Food processing equipment

Abstract

To provide a food processing device capable of processing different types of food ingredients. [Solution] The food processing device S comprises a support base member 1 installed on an installation surface, a first food processing unit U1 and a second food processing unit U2 detachably connected to the support base member 1 by a common connecting means, and a handle 3 rotatably connected to the first food processing unit U1 and the second food processing unit U2 by a common connecting means. The first food processing unit U1 and the second food processing unit U2 perform different food processing by rotational driving force provided by rotating the handle 3. By replacing the food processing units U1 and U2 connected to the support base member 1, different food processing can be performed simply by connecting the handle 3 and rotating it.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a food processing device, and particularly to a food processing device capable of cutting vegetables and juicing fruits.

Background Art

[0002] To slice foods such as vegetables, instead of using a kitchen knife, a slicer as described in Patent Document 1 has been conventionally used. By reciprocating this slicer in a direction intersecting the blade with respect to foods such as vegetables, it is possible to produce slices with substantially uniform thickness more easily than when using a kitchen knife.

[0003] In addition to the slicer described in Patent Document 1, there is also known a slicing device configured to produce slices of food by the user driving the blade portion toward the food.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the slicer described in Patent Document 1 and conventional slicing devices only deal with cutting food and cannot be used for other types of food processing.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a food processing device capable of different types of food processing.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the invention described in claim 1 is a food processing device comprising a support base member installed on an installation surface, a first food processing unit and a second food processing unit detachably connected to the support base member by a common connecting means, and a handle rotatably connected to the first food processing unit and the second food processing unit by a common connecting means, wherein the first food processing unit and the second food processing unit perform different food processing by rotational driving force provided by rotating the handle.

[0008] With this configuration, the first or second food processing unit, connected to the support base member, is rotated by connecting a handle to it, thereby performing the corresponding food processing.

[0009] The invention described in claim 2 is the configuration of the invention described in claim 1, wherein the first food processing unit includes a first processing member that is driven to rotate around a rotation axis coaxial with the rotation axis of the handle by rotating the handle, and the second food processing unit includes a second processing member that is driven to rotate around a rotation axis perpendicular to the rotation axis of the handle by rotating the handle.

[0010] In this configuration, the first food processing unit performs food processing using a first processing member that is rotationally driven coaxially with the handle's rotation axis, while the second food processing unit performs food processing that is rotationally driven in a direction intersecting the handle's rotation axis.

[0011] The invention described in claim 3 is the configuration of the invention described in claim 1, wherein the connecting means includes a slide groove formed on the upper surface of the support base member, slide projections provided on the bottom surfaces of the first food processing unit and the second food processing unit respectively, which engage with the slide groove, and a restraining means for restraining the state in which the slide projection is engaged with the slide groove.

[0012] With this configuration, the restraining means prevents the first or second food processing unit from falling off.

[0013] The invention described in claim 4 is the configuration of the invention described in claim 3, wherein the restraining means includes a locking member that moves forward and backward relative to the slide groove by operating an operating part provided on the support base member, and a locking recess formed on the slide projection into which the locking member can be inserted when the slide projection is engaged with the slide groove.

[0014] With this configuration, when the operating unit is operated while the first or second food processing unit is connected to the support base member, the locking member is inserted into the locking recess, and the connection is restrained.

[0015] The invention described in claim 5 is configured in the same way as the invention described in claim 4, wherein the support base member is equipped with a fixing means to prevent displacement relative to the installation surface, and the fixing means and the restraining means operate in conjunction with the operation of the operating unit.

[0016] With this configuration, operating the control unit simultaneously fixes the support base member and restrains either the first or second food processing unit.

[0017] The invention described in claim 6 is the configuration of the invention described in claim 5, wherein the fixing means includes a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the bottom surface of the support base member, the restraining means includes a moving mechanism for moving the locking member about a predetermined vertical axis as the pivot point, and the operating part is provided in the middle of the support base member and rotates about a predetermined axis as the pivot point, and the lifting mechanism, the moving mechanism, and the operating part are arranged along the predetermined axis.

[0018] With this configuration, the lifting mechanism and the locking mechanism at the bottom are arranged along an axis passing through the pivot point of the operating section.

