Weighing attachment for kitchen appliance

Abstract

Weighing attachment (1) for placing on a station (6) of a kitchen appliance with built-in scales and a device for connecting containers (8), the weighing attachment (1) comprising an upper side (2) which serves as a weighing surface, and a lower side (3) which comprises a centering cylinder (4), wherein the centering cylinder (4) is designed to at least partially accommodate the container connection device (8) or a part or section thereof and thereby position the weighing attachment (1) on the station (6).

Description

Technical area

[0001] The present invention relates to a weighing attachment for a kitchen appliance. State of the art

[0002] Kitchen appliances are known from the prior art which comprise a station with a removable cooking and mixing container, with scales integrated into the station. These scales are usually used to weigh products to be prepared and cooking ingredients immediately after they have been placed in the cooking and mixing container. For example, the kitchen appliance sold under the name Thermomix® TM7® by Vorwerk® includes a station with integrated scales. The station also comprises a motor, an interactive display for operation and a device for connecting the container. The aforementioned device serves to hold and connect the container to the station. It comprises, among other things, a coupling for transmitting the motor torque to a blade located inside the cooking and mixing container and a device for transferring the heat generated in the station to the cooking and mixing container for the purpose of cooking and frying.

[0003] Kitchen appliances of the type described above cannot be used as fully-fledged kitchen scales in the current state of the art because they are only designed to weigh ingredients and the like into the attached cooking and mixing container. Object of the invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. Solution to the task

[0005] The subject matter of claim 1 leads to the solution of the problem. Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

[0006] The present invention proposes a weighing attachment for placement on a station of a kitchen appliance with built-in scales and a container connection device. The weighing attachment comprises an upper side serving as a weighing surface and a lower side comprising a centering cylinder. The centering cylinder is configured to at least partially accommodate the container connection device, or a part or section thereof, and thereby position the weighing attachment on the station. For example, the centering cylinder can be configured to at least partially accommodate a coupling that is part of the container connection device. "At least partially accommodated" here means that the centering cylinder does not have to completely accommodate the component in question, e.g., the coupling. In particular, the station can be the station of a Thermomix® TM7® type kitchen appliance.

[0007] With the help of the weighing attachment, the kitchen appliance station becomes a fully-fledged platform scale, on the top of which objects of different shapes, sizes and weights can be reliably weighed.

[0008] Preferably, the centering cylinder is designed to complement at least a part or section of the container connection device. In an operating position in which the weighing attachment has been placed on the station, the centering cylinder at least partially accommodates the container connection device, or at least a part or section thereof. The centering cylinder and the container connection device are preferably designed such that, in the operating position, a substantially positive connection is created between the two components. This positive connection prevents the weighing attachment from slipping sideways.

[0009] It may be considered that the weighing attachment is manufactured in one piece, in particular by means of generative manufacturing or injection molding.

[0010] Furthermore, it can be envisaged that the top side of the weighing attachment comprises an inclined section which, in particular by selecting a corresponding angle of inclination, lies essentially in a plane with a surface of a display of the station in the operating position, or at least runs parallel to the surface of the display. Apart from the aforementioned section, which is inclined in the operating position, the top side of the weighing attachment consists at least essentially entirely of a surface that is horizontally oriented in the operating position and thus serves as a weighing surface.

[0011] The inclined section can be designed so that, in the operating position, it is essentially directly adjacent to the station's display. Furthermore, the inclined section can be essentially in the same plane as the display in the operating position, i.e., flush with the display. Thus, when using the weighing attachment, there are no large edges or grooves between the weighing attachment and the display in which material, such as goods to be weighed or parts thereof, could undesirably collect.

[0012] The weighing attachment can be held on the station simply by the centering cylinder at least partially accommodating the container connection or a part or section of it, for example, the coupling. Additionally, it can be considered that an edge surface and / or a lower edge of this edge surface rests on or rests on a section of the station.

[0013] Furthermore, it is provided to use a weighing attachment with at least some of the features described above, in particular with an upper side that serves as a weighing surface and a lower side that comprises a centering cylinder, in order to use the station of a kitchen appliance, in particular a kitchen appliance of the Thermomix® TM7® type, as a kitchen scale in the form of a platform scale.

[0014] Preferably, the present invention comprises only the weighing attachment, and not the kitchen appliance or its station. However, a system comprising the kitchen appliance or at least the station of the kitchen appliance and the weighing attachment can also be considered. Character description

[0015] Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments and from the drawings, which show: in the Fig. 1 to 3 different views of a weighing attachment 1, in the Fig. 4 and Fig. 6 the weighing attachment 1 on a station 6 of a kitchen appliance and in Fig. 5 a station 6 of a kitchen appliance without a weighing attachment and without other components. Example

[0016] Fig. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the weighing attachment 1 from above. A top surface 2, which provides the weighing surface, can be seen. Furthermore, an inclined section 12 of the top surface 2 and an edge surface 5 of the weighing attachment 1 can be seen.

[0017] The Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 show various perspective views of the weighing attachment 1 from below. Here, a bottom side 3 and a centering cylinder 4 as well as a lower edge 11 of the edge surface 5 can be seen.

[0018] The Fig. Figure 5 shows a top view of a station 6 of a kitchen appliance on which the weighing attachment 1 can be placed. A display 7 and a top 13 of the station 6 are visible. Furthermore, a coupling 9 and a heat transfer device 10 are visible, the latter two features being part of a container connection device 8.

[0019] The Fig. 4a and Fig. 6 show a side view and a top view of a station 6 with attached weighing attachment 1. The Fig. 4b shows a sectional view according to Fig. 4a, the Fig. Figure 4c shows the corresponding exploded view. The interior of station 6 has not been shown in detail. As explained below, the outer contour of the aforementioned components is the only decisive factor for proper placement of the weighing attachment 1 on station 6, as well as a preferably positive fit between the centering cylinder 4 and the coupling 9.

