Working unit for a food processing device and food processing device

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a working unit for a food processing apparatus and a food processing apparatus. The working unit comprises a carrier shaft configured to be rotatable about a central axis, and at least two processing elements uniformly distributed in a circumferential direction of the carrier shaft, wherein each processing element is configured to be mounted to the carrier shaft at one end thereof and to be horizontally pivotable relative to the carrier shaft about a pivot axis passing through the mounting end within a predetermined angular range for switching between a working position and a non-working position, the pivot axis being parallel to the central axis, and the processing element is further configured to continue rotating with the carrier shaft about the central axis for processing food after entering the working position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of food processing, and more specifically, to working units for food processing equipment and food processing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Food processing equipment is now widely used in people's lives. People usually use the blade assembly in food processing equipment to chop foods such as meat and vegetables for more refined food processing.

[0003] However, during the process of chopping food using existing food processing equipment, the blade assembly often gets stuck in the food, causing the equipment to malfunction. To solve this problem, it is generally necessary to equip the processing equipment with a drive with a large driving force, which in turn is detrimental to obtaining chopped food within the desired size range.

[0004] Therefore, a new type of food processing equipment is needed that can overcome the aforementioned problems of existing technology. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention proposes a working unit for food processing equipment and the food processing equipment itself. The bearing shaft of the working unit can rotate around a central axis, and the processing elements arranged around the bearing shaft can pivot relative to the bearing shaft around their respective pivot axes. This allows the processing elements to switch between non-working and working positions, effectively preventing the processing elements from being stuck by food during operation, reducing equipment failure rate, and improving user experience.

[0006] In a first aspect of this disclosure, a working unit for a food processing apparatus is provided, comprising: a support shaft configured to rotate about a central axis; and at least two processing elements evenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the support shaft; wherein each of the processing elements is configured to be mounted to the support shaft at one end and to pivot horizontally relative to the support shaft within a predetermined angular range about a pivot axis passing through the mounting end as the support shaft rotates in two opposite directions, thereby switching between a working position and a non-working position, the pivot axis being parallel to the central axis; the processing element is further configured to, after entering the working position, continue to rotate together with the support shaft about the central axis to process food.

[0007] In a second aspect of this disclosure, a food processing apparatus is provided, comprising: a working container for containing food to be processed; a working unit according to the first aspect, centrally and rotatably supported in the working container; a cover configured to detachably cover the working container; and a drive assembly disposed inside the cover and configured to be fixedly engaged with the working unit to drive the working unit to rotate.

[0008] Compared with existing technologies, the working unit and food processing equipment provided in this disclosure have the following beneficial effects:

[0009] (1) The bearing shaft can rotate around the central axis, and the processing element can pivot around the pivot axis relative to the bearing shaft within a specific angle range. Thus, by making the bearing shaft rotate forward and reverse, the processing element can switch between the non-working position and the working position, which greatly reduces the possibility of the processing element being stuck by food.

[0010] (2) The drive assembly of the food processing equipment disclosed herein adopts a one-way ratchet mechanism, which enables the pawl to engage with the one-way ratchet when rotating in the forward direction, thereby realizing transmission, while the pawl retracts and disengages from the one-way ratchet when rotating in the reverse direction, thereby solving the problem that the drive assembly often disengages from the processing element in the prior art. Attached Figure Description

[0011] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this application. Where appropriate, the same reference numerals are used in all drawings to refer to the same or similar parts. Such embodiments are illustrative and are not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive embodiments of this device or method. In the drawings:

[0012] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of a food processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 2 This is a top view of a food processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 3 A side view of a drive component according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0015] Figure 4 A top view of a drive component according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0016] Figure 5 An exploded view of a drive component according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0017] Figure 6For the driving component according to the embodiments of this disclosure along Figure 4 A cross-sectional view taken from line BB in the middle;

[0018] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a transmission assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 8 According to embodiments of this disclosure Figure 3 The cross-sectional view taken by line CC in the figure shows the meshing state between the one-way ratchet and the pawl;

[0020] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a working unit in a non-working position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 10 A bottom view of a working unit in a non-working position according to an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0022] Figure 11 This is a top view of a working unit in a non-working position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 12 For the working unit in the non-working position according to the embodiments of this disclosure along Figure 11 A cross-sectional view taken from line DD in the middle;

[0024] Figure 13 For the working unit in the non-working position according to the embodiments of this disclosure along Figure 12 A cross-sectional view taken from line EE in the middle;

[0025] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a working unit in the working position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] Attached image captions:

[0027] 100—Food processing equipment;

[0028] 200—Working container; 300—Lid; 400—Drive assembly; 500—Working unit;

[0029] 210—Container body; 220—Packaging component; 210A—Upper part; 210B—Lower part; 210C—Junior journal; 230—Support ring

[0030] 310—Lower part of the cover; 320—Upper part of the cover; 311—Lower opening of the cover; 310A—Upper side wall; 310B—Lower side wall; 310C—Middle side wall; 320A—Groove; 320B—Mounting post; 320B'—Internal threaded hole; 320C—Through hole of the cover; 312—Transmission assembly receiving part