[0019] The invention described in claim 7 is the configuration of the invention described in claim 2, wherein the first food processing unit includes a housing having a processing chamber in which a first processing member is housed, an input port for introducing food into the processing chamber, and an output port for discharging the food processed in the processing chamber, and the first processing member includes a cylindrical body having a first drive shaft with an open end and a handle connected to the other end, and a blade portion capable of cutting food is formed on the peripheral wall of the cylindrical body.

[0020] With this configuration, food is fed in through the input port of the housing, and the first processing component housed in the processing chamber is rotated using a handle. The food is then cut by the blade and discharged to the outside through the discharge port.

[0021] The invention described in claim 8 is the configuration of the invention described in claim 2, wherein the second food processing unit comprises a receiving member having a side wall portion and a bottom wall portion for receiving liquid, and having a liquid outlet formed in the side wall portion or the bottom wall portion, and a second processing member placed on the receiving member, the second processing member including a bottom plate portion having an opening for passing liquid, a second drive shaft provided on the lower surface side of the bottom plate portion and to which a handle is attached, a third drive shaft rotatably provided on the upper surface side of the bottom plate portion and having a rotation axis in a direction intersecting the second drive shaft, a drive force transmission means for transmitting the rotational driving force of the second drive shaft to the third drive shaft, and a juice extraction member attached to the third drive shaft and rotating integrally with the third drive shaft.

[0022] With this configuration, when food is pressed against the juicing member and rotated with the handle, the juicing member rotates, and the liquid components of the food are extracted.

[0023] The invention described in claim 9 is a food processing device comprising a support base member installed on an installation surface, a plurality of food processing units detachably connected to the support base member by a common connecting means, and a handle rotatably connected to each of the plurality of food processing units by a common connecting means, wherein the plurality of food processing units perform different food processing by rotational driving force provided by rotating the handle.

[0024] With such a configuration, by connecting a handle to any of the food processing units to be connected to the support base member and rotationally driving it, the corresponding food processing is executed.

Effect of the Invention

[0025] As described above, in the device according to claim 1, by connecting a handle to the first food processing unit or the second food processing unit connected to the support base member and rotationally driving it, the corresponding food processing is executed. Therefore, by exchanging the first food processing unit and the second food processing unit, different types of food processing can be executed simply by connecting and rotating the handle.

[0026] In the device according to claim 2, in addition to the effect of the device according to claim 1, the first food processing unit performs food processing by a first processing member that is rotationally driven coaxially with the rotation axis of the handle, and the second food processing unit performs food processing that is rotationally driven in a direction intersecting the rotation axis of the handle. Therefore, while the rotation direction of the handle is the same, an appropriate rotation direction according to the type of food processing can be selected.

[0027] In the device according to claim 3, in addition to the effect of the device according to claim 1, the restraint means prevents the first food processing unit or the second food processing unit from falling off, so that food processing can be performed safely and stably.

[0028] In the device according to claim 4, in addition to the effect of the device according to claim 3, when the operation part is operated with the first food processing unit or the second food processing unit connected to the support base member, the locking member is inserted into the locking recess, and the connection state is restrained. Therefore, reliable drop prevention can be achieved with a simple configuration.

[0029] In the device according to claim 5, in addition to the effect of the device according to claim 4, by operating the operation part, the fixing of the support base member and the restraint of the first food processing unit or the second food processing unit are performed simultaneously. Therefore, the stability and safety during food processing can be ensured.

[0030] In addition to the effects of the invention described in claim 5, the invention described in claim 6 has the following configuration for linking the lifting mechanism and the movement mechanism of the locking member to the rotation center of the operating unit: the arrangement of the lifting mechanism and the movement mechanism of the bottom portion is aligned with the axis passing through the rotation center of the operating unit.

[0031] In addition to the effects of the invention described in claim 2, the invention described in claim 7 allows the user to cut and process food simply by turning the handle. This is achieved by inserting food through the input port of the housing and rotating the first processing member housed in the processing chamber with the handle, which cuts the food with the blade and discharges it to the outside through the discharge port.

[0032] In addition to the effects of the invention described in claim 2, the invention described in claim 8 allows the user to collect the liquid components of food simply by turning the handle while food is pressed against the juicing member, as the juicing member is rotated to extract the liquid components of the food.

