Kitchen appliance

Abstract

The present invention relates to a kitchen appliance comprising a base provided for placing the kitchen appliance on a work surface, an attachment provided for detachable coupling to a motor separate from the base, a preparation means coupling provided for coupling to a processing means via which food is processed, and a scale for determining the weight of food to be processed by the kitchen appliance.

Description

[0001] kitchen appliance

[0002] Technical field

[0003] The present invention relates to a kitchen appliance.

[0004] State of the art

[0005] When preparing food, it is necessary to select the correct amount of ingredients, which are typically specified in the respective recipes. A separate scale is often used for this purpose, to weigh the food to be processed. The weighed ingredients are then processed further as desired.

[0006] However, using kitchen appliances for food processing has its disadvantages: the scale requires additional space on the work surface, and the extra containers used to hold the food on the scale must be cleaned after use. Furthermore, a problem arises, especially with powdered ingredients like flour or ground spices, as these often stick to the sides of the container placed on the scale for weighing. It is cumbersome to remove them so they aren't wasted but can be used in the dish.

[0007] One proposed solution to the aforementioned problems is the integration of scales into stand mixers and food processors. This offers the advantage of weighing ingredients directly in the processing container, saving counter space and reducing cleaning effort. Examples of such systems are described, for instance, in CN 2870695 Y and CN 201094087 Y. Other solutions involve a battery-operated scale that can be placed beneath a separate stand mixer. However, the problem then arises that large kitchen appliances and stand mixers, as described above, are expensive and require considerable kitchen space, especially when a separate scale is positioned underneath them.

[0008] Generally, people with limited space or a tight budget often use kitchen appliances based on a stick blender or hand mixer. These systems are based on the handle of a handheld device, such as a stick blender, which can be combined with additional attachments to perform various tasks like kneading, mixing, chopping, slicing, dicing, mincing, or juicing. Such stick blender-based systems are usually less expensive and more compact than stand-alone food processors. However, there are no integrated scale systems for kitchen appliances and food processors that operate on the basis of such a handheld device.

[0009] Another problem with state-of-the-art solutions often arises with battery-powered scales. When measuring weight electronically, a stable reference voltage is required to measure the output voltage of a bridge circuit connected to load cells, which in turn measure the weight. Ideally, the voltage remains constant over time. However, the voltage of batteries in a household scale decreases over time. This voltage drop must be compensated for or taken into account when determining the weight to achieve accurate measurements. Several solutions exist for this.

[0010] One option is to use a voltage reference that generates a stable reference voltage for the measurement. The disadvantage is that the voltage reference cannot supply power to the entire electronics, but only provides a reference voltage for the measurement. This necessitates an additional circuit to power the processing electronics and any display. Furthermore, this results in high power consumption, which reduces battery life.

[0011] Another solution involves combining batteries to generate a total voltage higher than the required voltage of the measuring or processing circuitry, and then reducing this voltage to achieve the desired operating or reference voltage. A linear voltage regulator can be used for this purpose. A disadvantage of this approach is that, depending on the battery type, multiple batteries are required to provide the desired voltage. This necessitates additional space within the scale, limiting design flexibility and resulting in a larger scale. Furthermore, the batteries must be replaced when their voltage drops below the operating voltage.

[0012] Description of the invention

[0013] The present invention aims to alleviate or eliminate one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages.

[0014] The invention is defined by claim 1. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

[0015] According to the present invention, a kitchen appliance has a base. A kitchen appliance according to claim 1 can be, for example, a stand mixer, a food processor, a bread maker, etc. The base is designed for placing the kitchen appliance on a work surface and can hold it stably there, so that no further stabilization of the kitchen appliance by a user is necessary during food processing.

[0016] The base features a connection designed for detachable coupling with a separate motor. This connection allows the handheld unit of a hand blender to be attached to the base for food processing. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a permanently integrated drive motor within the appliance.

[0017] Furthermore, a processing unit coupling is provided. This allows a processing unit to be coupled, which is used to process the food. The processing unit can then be operated by the motor coupled to the unit.

[0018] Furthermore, a scale is provided to determine the weight of food to be processed by the kitchen appliance. This scale can, for example, be part of the base and thus determine the weight of the base and the components and food placed on it. By subtracting the measured weight from the empty weight of the kitchen appliance, the weight of the food to be processed by the kitchen appliance can be determined.

