GB2221402A

GB2221402A - Food processor for beating egg white or whipping cream

Info

Publication number: GB2221402A
Application number: GB8914596A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ruth Padoa Aaronson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-07-04
Filing date: 1989-06-26
Publication date: 1990-02-07
Also published as: GB8914596D0; IL86984A0; FR2633506A1; DE3921843A1; JPH0284914A

Description

-I- FOOD PROCESSING METHOD AND APPARATUS

Background of the Invention

This invention relates generally to food processors, and more particularly to one that is designed to include structure that enables it to be used to beat egg white or albumen to a large volume, whip cream and churn butter. The invention also includes a new method of beating or whipping cream or albumen.

Many food processor manuals admit that some foods do not process well. Among them are cream and egg whites, which require whipping or beating to a large volume. Previously, the whipping of cream or beating of egg white (albumen) was performed by using a conventional, rotary beater or mixer, which was either manually or electrically operated, or by a wire whisk where the material was beaten or whipped in a mixing bowl until, for example, the whites would stand up in peaks that were shiny.

The conventional food processor includes a knife blade, which is comprised of a hub and a pair of vertically and angularly spaced, radially extending, curved blade elements. Various discs may be provided to be used alone or in combination with the conventional knife blade to perform various functions. The knife blade chops, crumbs, grinds, minces and purees, depending upon the food and the method used. The discs, which may be reversible for performing dual functions, can be used for slicing or shredding. The discs may also be made with removable inserts for a french fry cut, thick slicing, thin ripple cutting, coarse shredding, etc.

None of the above knife blade and/or discs can provide the function of beating egg white or albumen or to whip cream to produce an acceptably large volume to compare with the aforementioned rotary beater or whisk system.

2 One solution to the problem proposed by a food processor manufacturer is to provide a beater attachment that corresponds to an electrically operated, single, rotatable beater element which utilizes the food processor electric motor drive means. The attachment in this case involves an expensive, difficult to store, unwieldy, inconvenient attachment that attempts the transformation of a food processor into a mixer using the food processor motor.

It has been observed by the inventor that, for example, egg white or albumen can achieve a degree of beating with the knife blade; however, it takes longer and the volume remains low, thereby.producing an unsatisfactory result. It appears that centrifugal force is exerted by the blade elements during their rotation through the egg white which inhibits the type of action that enables the egg white to alter its natural state to that achievable by a conventional mixer or wire whisk.

Thus, the prior art does not provide a solution for utilizing a food processor as an egg white or albumen beater or a cream whipper with a small, portable, inexpensive device that is easy to store and operate and produces desirable results comparable

Summary of the Invention

This invention comprises a method for and an attachment to a conventional food processor with a knife blade that enables the food processor to whip cream or beat egg white or albumen to the proper volume and 30 consistency.

In accordance with this invention there is provided in combination for beating egg albumen or whipping cream, a food processor having a housing base containing a motor drive means which controls therefor, a 1 3 bowl assembly including a bowl having a closed based and an open top, a shaft sealingly mounted through said bowl base for rotation by said motor drive means when operatively connected therewith, a cover for said bowl, said cover having a food chute therethrough, and a knife blade having a hub and a pair of vertically and angularly spaced, radially extending blade elements, said knife blade hub being mountable on said shaft for rotation therewith, the lower of said blade elements being in close proximity to said bowl base when mounted; and means within said bowl to intercept cream or albumen that is caused to rise adjacent the inner periphery of said bowl by operation of said knife blade to beat said albumen.

This invention also provides in a food processor for beating egg albumen or whipping cream, the processor having a housing base containing a motor drive means with controls therefor, a bowl assembly including a bowl having a closed base and an open top, a shaft sealingly mounted through said bowl base for rotation by said motor drive means when operatively connected therewith, a cover for said bowl, said cover having a food chute therethrough, and a knife blade having a hub and a pair of vertically and angularly spaced, radially extending blade elements, said knife blade hub being mountable on said shaft for rotation therewith, the lower of said blade elements being in close proximity to said bowl base when mounted; the improvement comprising, means within said bowl to intercept albumen or cream that is caused to rise adjacent the inner periphery of said bowl by operation of said knife blade to beat said albumen or whip said cream.

Further, this invention provides a food processor attachment for a food processor having a knife blade for beating egg albumen or whipping cream comprising means projecting within a food processor for 4 disrupting the flow of egg albumen or cream from the knife blade of the food processor.

Additionally, the invention contemplates a method for whipping cream or beating albumen by breaking the connective bond of the fat of the cream or the albumen of the egg to produce fine droplets therefrom, while simultaneously causing a migration movement of said droplets; and causing a deceleration thereof, thereby decreasing the time for the beating of the material over that achievable by presently known beating methods.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a food processor attachment that is rugged and inexpensive and produces the beating of egg white or albumen or the whipping of cream in a manner which provides results superior to conventional beating and whipping systems when the processor is used with a knife blade.