[0033] The invention described in claim 9 allows for the type of food processing to be changed by replacing the food processing unit, as the food processing corresponding to each unit is performed by connecting a handle to one of the food processing units connected to the support base member and rotating it. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0034] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view relating to an embodiment of the food processing device according to the present invention, showing the first food processing unit connected to a support base member. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a disassembled view of the components of the food processing device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a side view showing the first processing member and handle of the food processing device in disassembled form. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a side view of the food processing device shown. [Figure 5]This diagram shows an example of a handle connection mechanism, where (A) is a view of the first processing member from the first drive shaft side, and (B) is a diagram showing the main part of the handle. [Figure 6] This shows an example of a means of connecting the first food processing unit and the support base member, where (A) is a front view of the sliding projection, (B) is a bottom view of the sliding projection, (C) is a front view of the sliding groove, and (D) is a top view of the sliding groove. [Figure 7] This is a side view showing another example of the first processing member. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view relating to an embodiment of the food processing device according to the present invention, showing the second food processing unit connected to a support base member. [Figure 9] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a disassembled view of the components of the food processing device shown in Figure 8. [Figure 10] Figure 8 is a side view showing a disassembled portion of the second processing member and handle of the food processing device shown in Figure 8. [Figure 11] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a drive force transmission means in a food processing device. [Figure 12] Figure 11 is a perspective view of the drive force transmission mechanism taken out and seen from the bottom side. [Figure 13] This is a perspective view showing the usage status of the food processing device with the second food processing unit connected. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0035] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the food processing device S according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The food processing device S of this embodiment includes, as its main components, a support base member 1, a first food processing unit U1 (see Figures 1-7) and a second food processing unit U2 (see Figures 8-12) detachably connected to the support base member 1, and a handle 3 rotatably connected to the first food processing unit U1 and the second food processing unit U2, respectively.

[0036] First, we will describe the mode of use of the first food processing unit U1. Figure 1 is an embodiment of the food processing device according to the present invention, and is a perspective view showing the first food processing unit connected to a support base member; Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the components of the food processing device shown in Figure 1 in an exploded view; Figure 3 is a side view showing the first processing member and handle of the food processing device shown in Figure 1 in an exploded view; Figure 4 is a side view of the food processing device shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 shows an example of the connection means for the handle, where (A) is a view of the first processing member from the first drive shaft side, and (B) is a view showing the main part of the handle; Figure 6 shows an example of the connection means between the first food processing unit and the support base member, where (A) is a front view of the sliding projection, (B) is a bottom view of the sliding projection, (C) is a front view of the sliding groove, and (D) is a plan view of the sliding groove.

[0037] The support base member 1 in this example is installed on the mounting surface of a kitchen counter or the like, and has a frustoconical shape. An operating part 2 that can be rotated around a central axis is provided in the middle of the height direction, and a sliding groove 5 is formed on the upper surface.

[0038] The support base member 1 is equipped with a lifting mechanism configured to raise and lower its bottom surface by rotating the operating unit 2. When the support base member 1 is placed on the installation surface, the lifting mechanism raises the bottom surface of the support base member 1 by operating the operating unit 2, forcibly expanding the space between the installation surface and the bottom surface, creating negative pressure. As a result, the support base member 1 is fixed so that it cannot easily move relative to the installation surface. Therefore, the lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the bottom surface as described above constitutes the fixing means for the support base member 1.

[0039] The first food processing unit U1 in this example functions as a slicer for cutting food ingredients such as vegetables, and includes a first processing member 20 to which a handle 3 is connected and which is rotationally driven around a rotation axis coaxial with the rotation axis of the handle 3, and a housing 10 having a processing chamber 11 in which the first processing member 20 is housed.

[0040] The first processing member 20 has a first drive shaft 23 with an opening 22 at one end and a handle 3 connected to the other end, and includes a frustoconical cylindrical body 21 that expands toward the opening 22. Referring to Figure 5(A), the first drive shaft 23 has a plurality of protrusions 23a projecting radially in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and a female screw hole 23b is formed in the center. Multiple blade portions 24 capable of cutting food are formed on the peripheral wall of the cylindrical body 21. The blade portion 24 in this example consists of an opening that penetrates the peripheral wall of the cylindrical body 21 and a semi-spindle-shaped cutter portion formed on the outer surface of the cylindrical body 21 so as to partially cover the opening.