[0019] This provides a weighing function even for a relatively space-saving and inexpensive kitchen appliance that doesn't have its own motor but is driven by a separate one, such as the handheld unit of a hand blender. This simplifies weighing food, reduces the required space, and saves time when processing food, as you don't have to transfer the food from a separate scale to the container where it will be processed. Furthermore, such a kitchen appliance is more versatile than a classic stand mixer or food processor because the detachable handheld unit can also be used with other handheld attachments, such as a blender or whisk.

[0020] Preferably, the scale is provided in a weighing component located below the base and separable from the base. This is advantageous because, firstly, the scale can be stored separately from the rest of the kitchen appliance, thus saving space. Secondly, this allows the weighing component to be used separately from the kitchen appliance, creating an independent scale that can also be used for applications without the kitchen appliance.

[0021] Preferably, the weighing component can be arranged in at least two different orientations relative to the base. This facilitates the adaptation of the kitchen appliance to right- or left-handed users, or generally to people who prefer a different arrangement of the weighing component relative to the base.

[0022] It is preferred that the scale component is firmly connected to the base via a tool-free detachable mechanism. Such a mechanism may, for example, have one or more screws that can be loosened by hand. This provides an adjustable kitchen appliance that is nevertheless stable.

[0023] Preferably, the base and the balance component are designed to be complementary to each other in order to stabilize the base in its orientation relative to the balance component. This makes it less likely that the base and the balance component will be arranged in the wrong orientation relative to each other or that the base and the balance component will slip against each other during operation. Such stabilization and such complementary design can be achieved, for example, by projections and / or recesses in the base and / or the balance component that form a positive-locking connection with complementary features in the respective other component.

[0024] Alternatively, the scale is preferably integrated into the base. This simplifies the use of the kitchen appliance, as it eliminates the need for a separate scale component.

[0025] Preferably, the kitchen appliance is equipped with a device for detecting movement. The weight is only determined if no movement or only negligible movement is detected. This prevents an incorrect weight reading from occurring if the appliance vibrates, for example, during food processing. Negligible movement is defined as movement with a maximum acceleration or rate of change of all load cells that is less than a predefined threshold. This threshold is chosen such that the acceleration or rate of change of the measured values ​​has an effect on the weight determination that is below the scale's measurement tolerance, or that results in a rate of change of the display that is still easily readable for the user.This is intended to prevent excessively rapid and incomprehensible jumps in the displayed value for the user.

[0026] Furthermore, it is preferred that the motion detection device determines a vibration or rapid movement of the kitchen appliance. Such a vibration can be easily detected due to the repetitive nature of the oscillation or the rate of change of the measured values ​​of the load cells, or the change pattern of the individual load cells relative to each other, and is typical for the operation of a kitchen appliance that has a motor. In this respect, an incorrect weight measurement can be avoided with a high degree of reliability.

[0027] For example, in the production of foods with high viscosity (such as yeast dough), an imbalance can occur, which rotates within the equipment due to the rotation of the processing element. If several load cells are arranged around the axis of rotation of the processing element, the load cells will also register a rotating heavy weight (corresponding to the imbalance) rotating around the axis, opposite a similarly rotating light weight. Such a rotating pattern can be easily detected by a suitable evaluation system. In this way, such an imbalance is detected by the load cells indicating maxima and minima as they rotate. By observing their arrangement and movement, such an imbalance can be determined.

[0028] If movement of the kitchen appliance is detected, a symbol or animation can preferably be displayed, for example, via a corresponding indicator on the appliance. This informs the user that it is currently not possible to determine the weight.

[0029] Preferably, the scale is powered by a voltage source integrated into the kitchen appliance. This can be, in particular, a rechargeable battery, preferably located within the scale. However, it is also possible to use a different voltage source, such as one or more capacitors, or to supply the scale with power via appropriate contacts on the handle and base. This allows for a compact design of the kitchen appliance and avoids voltage fluctuations due to varying operating voltage.

[0030] A device, particularly a boost converter, is preferably provided which increases the voltage supplied by the voltage source. This allows a sufficiently high reference voltage to be provided, which is necessary for the reliable determination of the weight.

[0031] Furthermore, the kitchen appliance features a display device linked to the scale to show the weight. This display device can be an LCD display, a segment display, or something similar. Such a display device allows the weight to be read directly on the kitchen appliance, thus increasing user-friendliness.

[0032] Alternatively, a device is provided to read the weight from a separate unit. For example, the appliance could communicate wirelessly, such as via Bluetooth, with a smartphone or other external device. Appropriate software on this external device could then read and display the weight. This allows the user to read the weight without being in the immediate vicinity of the appliance. For instance, the weight could also be displayed on the user interface of the handheld device.

