] A complete drive can be arranged in the drawer 77. The drawer 77 with the spiral cutter and the drive located therein is thus a vegetable cutter in the sense of the present invention.

[0155] As Figure 15 shown, the drawer 77 can taper inward from the outside, similar to a triangle, so that it can be particularly easily pushed into the insertion part 78. The drawer 77 can be shaped like a piece of cake. The drawer 77 can be designed such that it can be detachably snapped into the insertion part 78 when it reaches the desired final position so as to be reliably held. The insertion part 78 can be shaped such that the drawer 77 can only be pushed in laterally, i.e., horizontally. This is preferably the case so that the drawer cannot be accidentally detached during operation. The insertion part 78 can also be shaped such that the drawer 77 can alternatively or additionally be inserted (and in that sense pushed) into the insertion part 78 from above.

[0156] The top surface of the drawer 77 can have one or several insertion aids 82, 83 for the material to be cut, i.e., for example, zucchini or other vegetables. The one or several insertion aids 82, 83 can protrude upward from the top surface of the drawer 77. The insertion aid 82 can be shaped like a web, and the cross-section of the web can be slightly curved. When viewed from above, the insertion aid 83 can extend like a partial circle. The insertion aids 82, 83 can be arranged adjacent to, for example, the circular opening 84 of the drawer 77. The opening 84 enables the passage of the material to be cut to the one or several blades of the spiral cutter. Two insertion aids 82, 83 may be sufficient. The two insertion aids 82, 83 can be different. The insertion aids 82, 83 can be arranged on a semicircle restricted around the opening 84 so as not to limit the diameter of the vegetables, as Figure 15 visible.

[0157] At least one element of the drive for driving the spiral cutter or another tool can be integrated in the drawer 77. The at least one element of the drive can be a gear 51, which can be located in the inner end of the drawer 77. The shaft 50 (see Figure 9) can be inserted into the mating receiving part 85 so that the shaft 50 and the transmission elements fixed thereto, such as the gear 51, can be reliably rotatably mounted. In principle, the entire transmission is present in the drawer, and this transmission can also include two gears of different sizes. One gear can be the gear 51 of the shaft 50. The other gear can be the gear of the frame 56 of the helical cutter. One gear 51 can have at least 15 teeth and / or not more than 25 teeth. The other gear of the frame 56 can have at least 35 teeth and / or not more than 45 teeth. In this way, gears that are small enough but stable enough can be used.

[0158] The receiving part 85 can project upward from the top surface 86 of the drawer 77, as Figure 15 shown.

[0159] One or several spacer washers 86 can project outward from the receiving device 79. When the receiving device 79 is inserted into such a container 20, the one or several spacer washers 86 can ensure the distance from the edge of the container 20. In this way, it can be avoided that the receiving device 79 abuts against the entire surface of the container wall of the container 20. For example, this may lead to an increased risk of interference, which can be avoided by the one or several spacer washers 86. Alternatively or additionally, the one or several spacer washers 86 can be used to determine the insertion orientation in the container 20 for operation. The spacer washers 86 can be shaped like small cylinders or webs. The spacer washers 86 can project outward from the outer wall of the receiving device 79.

[0160] Figure 16 The receiving device 79 is shown from the bottom surface. There is an opening through which the shaft 50 (see Figure 9 ) can pass. For example, the bottom surface of the pushing part 78 has an opening through which the shaft 50 can pass. The drawer 77 also has a corresponding opening at its bottom surface. The shaft 50 can include a coupling 52 having, for example, a star-shaped groove 87. The coupling 28 of the shaft 27 (see Figure 5 ) can be pushed into the groove 87 of the coupling so as to transmit the rotational movement of the shaft 27 to the coupling 28. Therefore, the coupling 52 can be non-rotatably connected to the shaft 27.

[0161] The receiving device can taper towards the bottom surface, as Figure 16 shown. This simplifies the insertion into the container 20. The tapered part can include a stepped structure 88. For example, adjacent to the bottom surface of the stepped structure 88, one or several alignment elements 89 can be present. The alignment elements 89 can have equal distances from each other. The alignment elements 89 can be arranged approximately opposite to the spacer washers 86. There can be exactly one or two or three spacer washers 86 and exactly two or exactly three or exactly four alignment elements.