[0041] The housing 10 includes a processing chamber 11 in which the first processing member 20 is housed, an input port 12 opening on the upper side of the processing chamber 11 into which food ingredients are introduced, a discharge port 13 opening on one side of the processing chamber 11 for discharging the food ingredients processed in the processing chamber 11, and a sliding projection 15 formed on the bottom side of the processing chamber 11. The discharge port 13 also serves as an opening for inserting the first processing member 20 into the processing chamber 11. The other side of the processing chamber 11 is a mounting surface for attaching the handle 3, and this mounting surface is provided with an opening (not shown) for inserting the first drive shaft 23.

[0042] The handle 3 has a disc-shaped base 3a positioned on the side of the housing 10, a lever portion 3b extending diametrically from the base 3a, a gripping portion 3c provided at the tip of the lever portion 3b, a rotating operating portion 3d positioned on the outer surface side of the base 3a, and a male screw portion 3e integrally provided with the rotating operating portion 3d and protruding to the inner surface side through the base 3a. The rotating operating portion 3d and the male screw portion 3e are rotatable relative to the base 3a. Furthermore, referring to Figure 5(B), a mating hole 3f with a shape complementary to the shape of the first drive shaft 23 of the first processing member 20 is formed around the male screw portion 3e on the inner surface side of the base 3a.

[0043] Referring to Figure 5, as described above, the first drive shaft 23 of the first processing member 20 and the mating hole 3f of the handle 3 have complementary shapes. Furthermore, the male threaded portion 3e of the handle 3 is formed so that it can be screwed into the female threaded hole 23b of the first drive shaft 23. Therefore, by mating the first drive shaft 23 into the mating hole 3f of the handle 3 and rotating the rotating operation part 3d to screw the male threaded portion 3e into the female threaded hole 23b and tighten it, the handle 3 and the first processing member 20 can be integrated. Thus, the structure described above constitutes an example of a means for connecting the first processing member 20 and the handle 3. The handle 3 and the first processing member 20 connected in this way will rotate around the same axis of rotation when the handle is rotated.

[0044] Referring to Figure 6, the means for connecting the first food processing unit U1 and the support base member 1 will now be described. In this example, as shown in Figures 6(A) and 6(B), an inverted T-shaped sliding projection 15 is provided on the bottom surface of the housing 10 of the first food processing unit U1 when viewed from the front. An arc-shaped locking recess 15a is formed on the bottom surface of the sliding projection 15, with an entrance opening 15b on one side. On the other hand, as shown in Figures 6(C) and 6(D), an inverted T-shaped sliding groove 5 is provided on the upper surface of the support base member 1 for engaging the sliding projection 15, and an arc-shaped slit 5a is formed on the bottom surface of the sliding groove 5, with a locking member 5b that moves back and forth along this slit 5a. The locking recess 15a and the slit 5a are set to coincide when the sliding projection 15 is engaged with the sliding groove 5. Therefore, the locking member 5b can be inserted into the locking recess 15a when the sliding projection 15 is engaged with the sliding groove 5. Furthermore, the locking member 5b is configured to move by a movement mechanism that is linked to the operation of the operating unit 2.

[0045] With the above configuration, when the sliding projection 15 is engaged with the sliding groove 5 and the operating unit 2 is operated to insert the locking member 5b into the locking recess 15a, the first food processing unit U1 is prevented from falling off the support base member 1. Thus, the sliding projection 15 and the sliding groove 5 constitute the main part of the connecting means, and the locking member 5b and the locking recess 15a constitute the restraining means.

[0046] Furthermore, in this example, operating the control unit 2 also operates the fixing means, which raises the bottom surface of the support base member 1 and fixes it to the installation surface. That is, by operating the control unit 2, the fixing of the support base member 1 by the fixing means and the restraining of the first food processing unit U1 by the restraining means can be performed simultaneously, thereby ensuring stability and safety when performing food processing.

[0047] Furthermore, in this example, the lifting mechanism of the bottom section and the movement mechanism of the locking member 5b are arranged along an axis passing through the rotation center of the operating section 2. This makes it possible to create a compact structure that links the rotation of the operating section 2 with the operation of the lifting mechanism and the movement mechanism. As a result, the operating section 2, the lifting mechanism, and the movement mechanism can be incorporated inside the compact support base member 1.