[0033] Furthermore, a handheld unit of a hand blender is preferably provided, which is detachably coupled to the base in order to operate the kitchen appliance via the motor of the handheld unit. This allows the kitchen appliance to be provided cost-effectively and also stored in a comparatively space-saving manner, since the handheld unit of the hand blender can be detached from the base.

[0034] Brief description of the characters

[0035] Figure 1 shows a component of a kitchen appliance according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0036] Figure 2 shows a kitchen appliance according to the embodiment of the invention in a first configuration.

[0037] Figure 3 shows a kitchen appliance according to the embodiment of the invention in a second configuration.

[0038] Figure 4 shows the kitchen appliance according to the embodiment of the invention in an exploded view.

[0039] Figure 5 is a bottom view of the exploded view of Figure 4.

[0040] Figure 6 shows a possible use of the balance component of the first embodiment of the invention.

[0041] Detailed description of the execution methods

[0042] Figure 1 shows a component of the kitchen appliance according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0043] A tubular extension 2 is provided on a base 1, in which a handpiece 3, for example of a hand blender, is detachably arranged and attached. A processing device coupling 4 is provided laterally to the extension 2, to which a processing device (not shown) is coupled. This processing device is located inside a container 5 for processing food contained within the container 5. The container 5 is closed by a lid 21. The lid 21 has an opening for introducing food to be processed. A handle 20 is provided on the side of the container 5, opposite the extension 2 in Figure 1. The motor of the handpiece 3 transmits a torque to a coupling (not shown) provided in the extension 2. This coupling transmits the torque via a mechanism (not shown) within the base 1 to the processing device coupling 4 to drive the processing device.In this case, the mechanism within base 1 can have such a transmission ratio that the working device is operated at a lower speed than the speed of the hand part 3.

[0044] Figure 2 shows how the kitchen appliance, according to a first embodiment, is arranged with a separate weighing component 6 located below the base 1. Because the weighing component 6 is located below the base 1, it can determine the weight of the base 1 and any additional components and food items placed on it. By determining this total weight and subtracting the empty weight of the kitchen appliance, for example using a tare function, the weight of the food items added can then be determined.

[0045] The weighing component 6 has a weight measuring system comprising several load cells, an electronic processing unit, and a (in this case, battery-based) power supply. The weighing component 6 also has a user interface 7 with a display to show the measured weight. Furthermore, control buttons can be provided on the user interface 7 to switch the scale on and off, to perform a tare function, or to change the weight units. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the hand unit 3 is located on the right, as seen from the perspective of a user who has the user interface 7 directly in front of them, while the container 5 for processing food is on the left. Such an arrangement is advantageous, for example, for left-handed users who want to place food into the container 5 with their left hand while processing it.

[0046] Due to the modularity of the appliance, the arrangement of the base 1 relative to the scale component 6 can be rotated to achieve the configuration shown in Figure 3. In this configuration, the container 5 is now positioned on the right as viewed from the user interface (display device) 7, thus facilitating the insertion of food by right-handed users, while the handle 3 is positioned on the left.

[0047] Figures 4 and 5 show exploded views of the embodiment of the invention. It can be seen that the balance component 6 has recesses 8 into which first feet 11 of the base 1 (see Figure 5) can engage. This engagement of the first feet 11 in the recesses 8 stabilizes the alignment of the base 1 with respect to the balance component 6. A thread 10 is also provided on the underside of the base 1 for firmly attaching the base 1 to the balance component 6. A screw 9, provided on the balance component 6, engages in this thread and can be turned via a handle 12 on the underside of the balance component 6 (see Figure 5). This allows the balance component 6 to be screwed to the base 1 without tools. It is also possible to detach the balance component 6 from the base 1 without tools by unscrewing the screw 9.

[0048] The recesses 8 and the first feet 11 of the balance component 6 and the base 1, respectively, are arranged rotationally symmetrically by 180°, so that the base 1 can be positioned on the balance component 6 with the feet 11 engaging the recesses 8 in two different orientations, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. Positioning the first feet 11 in the recesses 8 simultaneously reduces the height of the kitchen appliance, resulting in improved stability.

[0049] Figure 5 further shows that the balance component 6 has second feet 13. These serve to place the balance component 6 on a surface, just as is possible with the first feet 11 of the base 1. The first feet 11 of the base 1 and the second feet 13 of the balance component 6 preferably have a surface with high friction, for example rubber, or suction cups to increase the stability of the arrangement on a work surface.