[0031] 410—Main body; 420—Curled spring; 430—Transmission assembly; 450—Driver; 460—Protective cover; 461—Top disc; 462—Tubular extension; 411—Upper spring chamber; 412—Lower transmission chamber; 413—Neck; 411A—Bottom wall recess; 411B—Spring chamber opening; 411C—Spring chamber extension; 411D—First through channel; 414—Mounting sleeve; 414A—Upper cover; 414B—Lower sleeve; 415—Mounting plate; 416—Mounting screw; 414C— Second through passage; 411E—Spring engagement part; 411F—Spring chamber cover; 421—Outer edge end; 422—Curled spring buckle; 412A—Ratchet; 412B—One-way ratchet; 412C—Groove; 431—Base; 431A—Connecting part; 431B—Upper part of base; 431B'—Annular groove; 431C—Lower part of base; 432—Pawl; 430'—Anti-vibration pad; 432A—Head; 432B—Tail; 432C—Middle part; 433—Rotating shaft; 434—Stop; 435—Support column

[0032] 510—Bearing shaft; 511—Horizontal groove; 512—Upper protrusion; 513—Lower protrusion; 514—Upper joint; 515—Lower joint; 516—Shim; 520—Machined element; 530—Pivot shaft; 521—Mounting end; 522—Free end; 522A—Stop protrusion Detailed Implementation

[0033] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the described embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0034] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this application shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this application do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0035] To keep the following description of the embodiments of this application clear and concise, detailed descriptions of known functions and known components are omitted.

[0036] Figure 1 and Figure 2 This disclosure shows a food processing apparatus 100, wherein, Figure 2 A top view of the food processing equipment 100 is shown. Figure 1 The food processing equipment 100 is shown along... Figure 2 A cross-sectional view taken by line AA passing through the central axis. (See figure.) Figure 1 As shown, the food processing equipment 100 is basically rotationally symmetrical and may include major components such as a working container 200, a cover 300, a drive assembly 400, and a working unit 500.

[0037] like Figure 1As shown, the working container 200 is preferably made of transparent or translucent food-grade plastic material for holding food to be processed, and is preferably constructed as a round bowl-shaped container, but may optionally be other shapes, such as square, rectangular, or regular hexagonal. The dimensions of the working container 200 are designed so that it does not interfere with the inner wall of the container when the internal working unit 500 is in operation. In addition, the working container 200 may include a container body 210 and a wrapping element 220 surrounding the container body 210. The wrapping element 220 may be, for example, a rubber protective sleeve, to protect the container body 210 from contact with the outside while increasing the friction when the user holds the container body 210. The container body 210 can be divided into an upper part 210A and a lower part 210B along the vertical direction. The size of the upper part 210A (in the case of a circular shape, this size is the diameter) is slightly larger than that of the lower part 210B, forming a structure that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. The wrapping piece 220 can wrap around the area of ​​the lower part 210B, while the cover 300 can be fitted onto the upper part 210A, which is the opening area, by form-locking and / or force-locking. That is, the cover 300 is detachably fitted onto the upper part 210A of the working container 200.

[0038] At the bottom of the container body 210, there is a centrally located, upwardly extending journal 210C, which can be rotatably engaged with the lower engagement portion (described later) at the lower end of the working unit 500. That is, the lower engagement portion (i.e., the bearing opening) of the working unit 500 can be inserted into the journal 210C, so that the working unit 500 can rotate around the journal 210C under the drive force.

[0039] Optionally, a support ring 230 is detachably provided at the bottom of the container body 210. It is preferably made of rubber material, so as to support the container body 210 and suppress the vibration caused by the internal working unit 500 during operation.

[0040] For ease of description, the following text will use a circular working container 200 as an example.

[0041] Further as Figure 1As shown, the cover 300 of the food processing equipment 100 includes a lower cover portion 310 and an upper cover portion 320 mounted on the lower cover portion 310. The upper cover portion 320 is generally arched, and a drive assembly 400 (described later) is arranged in the internal space between the upper cover portion 320 and the lower cover portion 310. The lower cover portion 310 has a centrally located circular lower cover opening 311. The bottom of the drive assembly 400 can extend into the working container 200 through the lower cover opening 311 and be fixedly engaged with the upper joint of the working unit 500, so that the torque of the drive assembly 400 can be transmitted to the working unit 500 in the working container 200 via the fixed engagement.

[0042] The upper part 320 and the lower part 310 of the lid are tightly and fixedly connected around each other in the circumferential direction to prevent food residue or water from seeping into the internal space of the upper part 320; at the same time, the lower part 310 and the container body 210 are tightly and detachably connected around each other in the circumferential direction to prevent food inside the container body 210 from leaking to the outside of the container during processing. Specifically, in Figure 1 In one embodiment, the lower part 310 of the cover is provided with an upper sidewall 310A, a lower sidewall 310B surrounding the periphery, and an intermediate sidewall 310C connecting the two, such that the sidewalls of the lower part 310 of the cover are stepped. The upper sidewall 310A has a groove 320A that can be sealed and embedded in the peripheral sidewall of the upper part 320 of the cover, and the lower sidewall 310B has an outer contour that allows the upper part 320 of the cover to be shape-locked and / or force-locked onto the container body 210 of the working container 200. Optionally, the cover 300 and the container body 210 can be pivotally connected, that is, the cover 300 can pivot about the pivot between them to achieve the closing and opening of the container body 210.