[0048] As described above, the food processing apparatus S is configured by placing the support base member 1 in a suitable location on the installation surface, engaging the sliding projection 15 of the first food processing unit U1 with the sliding groove 5 of the support base member 1, and then operating the operating unit 2. This simultaneously fixes the support base member 1 to the installation surface and restrains the first food processing unit U1 connected to the support base member 1. In other words, when fixing the support base member 1, the first food processing unit U1 is also restrained, thus ensuring stability and safety during food processing. When the handle 3 is rotated to rotate the first processing member 20 and food is introduced through the input port 12, the food processed by the first processing member 20 is discharged to the outside through the discharge port 13. Furthermore, when the processing progresses and the length of the food becomes shorter than the length from the input port 12 to the processing chamber 11, a pusher 16 (see Figures 3 and 4) having an outer shape that conforms to the shape of the input port 12 may be used to push the food into the processing chamber 11.

[0049] Incidentally, in this example, the first food processing unit U1 is set so that the direction in which food is introduced intersects with the rotation axis of the first processing member 20. Therefore, the blade portion 24 formed on the peripheral wall of the cylindrical body 21 intersects with the side of the food and cuts it. The cut food is introduced into the interior of the cylindrical body 21 through the opening formed on the peripheral wall. The introduced food is guided to the expanding side as the tapered cylindrical body 21 rotates and discharged to the outside from the discharge port 13.

[0050] Figure 7 is a side view showing another example of the first processing member. In this example, the first processing member 20 is detachable from the housing 10, and by providing multiple types with common basic external dimensions of the cylindrical body 21 and the shape of the first drive shaft 23, it is possible to handle different food processing applications.

[0051] The first processing member 20(A) shown in Figure 7(A) is the one used in the above embodiment, and can cut food into long, thin strips using the numerous blades 24 formed on its peripheral wall. This first processing member 20(A) is suitable for julienning radishes, carrots, burdock root, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and the like.

[0052] The first processing member 20(B) shown in Figure 7(B) has more blade sections 25 with smaller dimensions than the one shown in (A). This first processing member 20(B) can cut food into thinner and longer pieces, and is suitable for finely shredding relatively hard vegetables such as carrots, burdock root, ginger, and garlic, as well as for crushing nuts such as almonds, and hard foods such as chocolate and hard cheese.

[0053] The first processing member 20(C) shown in Figure 7(C) has a tubular body 21 with an axially long blade portion 26 formed on its peripheral wall at a slight incline. This first processing member 20(C) can slice food into thin slices and is suitable for slicing various vegetables such as radishes, carrots, burdock, lotus root, cucumbers, potatoes, and zucchini.

[0054] In this way, by providing multiple types of first processing members 20 with different shapes of blade portions 24 formed on the cylindrical body 21, the user can perform different food cutting processes simply by performing the same action of rotating the handle 3.

[0055] Next, we will explain how to use the second food processing unit U2.

[0056] Figure 8 is a perspective view relating to an embodiment of the food processing device according to the present invention, showing the second food processing unit connected to the support base member; Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the components of the food processing device shown in Figure 8 in disassembled form; Figure 10 is a side view showing a part of the second processing member and the handle of the food processing device shown in Figure 8 in disassembled form; Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a driving force transmission means in the food processing device shown in Figure 8; Figure 12 is a perspective view of the driving force transmission means shown in Figure 11 removed and viewed from the bottom side; and Figure 13 is a perspective view showing the usage of the food processing device with the second food processing unit connected.

[0057] The second food processing unit U2 in this example functions as a juicer for extracting juice from lemons, oranges, and other fruits. The support base member 1 is the same as the one to which the first food processing unit U1 is connected.

[0058] The second food processing unit U2 described herein comprises a receiving member 40 having a side wall portion 42 and a bottom wall portion 43, with an outlet 41 formed in either the side wall portion 42 or the bottom wall portion 43, and a second processing member 30 placed on top of the receiving member 40.