[0050] It is possible to integrate load cells for determining weight into the second feet 13 of the weighing component 6. Alternatively, the weighing component 6 can also consist of separate upper and lower parts that allow movement relative to each other, in which case the load cells are arranged between these two parts. If the load cells are integrated into the first and second feet 11, 13, it is preferred that at least four second feet 13 of the weighing component 6 are provided to increase the stability of the measurement. Furthermore, it is preferred that all second feet 13 of the weighing component 6 have load cells to enable an accurate weight measurement. Although six first and six second feet 11, 13 are provided here, the number is not limiting, and more or fewer first and second feet 11, 13 can be provided. However, for reasons of the stability of the arrangement on a work surface, at least three first and six second feet 11, 13 are preferably provided.Second feet 11, 13 may be provided. Although only a single screw 9 is shown in Figure 5, multiple screws may also be provided. The handle 12 of the screw 9 according to Figure 5 can be turned by hand to tighten the screw 9. However, other methods of attaching the balance component 6 to the base 1 are also possible, such as snap connections, magnets, bayonet connections, linear guides, Velcro fasteners, etc. It is also possible that no such fixed attachment is provided and the base 1 is simply loosely arranged on the balance component 6.

[0051] The weighing component 6 has a motion detection system. During food processing, an imbalance can occur in the food, and the influence of user actions on the motor unit can also negatively affect the weight measurement and lead to rapid changes in the displayed weight value or to an incorrect measurement result, for example, if a user inserts food during processing or increases or decreases the rotational speed.

[0052] Accordingly, if the system detects movement, acceleration, or a change in the measured value that exceeds a predefined threshold, the system may avoid confusing displays for the user by, for example, continuously displaying the last measured value until the system is stable again and thus does not move or only moves insignificantly, by deactivating the weight display until the movement has stopped, or by displaying a symbol or animation that signals to the user that the kitchen appliance is currently moving and therefore an accurate measurement is not possible.

[0053] With a design of the kitchen appliance as shown in Figures 4 and 5, it is possible to use the kitchen appliance even without the scale component 6. This allows for increased flexibility in the use of the kitchen appliance and, in particular, the elimination of the scale component if it is not needed or if a more cost-effective version is desired.

[0054] Preferably, the balance component 6 is powered by a battery, so that no separate power supply is required for the balance component 6, nor is any power transfer necessary between the base 1 and the balance component 6. Any type of battery, such as AA or AAA cells, can be used. It is also possible to integrate a rechargeable battery into the balance component 6, which can be charged, for example, by an external charging cable such as a USB-C charger.

[0055] To avoid the aforementioned disadvantages of battery-powered scales, a step-up circuit is used to increase the battery voltage to the desired operating voltage of the measurement and signal processing circuitry. Step-up or boost circuits ("boost converters") operate on the principle of temporarily storing energy in the magnetic field of a coil and switching the voltage on and off via a transistor. During the off-phase, the coil generates a higher voltage of opposite polarity to the input voltage. Rectification via a diode, which is buffered by a capacitor and controlled by feedback, results in a stable voltage that is higher than the input voltage and can be used as an operating or reference voltage for the measurement and signal processing circuitry.

[0056] This design offers the advantage of using battery combinations where the combined voltage is lower than the operating voltage required by the electronics used for weighing. This reduces the number of batteries needed. Furthermore, the batteries can be used for a longer period, until they are no longer able to provide the minimum input voltage required by the step-up circuit. This avoids unnecessary battery replacements, as the batteries can be used for longer and need to be replaced less frequently. This improves environmental friendliness.

[0057] It is also envisioned that the weighing component 6 can have additional functions. For example, the weighing component 6 can be connected wirelessly or via wire to a base unit and thus to the motor unit, which in turn is connected to a control unit. This would allow the measured weights to be used directly in programs and the operating parameters to be adjusted to the amount of food in the container.

[0058] The user interface 7 on the scale component 6 can also have a pixel display and a touchscreen function. This allows, for example, recipes to be displayed. It is also possible to use interactive recipes or to display step-by-step preparation instructions or instructional videos on the screen. The user interface can also have a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection function (or any other type of preferably wireless connection function), making it possible to download and / or stream recipes or instructional videos from the internet or from a connected mobile phone or other communication device.