[0043] As described above, the drive assembly 400 of this disclosure is fixedly arranged in the internal space between the upper part 320 and the lower part 310 of the cover. The following will be combined with... Figure 1 as well as Figures 3-8 The structure of the driver component 400 is described in detail.

[0044] Figure 3 and Figure 4 A side view and a top view of a drive assembly 400 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure are shown respectively. Figure 5 An exploded view of a drive assembly 400 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 6 It shows along Figure 4 The cross-sectional view taken from line BB. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the drive assembly 400 may include a main body 410, a spring 420, a transmission assembly 430, and a drive component 450, etc.

[0045] like Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, the main body 410 may include an upper spring chamber 411, a lower transmission chamber 412, and a neck 413 fixedly disposed between the two. All three are cylindrical and integrally disposed. The diameter of the neck 413 is smaller than the diameter of the upper spring chamber 411 and the lower transmission chamber 412.

[0046] Specifically, a circular bottom wall recess 411A is provided on the bottom wall of the upper spring chamber 411, and a spring chamber opening 411B is provided at the center of the bottom wall recess 411A. Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown in the figure, a spring chamber extension 411C extending vertically downward from the spring chamber opening 411B extends into the neck 413, and the interior of the spring chamber extension 411C has a vertically extending first through channel 411D. Figure 6 The first through-passage 411D is connected to the spring chamber opening 411B. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the mounting sleeve 414, which is roughly T-shaped, is as follows (e.g. Figure 5 The lower sleeve portion 414B (as shown) is inserted into the first through channel 411D, and its upper cover portion 414A is accommodated in the bottom wall recess 411A of the upper spring chamber 411. The surface of the lower end of the lower sleeve portion 414B is flush with the surface of the lower end of the spring chamber extension 411C. The thickness of the upper cover portion 414A is designed such that its upper surface is flush with the surface of the bottom wall of the upper spring chamber 411, while its diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of the bottom wall recess 411A, allowing the upper spring chamber 411 (and thus the main body 410) to rotate around the mounting sleeve 414. The mounting sleeve 414 has a second through channel 414C extending from the upper cover portion 414A to the lower sleeve portion 414B. Figure 6 The mounting plate 415 is positioned below the lower end aligned surfaces of the lower sleeve portion 414B and the spring chamber extension 411C. A mounting screw 416 passes through a hole in the center of the mounting plate 415 from bottom to top and extends into the second through-channel 414C. Simultaneously, a mounting post 320B extending downwards from the center of the inner wall of the upper cover portion 320 extends into the second through-channel 414C. The length of the mounting post 320B is designed such that the surface of its lower end is slightly lower than the lower end aligned surfaces of the lower sleeve portion 414B and the spring chamber extension 411C. The lower end of the mounting post 320B has an internally threaded hole 320B', allowing the mounting screw 416 to be threaded into the internally threaded hole 320B' of the mounting post 320B (e.g., ...). Figure 1As shown), the mounting sleeve 414 is fixed from below. Furthermore, the mounting post 320B has a first stepped portion near the upper spring chamber 411, which abuts against the upper cover portion 414A of the mounting sleeve 414, thereby preventing the mounting sleeve 414 from moving vertically. The lower sleeve portion 414B of the mounting sleeve 414 is fixed to the mounting post 320B by the mounting plate 415 and mounting screws 416 below, thus fixing the mounting sleeve 414 and allowing the main body 410 to rotate around the mounting sleeve 414 under external force.

[0047] like Figure 1 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, one end of the drive member 450, which is the actuator of the food processing equipment 100, is fixed to the outer wall of the neck 413 and is wound around the neck 413 of the main body 410 several times. The other end extends out of the cover through hole 320C opened on the upper part 320 of the cover 300, so that the main body 410 can be rotated in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction by pulling the other end by an external force.

[0048] Preferably, the drive element 450 can be constructed as a flexible cable.

[0049] Preferably, a drive handle (not shown) is installed at the other end of the drive member 450, which is located outside the cover through hole 320C of the cover body 300, so that the user can hold the drive handle and pull the drive member 450.

[0050] Alternatively, the drive unit 450 can be configured to be manually or electrically operated.

[0051] In addition, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, a spring engaging portion 411E is provided on the side wall of the upper spring chamber 411, and the outer edge end 421 of the mainspring 420 ( Figure 5 The spring 420 can be detachably engaged with the spring engagement portion 411E, and the spring clip 422 mounted at its central end can be fixed to the mounting post 320B passing through the upper spring chamber 411, thereby fixing the two ends of the spring 420 relative to the upper spring chamber 411. In the non-operating state, that is, when no external force is applied to the drive member 450, the spring 420 is in a relaxed state. In the operating state, that is, when an external force is applied to the drive member 450, the upper spring chamber 411 (and thus the main body 410) is driven along a first direction (e.g., Figure 6The spring 420 rotates (as shown by arrow B, counterclockwise), thereby rotating the working unit 500. Simultaneously, the spring 420 located inside the upper spring chamber 411 rotates in the same first direction due to the rotation of the upper spring chamber 411, thus contracting inwards to enter a tensioned state. During the transition from the working state to the non-working state, i.e., during the release of the applied external force, the spring 420, due to the restoring force, rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction (e.g., ...). Figure 6 As shown, it rotates clockwise (as indicated by arrow A) and then releases outward into a relaxed state, causing the upper spring chamber 411 (and thus the main body 410) to rotate in the opposite direction along the second direction.