[0059] The second processing member 30 includes a bottom plate portion 31, a peripheral wall portion 34 surrounding the bottom plate portion 31, a second drive shaft 32 provided on the lower surface side of the bottom plate portion 31, a drive adapter 33 including a third drive shaft 33p rotatably provided on the upper surface side of the bottom plate portion 31 and having a rotation axis P2 perpendicular to the rotation axis P1 of the second drive shaft 32, a drive force transmission means for transmitting the rotational driving force of the second drive shaft 32 to the third drive shaft 33p, and a juice extraction member 35 attached to the third drive shaft 33p and rotating integrally with the third drive shaft 33p.

[0060] The second processing member 30 and receiving member 40, which constitute the second food processing unit U2 in this example, have a nearly circular shape in plan view. The bottom plate portion 31 of the second processing member 30 is formed such that a pivot portion 31c for rotatably mounting the drive adapter 33 in the center protrudes upward. The bottom plate portion 31 also has numerous openings 31b that are sized to allow fruit juice to pass through but make it difficult for solid materials such as fruit pulp to pass through. Furthermore, the bottom plate portion 31 has a window portion 31a for exposing the umbrella-shaped teeth portion 32c provided on one end of the second drive shaft 32, which will be described later.

[0061] The second drive shaft 32 has a connecting portion 32a for connecting to the handle 3 on one end of the shaft portion 32b, and a bevel tooth portion 32c on the other end. It is rotatably supported on the lower surface of the bottom plate portion 31 around the rotation axis P1 by a plurality of bracket portions 31d, 31e provided on the lower surface of the bottom plate portion. The connecting portion 32a has the same form as the first drive shaft 23 in the first food processing unit U1. Furthermore, a portion of the upper side of the bevel tooth portion 32c is configured to be exposed on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 31 through the window portion 31a.

[0062] The drive adapter 33 has a disc-shaped base portion 33a and a third drive shaft 33p provided to protrude upward from its center. The base portion 33a has a central hole 33c formed in the center of its lower surface for inserting a pivot portion 31c that extends into the interior of the third drive shaft 33p, and a plurality of engagement recesses 33b that engage with the teeth of the umbrella tooth portion 32c are formed around it at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The wing portion 33d provided opposite the periphery of the base portion 33a slides on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 31 to prevent the opening 31b from becoming clogged with pulp or the like, and to promote the flow of fruit juice through the opening 31b. The third drive shaft 33p protruding from the upper side of the base portion 33a is a columnar shape with a slight taper, and its plan view shape is formed as a polygon such as a regular hexagon or a square. Furthermore, a stepped portion 33e with a low height and a shape in plan view that is, for example, a regular hexagon is provided on the upper side of the base portion 33a.

[0063] The juicing member 35 comprises a large first member 35a and a small second member 35b. Both have an upper surface that is semi-spindle-shaped with multiple vertical ribs, similar in form to a lemon squeezer. The bottom 35c side of the first member 35a has a first storage recess into which the second member 35b can be fitted. The bottom 35d side of the second member 35b has a second storage recess into which the third drive shaft 33p and the stepped portion 33e of the drive adapter 33 can be fitted. Therefore, the second member 35b can be stacked on top of the drive adapter 33 in a fitted state, and the first member 35a can be further stacked on top of that in a fitted state.

[0064] The receiving member 40 has a side wall portion 42 and a bottom wall portion 43, with an outlet 41 formed in the side wall portion 42 (or bottom wall portion 43). In addition, a shaft holder portion 44 is provided on a part of the side wall portion 42, which causes the second drive shaft 32 of the second processing member 30 to protrude from the inside outward and holds the circumference of the second drive shaft 32. Furthermore, a sliding projection 15, which has the same form as that provided on the housing 10 of the first food processing unit U1, is provided on the lower surface of the bottom wall portion 43.

[0065] To use the second food processing unit U2 configured in this way, first, the second processing member 30 is placed on the receiving member 40. At this time, the second drive shaft 32 of the second processing member 30 is positioned to protrude laterally from the receiving member 40. Furthermore, the separation of the two is prevented by engaging a vertically swingable stopper 36, provided on the outer surface of the peripheral wall portion 34 of the second processing member 30, with a locking step provided on the outer surface of the side wall portion 42 of the receiving member 40.