It is another object of this invention to provide a food processor attachment which produces an increase in beaten egg albumen or whipped cream volume in a shorter period of time than that achievable when operating a food processor a knife blade without the attachment.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a food processor attachment for whipping cream or beating albumen that is adaptable for use with most commercially available food processors.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a number of attachments for a food processor that enable the food processor to whip cream or beat egg albumen effectively.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an attachment for a food processor with a blade such that the attachment cooperates with the blade and inner chamber periphery to beat or whip cream or albumen within the food processor to a froth suitable for culinary use.

1 is Another object of this invention is to produce a food processor attachment that is easy and economical to produce of conventional, currently available materials that lend themselves to standard mass production manufacturing techniques.

Still another object of this invention involves the provision of attachments for a food processor that enable the food processor to perform the functions of a conventional mixer.

These and other advantages, features and objects of the invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the illustrative embodiments in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is an exploded view of a conventional, commercially available food processor that is representative of the class of appliance to which the attachment of this invention is applicable; Figures 2 and 3 are top views of a disc with an interchangeable insert; Figure 4 is a pictorial representation of a commercially available egg beater attachment; Figure 5 is a pictorial view of an egg white or albumen beater and whipped cream attachment of this invention; Figure 6 is a pictorial representation of the attachment of Figure 5 in situ on the food processor; Figures 7 through 14 are pictorial representations of alternative forms of the attachment of this invention; 6 Description of the Preferred Embodiment

In the Figures, like numerals denote like parts. Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a food processor 10 having a base 12, a bowl assembly 14, a cover 16 with a food chute 18 and a food pusher 20 having a cross section corresponding to the internal cross section of the food chute 18. The base 12 houses a motor with means, not shown, for rotation of a vaned drive element 22. Element 22 need not have vanes and may be of any known type clutch shape that easily mates with a correspondingly shaped element to be driven. As illustrated, drive element 22 rotates within a cylindrical recess 24 in the base 12 and is controlled by motor switch actuating buttons 26.

The bowl assembly 14 is comprised of a cylindrical bowl 28 open at one end and closed at its other end except for a hole, not shown, for the drive for a conventional drive shaft 30. Around the hole is a cylindrical projection, also not shown, for threaded engagement with a screw-on ring 32 to clamp a rubber sealing ring 34, mounted on the shaft extension through the bowl, to the projection. Since the sealing arrangement does not form a part of this invention, it is sufficient to say that the shaft 30 has conventional means such as a flat 36 on its end within the bowl 28 for providing a positive drive for the accessory discs and knife blade devices and has a mating driven element at its opposite end for engagement with drive element 22, the portion of the shaft 30 within the bowl 28 being sealed by conventional means from the exterior of the bowl 28. The bowl assembly 14 is provided with a cover 16 having a food chute 18 for presenting food to be processed into the bowl assembly 14. A food pusher 20 provides a closure for the chute 18 as well as enabling the food within the chute to be biased against the c 7 processing knife blade accessory 38 and/or disc members 44 or 46-48 (Figure 2).

A knife blade accessory 38, comprising a hub 40 with a pair of thin, sharp edged blade elements 42 extending radially, 180 degrees apart, and vertically spaced from one another by approximately 1 cm, is to be placed on the shaft in a rotatably locked relationship because of the mating of the flat 36 with a like shaped mating interior of the hub. A reversible disc 44 can be placed above the knife blade 38, the interior of its hub limiting its position downward along shaft 30. Alternatively, a disc such as that illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 may be substituted for disc 44. It should be noted that the blades and disc may be used singly or in combination, depending upon the design and desired effect.

As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, there is shown a disc insert support 46 for various inserts 48, each insert having a different cutting edge to achieve a different effect. The disc insert support could have any of the currently utilized designs for supporting the inserts 48. For example, the support disc could have a generally radially oriented opening with side slots for engagement with the insert edges. Both the disc insert support and the insert could have cylindrical portions, as shown, to engage the shaft 30 and thereby lock the insert support disc 46 and the insert 48 against radial movement. Figure 3 illustrates the sliding of the insert 48 toward its position where the projection held in the right hand in the Figure is at the center of the support 46.

Figure 4 represents an attachment 50 for a food processor to enable the food processor to function as an egg white or albumen beater. Basically the attachment 50 comprises a single, conventional beater element 52 and a hoxising 54 containing a drive mechanism which is driven 8 by the shaft 30 and arranged to rotate beater element 52. In this instance the attachment is prevented from rotating as a unit. The resultant device is bulky, difficult to store and expensive to produce.