[0162] The bottom surface of the receiving device 79, for example the bottom surface of the pushing-in part 78, has an opening for cutting the material, through which, for example, a spiral cutter can be seen. The drawer 77 also has a corresponding opening at its bottom surface.

[0163] The opening for cutting the material can be separate from the opening for the shaft 50. This can apply, for example, to the bottom surface of the drawer 77, for example in order to stabilize the position of the coupling 52.

[0164] The opening for cutting the material can also be the opening for the shaft 50. For example, this can apply, for example, to simplify the manufacture of the bottom surface of the pushing-in part 78.

[0165] In Figure 17 the drawer 77 with the spiral cutter inserted is shown. It can be seen that one or several snap and / or guiding elements 90 can project laterally from the drawer 77. It is thus also possible that the snap element 90 can be easily snapped in by horizontal pushing, since the drawer tapers in the insertion direction (i.e., in the direction towards the end 91). However, it can also be only the guiding element 90 for guiding the drawer 77.

[0166] It can also be seen that the drawer 77 is partially circular on the side where the coupling 52 is arranged, for example approximately semi-circular, i.e., has a partially circular, in particular semi-circular, end 91 in order to hold and guide the coupling 52 adapted to this partially circular shape.

[0167] When viewed from above the drawer 77, the length of the straight-side can be at least 50 mm or at least 60 mm or at least 70 mm. When viewed from above the drawer 77, the length of the straight-side can be no longer than 100 mm or no longer than 90 mm or no longer than 80 mm. The straight-side can enclose an angle greater than 20° or greater than 25°. The length of the straight-side can be 75 mm to 76 mm. The straight-side can enclose an angle less than 40° or less than 35°. This angle can be, for example, 29° to 30°. The radius of one end face located on the outside in the pushed-in state can be greater than 60 mm or greater than 70 mm. The radius of one end face located on the outside in the pushed-in state can be less than 100 mm or less than 90 mm. The radius of one end face located on the outside in the pushed-in state can be 80 mm to 82 mm. The radius of the other end face located on the inside in the pushed-in state can be greater than 15 mm or greater than 20 mm. The radius of the other end face located on the inside in the pushed-in state can be less than 35 mm or less than 30 mm. The radius of the other end face located on the inside in the pushed-in state can be 26 mm to 28 mm. The diameter of the opening can be at least 35 mm or at least 40 mm, through which, in particular, the assembly 62 can be seen. The diameter of the opening can not exceed 60 mm or not exceed 55 mm, through which the assembly 62 can be seen. These dimensions are suitable for cutting zucchinis of typical sizes.

[0168] InFigure 18 The receiving device 79 is shown. It can be seen that there may be one or several snap-in and / or guiding openings 92 for the snap and / or guiding elements 90 of the drawer 77. Thus, the snap element 90 can snap into the snap-in opening 92. The snap element 90 can be guided through the guiding opening 92 without snapping in. The one or several snap-in and / or guiding openings can be arranged in the side wall part of the pushing part 78. For example, the bottom surface of the pushing part 78 can have an opening 93, a shaft 50 or a coupling 52 and is used for allowing the cutting material to pass through.

[0169] In Figure 19 an adapter 94 is shown, which can be inserted into the drawer 77 instead of the spiral cutter. Thus, the outer dimensions of the base body 60 and the frame 56 of the adapter 94 are such that they are consistent with the outer dimensions of the spiral cutter, for example as Figure 11 shown, so that replacement can be carried out. The adapter can have a central adapter interface 95, which can be square, for example, so that rotational movement can be transmitted to the tool that can be connected to it. Alternatively or additionally, the adapter can have adapter interfaces 96 that are annularly distributed around the center, and the couplings of the tools that can be connected to it can engage with the adapter interfaces. The annularly distributed adapter interfaces 95 can be circular holes. Adapter interfaces that are shaped differently or arranged differently can also be provided on the top surface of the adapter.

[0170] In Figure 20 an extrusion tool 97 with a pressure cone 98 is shown, which can be inserted into the drawer 77 instead of the spiral cutter or the adapter 94. Thus, the outer dimensions of the base body 60 and the frame 56 of the pressure cone 97 are such that they are consistent with the outer dimensions of the spiral cutter, for example as Figure 11 shown, so that replacement can be carried out. The pressure cone 98 can protrude upwards. There may be one or several drain openings 99 between the frame 56 and the pressure cone 98. For example, the juice that has been pressed out of citrus fruits such as lemons by means of the pressure cone 98 can be discharged downwards via the one or several drain openings 99. The frame 56 can protrude upwards relative to the joint edge of the pressure cone 98 such that liquids such as juice will not flow over the frame 56 in principle.