[0066] Referring to Figures 11 and 12, the drive adapter 33 is then attached to the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 31 of the second processing member 30. This allows the pivot portion 31c of the bottom plate portion 31 to be inserted into the central hole portion 33c of the drive adapter 33, and enables the bevel tooth portion 32c of the second drive shaft 32 to engage with the engagement recess 33b of the drive adapter 33. Therefore, by rotationally driving the second drive shaft 32, the rotating bevel tooth portion 32c can rotate the drive adapter 33 around the pivot portion 31c via the engagement recess 33b. In other words, in this example, the bevel tooth portion 32c of the second drive shaft 32 and the engagement recess 33b of the drive adapter 33 constitute a drive force transmission means that transmits the rotational driving force of the second drive shaft 32, which rotates around the rotation axis P1, to the third drive shaft 33p, which rotates around the rotation axis P2, which is orthogonal to it.

[0067] Next, the juicing member 35 is attached to the third drive shaft 33p to construct the second food processing unit U2. At this time, depending on the size and type of food to be processed, it is possible to choose to use only the second member 35b or to attach the first member 35a on top of it.

[0068] Next, the sliding projection 15 of the receiving member 40 is inserted into the sliding groove 5 of the support base member 1 to connect the second food processing unit U2 to the support base member 1. The sliding projection 15 provided at the bottom of the receiving member 40 has the same structure as that of the first food processing unit U1. Therefore, the connecting means for connecting the second food processing unit U2 to the support base member 1, and the restraining means for restraining the second food processing unit U2 to the support base member 1, are the same as those used in the first food processing unit U1.

[0069] Finally, the handle 3 is connected to the connection portion 32a of the second drive shaft 32. The connection means for connecting the handle 3 to the second drive shaft 32 employs the same structure as that of the first food processing unit U1. Therefore, the same handle 3 can be used for both the first food processing unit U1 and the second food processing unit U2.

[0070] Referring to Figures 8-13, the food processing apparatus S, with the second food processing unit U2 connected in this manner, is operated by operating the operating unit 2 to fix the support base member 1 to a suitable location on the installation surface. At the same time, with the second food processing unit U2 restrained, the cut surface of a food ingredient (fruit) F, such as an orange cut in half, is pressed against the juicing member 35 attached to the third drive shaft 33p. When the handle 3 is rotated to drive the juicing member 35, the surface of the juicing member 35 is pressed against the food ingredient F as it rotates, so that liquid components such as fruit juice can be efficiently extracted from the food ingredient F. In other words, liquid components can be extracted from food ingredient F simply by rotating the handle 3.

[0071] The extracted liquid component falls through numerous openings 31b formed in the bottom plate 31 to the receiving member 40 below. At this time, the wing portion 33d of the drive adapter 33 slides along the upper surface of the bottom plate 31, preventing the openings 31b from becoming clogged with pulp from the food (fruit), etc., and promoting the fall of the liquid component. The liquid component that falls into the receiving member 40 flows out to the outside through the outlet 41 and can be collected in an appropriate container.

[0072] Furthermore, the second food processing unit U2 in this example is equipped with two types of juicing members 35, one large and one small (35a and 35b), which are used depending on the size and type of food. The larger first member 35a is suitable for juicing relatively large citrus fruits such as grapefruit and oranges, while the smaller second member 35b is suitable for juicing relatively small citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, and kabosu.

[0073] Thus, the food processing device S in this example can process different food ingredients by swapping the first food processing unit U1 and the second food processing unit U2. Moreover, since both food processing operations only require the simple action of rotating the handle 3, it has the advantage of minimizing the burden on the user.

[0074] In the embodiment described above, there were two types of food processing units connected to the support base member, but it is also possible to connect three or more types of food processing units. For example, additional food processing units could include those with a mixer function or food processor function for crushing food ingredients, a peeler function for peeling vegetables and fruits, and a dehydration function for removing moisture from washed vegetables and fruits.

[0075] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the operating part is configured to rotate around a vertical axis, but it may also be configured to rotate around a horizontal axis.

[0076] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, a groove-and-fit structure was used as the means of connecting the first and second food processing units with the support base member, but a screw-and-fit structure or the like may also be used.

[0077] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the restraining means for the first and second food processing units and the fixing means for the support base member are operated in conjunction with the operation of a single operating unit. However, each may also be configured to operate independently by providing its own operating unit.

[0078] Furthermore, in each of the embodiments described above, radial projections are provided on the first and second drive shafts as means for connecting the handle, but they may also be in the shape of a regular hexagon or a cross.