[0059] A mobile phone can serve as a connection interface for transferring information from the scale component to the motor unit and / or as a user interface for the system's more advanced functions, such as displaying interactive recipes, selecting programs, or viewing status information for the motor unit and the scale on the mobile phone. It is also possible to forgo a user interface on the scale component 6 or the rest of the kitchen appliance and instead have a connection to a mobile phone, in which case the measurements are displayed directly on the mobile phone's screen. Therefore, it can be advantageous to provide a docking station for a mobile phone on the kitchen appliance. It should be noted that any other type of terminal can be used instead of a mobile phone.For example, instead of a smartphone, a tablet, a notebook, a separate desktop computer, etc., can be used. The only important thing is that this device is equipped to communicate with the kitchen appliance and perform any necessary control functions.

[0060] Figure 6 shows one possible use of the separate weighing component 6 together with a tray 14 arranged on the weighing component 6. This allows the weighing component 6 to be used as a standalone scale. This increases the versatility of the weighing component 6, thus improving user-friendliness and saving the user money by eliminating the need for a separate scale for other applications. The tray 14 can be attached to the top of the weighing component 6 using the same or similar fasteners as shown in Figures 4 and 5. Alternatively, the tray 14 can be fixed to the weighing component 6, with the base 1 then placed on top of the tray 14. However, it is preferred that the tray 14 be removable for easier cleaning, for example, in a dishwasher.It is also possible that the scale is integrated directly into base 1. If base 1 has a directly integrated scale, a third possible arrangement of the load cells arises: they can be arranged directly in the processing coupling 4, so that they only weigh the container 5 and the food, but not the weight of base 1 and any motor coupled to it. However, this would be disadvantageous because a certain amount of play would be necessary in the processing coupling 4 to avoid distorting the measurements. Furthermore, all internal forces of the drive train, such as the forces resulting from the gear elements within base 1, would be transmitted to the load cells, necessitating a more robust and costly design for the load cells.

[0061] Although the idea here was to power the kitchen appliance with the motor of a stick blender, it is also possible to operate it with other components, for example a hand mixer.

[0062] To improve the readability of display 7, displays are preferably used where the different (sub-)units are shown in different colors. For example, when using a metric display, whole kilograms are shown in a different color than the subsequent decimal places (grams). When using an imperial display, whole pounds (1b.) are shown in a different color than ounces (oz.). Similarly, the unit symbols are displayed in their respective colors. This makes it easier for a user to read the measured values.

Claims

Claims 1. Kitchen appliance with: a base ( 1 ) which is intended for placing the kitchen appliance on a work surface , an approach ( 2 ) which is intended for detachable coupling with a motor ( 3 ) separate from the base , a processing equipment coupling ( 4 ) which is intended for coupling with a working equipment via which foodstuffs are processed, a scale designed to determine the weight of food to be processed by the kitchen appliance.

2. Kitchen appliance according to claim 1, wherein the scale is provided in a weighing component (6) arranged below the base (1) and separable from the base (1).

3. Kitchen appliance according to claim 2, wherein the weighing component ( 6 ) can be arranged in at least two arrangements with respect to the base ( 1 ).

4. Kitchen appliance according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the weighing component ( 6 ) is firmly connected to the base ( 1 ) via a tool-free detachable mechanism.

5. Kitchen appliance according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the base (1) and the balance component (6) are designed to be complementary to each other in order to stabilize the base (1) in its orientation with respect to the balance component (6).

6. Kitchen appliance according to claim 1, wherein the scale is integrated into the base ( 1 ).

7. Kitchen appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the kitchen appliance is equipped with a device for detecting is equipped with a movement of the kitchen appliance and the weight is only output if essentially no movement is detected.

8. Kitchen appliance according to claim 7, wherein the device for detecting a movement is configured to determine a vibration of the kitchen appliance.

9. Kitchen appliance according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the device for detecting a movement is configured to detect a rate of change of the measured value that is above a defined limit value and to detect a movement based thereon.

10. Kitchen appliance according to one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the device for detecting a movement is designed to detect the course and sequence of the maxima and minima of the individual load cells and to detect a movement based thereon.

11. Kitchen appliance according to any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein, while a movement is detected, a symbol or animation is displayed to signal to a user a movement of the kitchen appliance.

12. Kitchen appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the scale is operated by a voltage source provided in the kitchen appliance, in particular a battery, and wherein preferably a device, particularly preferably a boost converter, is provided which increases the voltage provided by the voltage source.

13. Kitchen appliance according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a display device (7) coupled to the scale to display the weight, preferably for Different units of measurement use different colors for display.

14. Kitchen appliance according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a device for reading the weight at a device provided separately from the kitchen appliance.

15. Kitchen appliance according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising the hand part (3) of a stick blender, which is detachably coupled to the attachment (2) in order to operate the kitchen appliance via the motor of the hand part (3).

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