[0020] Referring to the Fig. 1 to 6, the functioning of the device according to the invention is explained as follows: Station 6 of a kitchen appliance is typically used by placing a cooking and mixing container (not shown in the figures) on the container connection device 8. The torque of the motor located inside station 6 is transferred to a blade inside the cooking and mixing container via the coupling 9. The heat generated inside station 6, which is required for cooking and frying in the cooking and mixing container, is transferred to the container via the heat transfer device 10. Station 6 includes, among other features, a built-in scale.

[0021] An embodiment of the present invention now allows the station 6 of the above-described kitchen appliance to be used as a kitchen scale in the form of a fully functional platform scale. As shown in the Fig. 4c and Fig. As can be seen in Figure 5, station 6 does not include a platform ex works that allows this. Rather, the design of the top surface 13 of station 6 prevents goods to be weighed from being placed there. The top surface 13 of station 6 does not provide the flat surface required for a platform scale. Furthermore, the container connection device 8, which is arranged essentially centrally on the top surface 13, prevents larger goods to be weighed from being placed securely and securely on the top surface 13 of station 6.

[0022] To Fig. 5 shown station 6 as a fully functional kitchen scale, the Fig. 1 to 3 is placed on the top side 13 of the station 6. This is shown in the Fig. 4 and Fig. 6. The upper side 2 of the weighing attachment 1 covers the upper side 13 of the station 6. The centering cylinder 4 is designed to complement the coupling 9. The centering cylinder 4 therefore partially accommodates the coupling 9 in the operating position. The complementary design of the centering cylinder 4 and the device 8 for the container connection creates an essentially positive connection between the two aforementioned components, which prevents lateral slipping of the weighing attachment 1. This is a comparison of the Fig. 4b and Fig. 4c. Thus, the weighing attachment 1 is in the operating position according to the Fig. 4 and Fig. 6 sits securely on station 6. Thanks to the centering cylinder 4, the weighing attachment 1 is positioned on station 6.

[0023] As an alternative to the embodiment described above and shown in the figures, it can be envisaged that the centering cylinder 4, for example, at least partially receives the entire device for container connection 10 in a form-fitting manner.

[0024] An “at least partial accommodation” with regard to any of the above-mentioned components means that the centering cylinder 4 does not have to completely accommodate the component in question, e.g. the coupling 9.

[0025] Thus, the centering cylinder 4, as in Fig. 4b, for example, a centrally arranged bottom of the coupling 9 (not provided with a separate reference number there). The centering cylinder 4 therefore does not accommodate a lowermost section of the coupling 9, this section of the coupling is located in the Fig. 4a and Fig. 4b, is not inside the centering cylinder 4. Nevertheless, there is a positive connection between the coupling 9 and the centering cylinder 4, since an outer circumference of the coupling 9 (not provided with a reference number), which is at least partially cylindrical, is essentially received in a form-fitting manner within the centering cylinder 4. In this case, the outer circumference of the coupling 9 rests against an inner wall (not provided with a reference number) of the centering cylinder 4, which in Fig. 4b is evident.

[0026] Alternatively, "at least partial accommodation" could be used if the outer circumference of the coupling 9 (not provided with reference numbers), which is at least partially cylindrical, is not accommodated in the centering cylinder 4 over its entire height: The aforementioned outer circumference of the coupling 9 has a specific height. The same applies to an inner circumference of the centering cylinder 4, which also has a specific height. If the height of the centering cylinder 4 is less than the height of the coupling 9, the coupling 9 is in any case only "partially" - and not completely - accommodated in the centering cylinder 4. Such embodiments are also encompassed by the present invention.

[0027] In the Fig. 4a and Fig. 4b shows that the weighing attachment 1, apart from the inclined section 12, is horizontally aligned in the operating position. Fig. 4a and Fig. The arrangement shown in Figure 4b represents a fully functional kitchen scale in the form of a platform scale.

[0028] The inclined section 12 is located, as shown in the Fig. 4a and Fig. 4b, essentially in the same plane as the display 7 or at least parallel to the display 7. Small goods to be weighed that accidentally slip or roll off the weighing surface, i.e., from the horizontally oriented part of the top side 2, are thereby guided via the inclined section 12 and the adjoining display 7 onto, for example, the kitchen table. When using the weighing attachment 1, there are therefore no large edges or grooves between the weighing attachment 1 and the display 7 in which material, for example goods to be weighed or parts thereof, could undesirably collect. List of reference symbols 1 weighing attachment 2 Top and weighing surface 3 Bottom 4 centering cylinders 5 Edge area 6 Station of the kitchen appliance 7 Display 8 Device for container connection 9 Clutch 10 Device for transferring heat 11 Bottom edge 12 inclined section 13 Top of the station

Claims

[1] Weighing attachment (1) for placing on a station (6) of a kitchen appliance with a built-in scale and a device for connecting containers (8), the weighing attachment (1) comprising an upper side (2) which serves as a weighing surface, and a lower side (3) which comprises a centering cylinder (4), wherein the centering cylinder (4) is designed to at least partially accommodate the container connection device (8) or a part or section thereof and thereby position the weighing attachment (1) on the station (6). [2] Weighing attachment (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the centering cylinder (4) is designed to at least partially accommodate a coupling (9) [3] Weighing attachment (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the weighing attachment is manufactured in one piece, in particular by means of generative manufacturing or injection moulding. [4] Weighing attachment (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the upper side (2) comprises an inclined section (12) which, in the operating position, lies substantially in a plane with a surface of a display (7) of the station (6).

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