[0079] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, a bevel tooth structure was used as a means of transmitting driving force from the second drive shaft to the third drive shaft, but a worm gear structure or a flexible shaft structure may also be used. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0080] 1…Support base member 2...Operation unit 3... Handle 5...Slide groove 5a... Slit 5b...Locking member 10… Housing 11… Processing Room 12...Inlet 13…Discharge port 15…Sliding projection 15a...Latching recess 15b...Entrance 20...First processing member 21...Cylindrical body 22…Opening 23…First drive shaft 24...Blade part 25...Blade part 26...Blade part 30...Second processing member 31…Bottom plate part 31a... Window section 31b...Open hole 32...Second drive shaft 32a...Connection part 32b...Shaft part 32c…Bevel tooth part 33…Drive adapter 33p...Third drive shaft 33a...Base section 33b...Engaging recess 33c…Center hole 33d...wing section 33e…Stepped section 35... Juicing component 36... Stopper 40... Receiving member 41... Outlet 42... Side wall section 43...Bottom wall F...Ingredients P1... Rotation axis P2... Rotation axis S... Food processing device U1... First food processing unit U2... Second food processing unit In each figure, the same reference numeral indicates the same or corresponding part.

Claims

1. The system comprises a support base member installed on an installation surface, a first food processing unit and a second food processing unit detachably connected to the support base member by a common connecting means, and a handle rotatably connected to the first food processing unit and the second food processing unit by a common connecting means. The first food processing unit and the second food processing unit perform different food processing operations using rotational driving force provided by rotating the handle. Food processing equipment.

2. The first food processing unit includes a first processing member that is rotated around a rotation axis coaxial with the rotation axis of the handle by rotating the handle, The second food processing unit includes a second processing member that is rotated around an axis of rotation intersecting the axis of rotation of the handle by rotating the handle. The food processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned connecting means is A slide groove formed on the upper surface of the support base member, A sliding projection is provided on the bottom surface of the first food processing unit and the second food processing unit, and engages with the sliding groove, Includes a restraining means for restraining the state in which the slide projection is engaged with the slide groove, The food processing apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned restraining means is A locking member moves forward and backward relative to the slide groove by operating the operating part provided on the support base member, The slide projection includes a locking recess into which the locking member can be inserted when the slide projection is engaged with the slide groove, The food processing apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The support base member is equipped with fixing means to prevent displacement relative to the installation surface, The operation of the control unit causes the fixing means and the restraining means to operate in conjunction. The food processing apparatus according to claim 4.

6. The fixing means includes a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the bottom surface of the support base member. The restraining means includes a movement mechanism that moves the locking member about a predetermined vertical axis as the pivot point. The operating unit is provided in the middle of the support base member and rotates about the predetermined axis as the pivot point. The lifting mechanism, the moving mechanism, and the operating unit are arranged along the predetermined axis. The food processing apparatus according to claim 5.

7. The first food processing unit includes a housing having a processing chamber in which the first processing member is housed, an input port for introducing food into the processing chamber, and a discharge port for discharging the food processed in the processing chamber. The first processing member includes a cylindrical body having an open end and a first drive shaft to which the handle is connected at the other end, and a blade capable of cutting the food is formed on the peripheral wall of the cylindrical body. The food processing apparatus according to claim 2.

8. The second food processing unit is, The device comprises a receiving member having side walls and a bottom wall for receiving liquid, with a liquid outlet formed in the side wall or the bottom wall, and the second processing member placed on the receiving member, The second processing member is, A bottom plate portion having openings formed to allow liquid to pass through, A second drive shaft is provided on the lower side of the bottom plate portion, to which the handle is attached. A third drive shaft is rotatably provided on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion and has a rotation axis that intersects with respect to the second drive shaft. A drive force transmission means for transmitting the rotational driving force of the second drive shaft to the third drive shaft, and The system includes a juice extraction member that is mounted on the third drive shaft and rotates integrally with the third drive shaft, The food processing apparatus according to claim 2.

9. The system comprises a support base member installed on a mounting surface, multiple types of food processing units detachably connected to the support base member by a common connecting means, and a handle rotatably connected to each of the multiple types of food processing units by a common connecting means. The aforementioned multiple types of food processing units each perform different food processing using rotational driving force provided by rotating the handle. Food processing equipment.

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