[0171] The vegetable cutter or the tool that can be replaced with it can also be connected to the motor of the kitchen appliance in a different way from that described previously. It is feasible that during operation, the vegetable cutter is located above the container of the kitchen appliance. In principle, any arrangement inside / on / within / above / partially inside / partially above the kitchen appliance is feasible. It is also feasible to carry out a lateral arrangement with the aid of a correspondingly designed transmission device.

Claims

1. A kitchen device (30), the kitchen device having: a container (31); a lid (32) that can be placed on the container (31); a tool that can be placed on the container (31) instead of the lid (32), wherein the tool includes a first component (5) and a second component (20 to 26); a locking device for locking the lid (32) placed on the container (31); a sensor (34), which is triggered when the placed lid (32) is locked by the locking device or the placed tool, characterized in that, The tool includes a spiral cutter.

2. The kitchen appliance (30) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, The locking device is adapted to lock the tool placed on the container (31), and when the placed tool is locked by the locking device, the sensor (34) is triggered, wherein when only a part of the tool (5) is placed, the sensor (34) is not triggered.

3. The kitchen appliance (30) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The spiral cutter has a conical base 53, the conical base having a blade (54) and an opening (55) adjacent to the blade (54).

4. The kitchen appliance (30) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, The opening (55) is L-shaped, and the legs of the L-shape are adjacent to the outer edge of the base.

5. The kitchen appliance (30) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The spiral cutter is part of a vegetable cutter (44), and the inner circumferential edge (57) of the spiral cutter is placed on the cylindrical protrusion (48) of the vegetable cutter (44).

6. The kitchen appliance (30) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The spiral cutter is part of a vegetable cutter (44), and the vegetable cutter includes a bottom plate (45) and a handle mounted at the bottom plate (45).

7. The kitchen appliance (30) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The spiral cutter is part of a vegetable cutter (44), and the vegetable cutter includes a shaft (50), and the spiral cutter arranged beside the shaft is driven by the shaft.

8. The kitchen equipment (30) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that, The spiral cutter is driven via a transmission (51, 56) during the operation such that the spiral cutter rotates slower than the shaft (50).

9. The kitchen appliance (30) according to one of the two preceding claims, characterized in that, The shaft (50) has a coupling (52) at the bottom surface.

10. The kitchen appliance (30) according to one of the three preceding claims, characterized in that, The shaft (50) is a hollow shaft, and the rod (10) of the tool extends into the hollow shaft during the operation.

11. The kitchen device (30) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The locking device is arranged such that the tool moves from an initial position to a final position by the locking in the placed state, and the sensor (34) is triggered when the tool is in the final position.

12. The kitchen equipment (30) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, The locking device is arranged such that the first part (5) of the tool moves from the initial position to the final position by the locking, and the first part (5) is designed such that the first part moves the second part (20 to 26) of the tool from the initial position to the final position by the locking, and the second part (20 to 26) is arranged such that when the second part (20 to 26) is in its final position, the second part triggers the sensor (34), wherein the second part is the container (20) and the first part is the covering part (5) for the container.

13. The kitchen appliance (30) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The tool includes a spiral cutter, a covering part (5), a container (20) and a cutting disc (14), wherein the tool can be selectively operated with the spiral cutter or the cutting disc (14).

14. A vegetable cutter (44) for a kitchen appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The vegetable cutter (44) has a flat bottom plate (45) with a circular outer periphery, on which two cylindrical projections (47, 48) and a handle (49) are provided. The axis of the vegetable cutter (44) passes through or can pass through one of the cylindrical projections (47, 48), and the spiral cutter of the vegetable cutter is rotatably placed on the other cylindrical projection (48). The spiral cutter is driven via a transmission (51, 56) such that the spiral cutter rotates slower than the axis (50).

15. A tool having the vegetable cutter (44) according to the preceding claims, a covering part (5), a container (20) and a cutting disc (14), wherein the tool can be operated together with the vegetable cutter or the cutting disc (14).

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