[0052] In optional embodiments, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the upper spring chamber 411 is provided with a spring chamber cover 411F at its top, which can tightly cover the top of the upper spring chamber 411. In addition, a through hole is provided at the center of the spring chamber cover 411F so that the mounting post 320B extending downward from the top inner wall of the upper part 320 of the cover body passes through the through hole and enters the second through channel 414C of the mounting sleeve 414.

[0053] In one embodiment, the transmission assembly 430 is installed inside the lower transmission chamber 412 to connect the upper main body 410 and the lower working unit 500, so as to transmit the torque from the main body 410 to the working unit 500 and drive the working unit 500 to rotate.

[0054] Figure 8 It shows along Figure 3 The cross-sectional view is taken by line CC. Specifically, as shown... Figure 8 As shown, a plurality of ratchet teeth 412A are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction on the lower edge of the inner wall of the lower transmission chamber 412, thereby forming an internally meshing one-way ratchet 412B on the lower edge of the inner wall. The orientation of the ratchet teeth 412A is, for example, clockwise. A transmission assembly 430 is installed at the center of the one-way ratchet 412B. This transmission assembly 430 can selectively mesh with the one-way ratchet 412B, so that the torque of the main body 410 can be transmitted to the working unit 500 via the transmission assembly 430.

[0055] Specifically, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown, the transmission assembly 430 may include a base 431 and at least two pawls 432 (two pawls are shown illustratively in the figure). The base 431 is arranged at the bottom of the lower transmission chamber 412, inside the one-way ratchet 412B, and a coupling member 431A is provided at the lower part of the base 431. The coupling member 431A can be fixedly engaged with the upper engagement portion (described below) of the bearing shaft of the working unit 500, so that the torque of the base 431 can be transmitted to the bearing shaft of the working unit 500. As described above, a lower opening 311 is provided at the center of the lower part 310 of the cover 300, and a transmission assembly receiving portion 312 is provided around the lower opening 311 to accommodate the transmission assembly 430 therein. The transmission assembly 430 can be placed in the transmission assembly receiving portion 312, and the coupling member 431 is fixedly engaged with the upper engagement portion of the bearing shaft of the working unit 500. Preferably, a vibration damping pad 430' can also be provided between the transmission assembly 430 and the transmission assembly receiving portion 312 to reduce vibration during operation.

[0056] like Figure 7 As shown, a second step is provided on the upper surface of the base 431, making the size of the upper part 431B of the base smaller than the size of the lower part 431C of the base. At least two pawls 432 are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction on the upper surface edge of the upper part 431B of the base. Specifically, a rotating shaft 433 is provided on the upper surface edge of the upper part 431B of the base corresponding to each pawl 432, and the head 432A of each pawl 432 can rotate around the corresponding rotating shaft 433; a stop 434 is provided on the upper surface edge of the lower part 431C of the base corresponding to each pawl 432, and the tail 432B of each pawl 432 is made of an elastic material (such as rubber) and can elastically abut against the radially inner side of the corresponding stop 434 to allow the head 432A of the pawl 432 to rotate. After 2A rotates and contracts radially inward, it tends to rotate and extend radially outward. On the upper surface edge of the upper part 431B of the base, a support post 435 is provided corresponding to each pawl 432. The support post 435 is located between the rotating shaft 433 and the stop member 434. When the head 432A of each pawl 432 rotates and extends radially outward, the middle part 432C of the pawl 432 can abut (press against) the support post 435 to limit the head 432A from further rotating and extending radially outward.

[0057] It should be understood that the at least two pawls 432 should be configured to contract or extend synchronously and simultaneously, thereby ensuring the stable operation of the food processing equipment 100.

[0058] Alternatively, as shown in the figure, the stop 434 can be constructed as an arc-shaped plate, so that the tail 432B can abut against the stop 434 over a large width range.

[0059] It should be understood that, such as Figure 8 As shown, in the non-working state, the head 432A of the pawl 432 is engaged with the tooth groove 412C between the adjacent ratchet 412A. On the one hand, as the lower transmission chamber 412 (and thus the one-way ratchet 412B) rotates along the first direction driven by the drive member 450, due to the engagement between the head 432A of the pawl 432 and the tooth groove 412C, the head 432A of the pawl 432, and thus the entire pawl 432, tends to rotate and extend radially outward under the drive of the one-way ratchet 412B. The middle part 432C of the pawl 432 presses against the support column 435, so that the further rotational extension of the pawl 432 radially outward is blocked by the support column 435, thereby keeping the pawl 432 in the engaged state, thus enabling the torque of the main body 410 to be transmitted to the working unit 500 fixedly connected to the transmission assembly 430, causing the working unit 500 to rotate to process food. On the other hand, during the rotation of the lower transmission chamber 412 (and thus the one-way ratchet 412B) along the second direction opposite to the first direction, the head 432A of the pawl 432 in the meshing state is pushed by the ratchet 412A along the second direction and rotates and retracts radially inward. At this time, the middle part 432C of the pawl 432 disengages from the support 435, and the tail part 432B elastically abuts against the stop 434. This, in turn, causes the head 432A to tend to rotate and extend radially outward after rotating and retracting radially inward. That is, the pawl 432 disengages from the one-way ratchet 412B until the one-way ratchet 412B changes its rotation direction (re-rotates along the first direction), thereby achieving re-meshing between the head 432A and any tooth groove 412C.

[0060] Optionally, a protective cover 460 is also provided above the transmission assembly 430, such as... Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown. Specifically, the protective cover 460 has a T-shaped cross-section, including a top disc 461 and a tubular extension 462 extending downward from the top disc 461. The top disc 461 has through holes for engaging with the rotating shaft 433, the support column 435, and the stop 434, respectively. The tubular extension 462 can be inserted into the annular groove 431B' opened at the center of the upper part 431B of the base. Figure 7 Furthermore, its height is designed such that the height of the space formed between the outer edge of the top disc 461 and the upper surface of the base 431B is greater than the thickness of the pawl 432, thereby enabling the pawl 432 to be accommodated in the space so that the movement of the pawl 432 is not interfered with by other components.

[0061] This design allows the food processing equipment 100 to engage the main body 410 of the drive assembly 400 with the transmission assembly 430 via an actuated drive member 450 and a one-way ratchet mechanism during processing. This enables the working unit 500 to rotate under the drive of the transmission assembly 430 to process food. Furthermore, releasing the drive member 450 disengages the transmission assembly 430 from the main body 410, preventing the working unit 500 from rotating. Therefore, efficient control of the food processing equipment 100's processing process is achieved, preventing the drive member 450 from disengaging from the working unit 500 during normal operation.

[0062] The following will combine Figures 9-14 The structure of the working unit 500 provided in this disclosure is described in detail.

[0063] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of the working unit 500 provided in this disclosure is shown. Figure 9 As shown, the working unit 500 includes: a bearing shaft 510, which is rotatable about a central axis XX; and at least two processing elements 520, which are evenly arranged on the bearing shaft 510 in the circumferential direction.

[0064] exist Figure 9 The diagram exemplarily illustrates two processing elements 520, which are distributed on opposite sides of the central axis XX to ensure torque balance. Of course, this disclosure is also applicable to more than two processing elements 520, provided they are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction.

[0065] Depending on the processing requirements of the food processing equipment 100, each processing element 520 can be in the form of a sheet or a rod. For example, the processing element 520 can be configured as a blade for cutting and / or crushing, a finger-like element for shaping or peeling, or a stirring rod for foaming. The following description will use a cutting element - a blade - as an example.

[0066] like Figure 9 As shown, the machining element 520 includes a mounting end 521 and a free end 522, which is pivotally mounted to the support shaft 510 at the mounting end 521. Specifically, a horizontal slot 511 is provided on the support shaft 510 corresponding to each machining element 520 to accommodate the mounting end 521 of the machining element 520. Inside the horizontal slot 511, the mounting end 521 can pivot horizontally relative to the support shaft 510 within a predetermined angle range about a pivot axis 530 passing through the mounting end 521, thereby allowing the machining element 520 to switch between a working position and a non-working position.

[0067] It should be understood that the "working position" here corresponds to one of the critical angles within the predetermined angle range, such as... Figure 14 As shown, at this position, for example, two processing elements 520 are collinear in their axial direction (in other technical solutions, such as those including three processing elements 520, the included angle between adjacent processing elements 520 is 120°). Furthermore, within this predetermined angle range, at angular positions other than the aforementioned critical angle, the processing elements 520 can be considered to be in a "non-working position," such as... Figures 9-13 As shown, for example, two processing elements 520 each pivot to another critical angle position within a predetermined angle range, such that they are parallel to each other in their axial direction (e.g. Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown in the figure, this minimizes the space occupied by the work unit 500, so that the work container 200 can hold as much food as possible.

[0068] exist Figures 9-13 In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting end 522 of the processing element 520 includes a stop protrusion 522A, which is integrally provided with the mounting end 522 or is part of the mounting end 522. The stop protrusion 522A extends obliquely from the mounting end 522 in the horizontal plane and is located on the side opposite to the food contact side of the processing element 520, that is, it extends obliquely opposite to the food contact side (on this side of the processing element 520 (i.e., the front edge) where a blade for cutting food is provided, for example).

[0069] Furthermore, driven by the initial rotation of the bearing shaft 510, the machining element 520 can pivot horizontally in a certain direction within a predetermined angle range around the pivot shaft 530. The stop protrusion 522A can then precisely abut against the inner wall of the horizontal slot 511 at a critical angle position, thereby allowing the machining element 520 to enter and remain in the working position (e.g., ...). Figure 14 As shown in the diagram, the processing element 520 and the support shaft 510 then rotate together around the central axis XX. During this rotation, the cutting edge of the processing element 520 is positioned in front in the direction of rotation to complete the cutting of the food. By designing a support shaft with multiple axes, the processing element 520, which can pivot within a predetermined angle range during the process of filling the working container with the food to be processed, can actively "avoid" food that is close to it, avoiding close contact with the food. At the same time, during the process of switching from a non-working position to a working position, the processing element 520 can redistribute the food to be processed in the container, preventing food from getting stuck in the processing element.

[0070] Furthermore, when the bearing shaft 510 rotates in the opposite direction to the initial rotation direction, the stop protrusion 522A of the mounting end 522 of the machining element 520 disengages from the inner wall of the horizontal slot 511 and switches from the working position to the non-working position.

[0071] like Figure 9 and Figure 13 As shown, an upper protrusion 512 and a lower protrusion 513 are respectively provided on the outer surface of the bearing shaft 510 at positions corresponding to the upper and lower edges of the horizontal slot 511. They can be integrally provided with the bearing shaft 510 or as part of the bearing shaft 510. The pivot shaft 530 is configured to pass sequentially through the upper protrusion 512, the mounting end 522 of the processing element 520, and the lower protrusion 513, thereby defining the pivot axis YY. Preferably, the pivot shaft 530 can be constructed as, for example, a pin.

[0072] In a preferred embodiment, gaskets 516 are provided between the mounting end 522 and the upper protrusion 512, and between the mounting end 522 and the lower protrusion 513, such as Figure 12 As shown. The gasket 516 has a shape and profile that substantially matches the mounting end 522, including the stop protrusion 522A. Figure 9 (As can be clearly seen in the image), and the two are connected as one unit by means of, for example, rivets or adhesives, which can protect the mounting end 522 of the processing element 520 from wear caused by friction with other parts during pivoting, and extend the service life of the processing element 520.

[0073] Alternatively, the pivot axis 530 around which the processing element 520 pivots can be fixedly located inside the horizontal slot 511, between the top and bottom walls of the slot, thus simplifying the structure of the working unit 500.

[0074] Preferably, the outline of the mounting end 522, including the stop protrusion 522A, is consistent with at least a portion of the inner wall of the horizontal slot 511, so that in the working position, the mounting end 522 can fit tightly against the inner wall of the horizontal slot 511.

[0075] To improve the efficiency of food processing in the working unit 500, multiple processing elements 520 can be arranged at different heights along the axial direction of the bearing shaft 510, such as... Figure 9 and Figure 12 As shown.

[0076] like Figure 9 As shown, an upper engagement portion 514 is provided at the top of the bearing shaft 510, which is fixedly engaged with the engagement member 431A of the transmission component 430 of the drive component 400. The cross-sectional shape of the engagement member 431A and the upper engagement portion 514 can be square, regular pentagon, regular hexagon or regular octagon. At the same time, a lower engagement portion 515 is provided at the bottom of the bearing shaft 510, which is rotatably engaged with the bottom wall of the working container 200.

[0077] The following is a general introduction to the operation method and working principle of the food processing equipment 100 provided in this disclosure.

[0078] As mentioned above, in the non-working state, the processing element 520 of the working unit 500 installed inside the working container 200 can be in a non-working position, while the spring spring 420 in the upper spring chamber 411 of the drive assembly 400 is in a relaxed state.

[0079] On the one hand, when food processing is required, the food to be processed is first added into the container body 210 of the working container 200, and then the lid 300 is closed (at this time, the working unit 500 can be placed in the container body 210 in a state of fixed engagement with the lid 300, or the working unit 500 itself can be rotatably engaged in the container body 210, and after the lid 300 is closed, it is fixedly engaged with the working unit 500; this invention does not impose any limitations here). By applying an external force to the driving member 450, such as pulling an elastic cable, the body 410 of the driving assembly 400 is moved along a first direction (e.g., Figure 6 and Figure 8 As shown, the spring 420 in the upper spring chamber 411 rotates in the same first direction (counterclockwise as indicated by arrow B), thus contracting radially inward and moving from a relaxed state to a tensioned state; the one-way ratchet 412B formed on the inner wall of the lower edge of the lower transmission chamber 412 of the main body 410 also rotates in the first direction (as shown by arrow B). Figure 8 As shown), through the meshing between the tooth groove 412C of the one-way ratchet 412B and the head 432A of the pawl 432, torque is transmitted to the transmission assembly 430, which also rotates along the first direction; through the fixed engagement between the transmission assembly 430 and the working unit 500, the bearing shaft 510 of the working unit 500 also correspondingly rotates around the central axis XX along the first direction (as shown). Figure 9 The initial rotation is indicated by the counterclockwise direction (as shown by arrow B in the diagram). Driven by the initial rotation of the bearing shaft 510, the mounting ends 522 of each processing element 520 in the non-working position rotate around their respective pivot axes 530 (i.e., pivot axis YY) in a second direction opposite to the first direction (e.g., as shown by arrow B in the diagram). Figure 9Pivot (clockwise as indicated by arrow A) until the stop protrusion 522A abuts against and fits tightly against the inner wall of the horizontal slot 511 of the support shaft 510, causing the processing element 522 to move from the non-working position to the working position. Then, the processing element 522 rotates together with the support shaft 510 about its central axis XX to complete the processing of the internal food. On the other hand, when the external force applied to the drive member 450 is released, the spring 420 in the upper spring chamber 411 tends to return from the tensioned state to the relaxed state, rotates along the second direction, and extends radially outward. The drive member 450 partially retracts into the cover 300. Under the action of the restoring force of the spring 420, the main body 410 of the drive assembly 400 also begins to rotate in the opposite direction along the second direction. The one-way ratchet 412B formed on the inner wall of the lower edge of the lower transmission chamber 412 of the main body 410 also rotates along the second direction, causing the head 432A of the pawl 432 to rotate radially inward and retract under the pressure of each ratchet tooth 412A. Thus, the pawl 432 disengages from the one-way ratchet 412B, and the torque of the main body 410 can no longer be transmitted to the working unit 500. The rotation of the working unit 500 gradually slows down until it stops, thereby completing one processing operation. By repeating the above steps, the complete processing process of the food to be processed can be completed.

[0080] In this process, by employing the selective engagement of a one-way ratchet 412B and a pawl 432 in the drive assembly 400, the operation of the working unit 500 can be effectively and reliably controlled, preventing the drive component 450 from disengaging from the control of the working unit 500. Furthermore, by designing a bearing shaft 510 with multiple axes (such as a central axis XX and multiple pivot axes YY), the processing element 520, which can pivot within a predetermined angle range during the loading of food into the working container, can actively "avoid" food that is close to it, preventing close contact. Simultaneously, during the switching of the processing element 520 from a non-working position to a working position, the food to be processed within the container can be redistributed, preventing food from jamming the processing element.

[0081] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and an explanation of the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of disclosure in this application is not limited to technical solutions formed by specific combinations of the above-described technical features, but should also cover other technical solutions formed by arbitrary combinations of the above-described technical features or their equivalents without departing from the above-described concept. For example, technical solutions formed by substituting the above features with (but not limited to) technical features with similar functions disclosed in this application.

[0082] Furthermore, while the operations are described in a specific order, this should not be construed as requiring these operations to be performed in the specific order shown or in sequential order. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Similarly, while several specific implementation details are included in the above discussion, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Certain features described in the context of individual embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented individually or in any suitable sub-combination in multiple embodiments.

[0083] Although the subject matter has been described using language specific to structural features and / or methodological logic, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are merely illustrative examples of implementing the claims.

[0084] The foregoing has described in detail several embodiments of this application, but this application is not limited to these specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art can make various variations and modifications based on the concept of this application, and all such variations and modifications should fall within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

Claims

1. A working unit (500) for a food processing equipment (100), characterized in that, include: The bearing shaft (510) is configured to rotate about the central axis; as well as At least two processing elements (520) are evenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the bearing shaft (510); Each of the processing elements (520) is configured to be mounted at one end to the bearing shaft (510) and to be able to pivot horizontally relative to the bearing shaft (510) within a predetermined angular range about a pivot axis passing through the mounting end (521) as the bearing shaft (510) rotates in two opposite directions, thereby switching between a working position and a non-working position, the pivot axis (530) being parallel to the central axis; The processing element (520) is further configured to continue rotating about the central axis together with the bearing shaft (510) to process food after entering the working position.

2. The working unit (500) according to claim 1, characterized in that, A horizontal slot (511) is provided on the bearing shaft (510) corresponding to each of the processing elements (520) to accommodate the mounting end (521) of the processing element (520) and allow the mounting end (521) to pivot horizontally within the predetermined angle range; The mounting end (521) of the processing element (520) includes a stop protrusion (522A) that extends obliquely from the mounting end (521) in a horizontal plane and is located on the side opposite to the food-contacting side of the processing element (520). The stop protrusion (522A) is configured to abut against the inner wall of the horizontal slot (511) due to the initial rotation of the bearing shaft (510), thereby allowing the processing element (520) to enter and remain in the working position.

3. The working unit (500) according to claim 2, characterized in that, An upper protrusion (512) and a lower protrusion (513) are respectively provided on the outer surface of the bearing shaft (510) at positions corresponding to the upper and lower edges of the horizontal slot (511); The pivot axis (530) is configured to pass sequentially through the upper protrusion (512), the mounting end (521) of the processing element (520), and the lower protrusion (513), thereby defining the pivot axis.

4. The working unit (500) according to claim 3, characterized in that, Gaskets (516) are provided between the mounting end (521) and the upper protrusion (512) and between the mounting end (521) and the lower protrusion (513).

5. The working unit (500) according to any one of claims 2-4, characterized in that, The outline of the mounting end (521) is consistent with at least a portion of the inner wall of the horizontal slot (511), such that in the working position, the mounting end (521) is in close contact with the inner wall of the horizontal slot (511).

6. The working unit (500) according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The at least two processing elements (520) are disposed at different heights in the axial direction of the bearing shaft (510).

7. The working unit (500) according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The processing element (520) is configured as a blade for cutting and / or crushing, a finger-like element for plasticizing or peeling, or a stirring rod for foaming.

8. The working unit (500) according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The processing element (520) is configured as a blade for cutting and / or crushing; the front edge of the blade is provided with a cutting edge, which is located in front of the processing element (520) in the direction of rotation and in contact with the food during rotation.

9. The working unit (500) according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The top of the bearing shaft (510) is provided with an upper engagement portion (514) that is fixedly engaged with the drive assembly (400) of the food processing equipment (100), and the bottom of the bearing shaft (510) is provided with a lower engagement portion (515) that is rotatably engaged with the bottom wall of the working container (200) of the food processing equipment (100).

10. A food processing device (100), characterized in that, include: A working container (200) for holding food to be processed; The working unit (500) according to any one of claims 1-9 is centrally and rotatably supported in the working container (200); A cover (300) is configured to detachably cover the working container (200); as well as A drive assembly (400) is disposed inside the cover (300) and configured to be fixedly engaged with the working unit (500) to drive the working unit (500) to rotate.

11. The food processing equipment (100) according to claim 10, characterized in that, The drive assembly (400) includes a main body (410), a spring (420), a transmission assembly (430), and a drive component (450); The main body (410) includes: The upper spring chamber (411) houses the mainspring (420); The lower transmission chamber (412) has an internally engaging one-way ratchet (412B) formed on its inner wall, and houses the transmission assembly (430) which is configured to permanently engage the working unit (500) and selectively engage the one-way ratchet (412B); and A neck (413) is disposed between the upper spring chamber (411) and the lower transmission chamber (412) to connect the upper spring chamber (411) and the lower transmission chamber (412); The drive member (450) is configured to wrap around the neck (413) with one end connected to the outer wall of the neck (413), and the other end extends out of the cover through hole (320C) opened on the cover (300). The drive member (450) can drive the body (410) to rotate along the first direction when pulled by an external force.

12. The food processing equipment (100) according to claim 11, characterized in that, The outer edge end (421) of the spring (420) is fixedly connected to the side wall of the upper spring chamber (411), and the spring buckle (422) installed at its central end is fixedly connected to the mounting post (320B) that extends vertically downward from the center of the top inner wall of the cover (300), the mounting post (320B) passing through the through channel (414C); When no external force is applied to the drive member (450), the spring (420) is in a relaxed state, while when the external force is applied to the drive member (450), the spring (420) is in a tensioned state due to the rotation of the upper spring chamber (411) along the first direction.

13. The food processing equipment (100) according to claim 12, characterized in that, The transmission assembly (430) includes: A base (431) is arranged at the bottom of the lower transmission chamber (412). A coupling (431A) is provided on the lower surface of the base (431). The coupling (431A) is fixedly engaged with the upper coupling (514) of the bearing shaft (510) of the working unit (500), so that the torque of the base (431) can be transmitted to the bearing shaft (510). At least two pawls (432) are evenly arranged on the base (431) along the circumferential direction. In the engaged state, the torque of the one-way ratchet (412B) can be transmitted to the base (431) through the at least two pawls (432).

14. The food processing equipment (100) according to claim 13, characterized in that, The head (432A) of each pawl is configured to rotate about its respective rotation axis (433) provided on the base (431), and its tail (432B) is made of elastic material and configured to elastically abut against the radially inner side of its respective stop (434) provided on the base (431). A support (435) corresponding to each pawl is provided on the base (431), and the support (435) is located between the rotation axis (433) and the stop (434).

15. The food processing equipment (100) according to claim 14, characterized in that, When the external force is applied to the drive member (450), the spring (420) switches from a relaxed state to a tensioned state, thereby contracting inward. The one-way ratchet (412B) rotates along the first direction. The head (432A) of the pawl (432) engages with the tooth groove (412C) of the ratchet tooth (412A) of the one-way ratchet (412B), and the head (432A) is held in the engaged state by pressing the middle part (432C) of the pawl (432) against the support (435). Thus, the torque of the one-way ratchet (412B) is transmitted to the base (431), causing the base (431) to rotate along the first direction.

16. The food processing equipment (100) according to claim 15, characterized in that, When the external force is released, the spring (420) transitions from a tensioned state to a relaxed state, thereby extending outward. The body (410) rotates along a second direction opposite to the first direction under the restoring force of the spring (420). The head (432A) of the pawl (432) rotates radially inward around the axis of rotation (433) under the pressure from the ratchet (412A), causing the one-way ratchet (412B) to disengage from the at least two pawls (432).

17. The food processing equipment (100) according to claim 13, characterized in that, A protective cover (460) is provided above the at least two pawls (432), which is detachably connected to the base (431).

18. The food processing equipment (100) according to claim 10, characterized in that, The drive assembly (400) is operated manually or electrically.

19. The food processing equipment (100) according to claim 11, characterized in that, The drive element (450) is constructed as a flexible cable.

20. The food processing equipment (100) according to claim 19, characterized in that, The other end of the drive member (450) is equipped with a drive handle, which is located outside the cover through hole (320C) of the cover body (300).

21. The food processing equipment (100) according to claim 13, characterized in that, The cross-sections of the upper joint (514) and the joint (431A) are both square, regular pentagon, regular hexagon or regular octagon.

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