The apparatus thus far described is representative of the prior art which does not provide simple to use, convenient, inexpensive, effective egg white or albumen beating or cream whipping and results in this function being provided by devices other than food processors. Many details such as latch mechanisms, etc, have not been described as they do not relate to the inventive concept of this invention, by exception of her safety devices. 1 Accordingly, the structures illustrated with respect to Figures 5 through 12 are provided to accommodate the function of egg white or albumen whipping or beating or cream whipping. It was noted that one of the reasons that a knife blade accessory alone produces unsatisfactory results is that the knife-blade seems to produce a centrifugal component to pack the cream or egg albumen around the periphery of the food processor bowl. By providing structure which disrupts this migration of whipped cream or albumen, these substances are made to froth speedily to a large volume with the characteristics necessary for culinary use.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, there is shown an attachment 56 for a food processor 10 which enables egg albumen beating or cream whipping to be performed effectively. The attachment 56 comprises a flat, generally rectangular plate 58 with a 180 degree bend 60 at one end to form a hanger to suspend the attachment from the food chute 18 of a food processor. The end of the said is banded too, at 90 degree, and that enable to obtain an safety handle 59 of the said attachment 56.

The attachment 56, should extend to within a millimetre or two from the level of the top blade element 42 of the 9 knife blade accessory 38 for improved effectiveness. The lower part of the said extend, is twisted to form a spiral 70. The width may vary; however, approximately 2.5 cm has proved to produce satisfactory results. Where the chute location does not allow for a fairly close fit of one longitudinal edge of plate 58 to the internal periphery of the bowl 28, the width of the flat plate may be stepped to reduce the clearance to the inner periphery of the bowl. The location for most effective operation is one where the orientation of the flat plate is as close to having it aligned in a radial plane as possible. With most food processors attachment 56 operates effectively at all positions around the chute, the only difference being the amount of time for completion of the frothing process.

In Figure 7 attachment 56, has the bottom portion of plate 58 of the embodiment of Figure 5 replaced by a spiral wire 62, while the portion bend 60 at 180 degree, secures the structure to the chute 18 by a hanger form. At the end of the said hanger is banded too at 90 degree, and enable to obtain an safety handle 59 of the said attachment 56. Even this section of plate 58 could be replaced by continuation of wire 62 to form a hanger, not shown.

Figure 8 represents an alternative embodiment wherein an insert 48 to a support disc, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, is provided to form a downwardly extending, radially oriented, flat plate 58, which, in this case, would rotate with the knife blade 38.

In Figure 9 there is shown an upstanding, radially oriented plate at the end of the top blade elements 42 of a knife blade accessory 38. This could be a separate knife blade accessory with permanent attachment of the plate 58 or it could be made removable in any manner within the skill of an ordinary mechanic.

Figure 10 illustrates an attachment 56, as portrayed in Figure 5, with additional plates 64 secured to the lower end and generally perpendicular to plate 58 to accommodate different positions around the chute 18 while maintaining the appropriate clearance of a plate to the inner periphery of bowl 28.

Figure 11 illustrates the embodiment of Figure 5 wherein the lower part of plate 58 can be of flat form 71, or of a fork form 72.

Figure 12 represents the plate 58 combined with or attached to the cover 20. The said cover 20, in her lower part, have holes 72, for aeration purposes. if the cover 20 is arranged to releasably have the plate 58 engage with it, the attachment 56 becomes a very small element to be stored. The lower part of the said extend, is twisted to form a spiral 70.

Figure 13 illustrates the embodiment of Figure 5, wherein the upper end is a safety handle 59. This handle 59, generally is a rectangular elongated plate, jointed by adequate means with the upper end of the said attachment 56 in a 'IT" form. Two recess 75-76, one in every low end of the handle 59 to be placed to the chute border 18, see in food processor 10. The larger of handle 59, is at least the longer distance of cross section food chute 18, and this, in order to prevent manipulation inside the food processor during the process. Figure 14 illustrates the embodiment of Figure 11, wherein the upper part comprises a flat, generally 30 rectangular plate 58, with a 180 degree bend 60, to form a hanger to suspend the attachment to the food chute 18 of a food processor. The side of the hanger part is enlarged by a rectangular plate, to be postponed to the exterior side of the food chute 18 of a food processor. 35 The attachments portrayed in Figures 5 through 14 all can be modified to accommodate variations in models of food processors.

z 11 The method of this invention involves the step of breaking up the albumen or cream to produce small droplets, for example by the rotary knife blade elements 42 of knife blade accessory 38, which in its operation breaks the connective bond of the albumen or fat in the cream. Since this step causes a migration of the droplets, the next step involves the disruption of the migration and a deceleration thereof, for example, by providing an attachment 56, such as plate 58. The combination of steps produces beaten albumen or whipped cream faster than other methods of production.

Operation The albumen from the number of eggs specified in a recipe or cream suitable for whipping is placed in a food processor with a knife blade accessory 38 installed. If the embodiment of Figure 9 is utilized, the flat plate is either affixed to the knife blade accessory 38 or one with an integral plate would be substituted for the conventional knife blade accessory., With the embodiment of Figure 8 the support disc 46 is installed with the radially oriented, downwardly extending plate 58 of insert 48 inserted therein, while the embodiments of Figures 5, 7, 10, 11, 13 and 14 are hung from the feed chute 18. The food processor is turned on, and as the cream or albumen starts its frothing, the attachments disrupt the centrifugal flow resulting in vertical and radially inward migration to produce a high volume culinary product in a minimum amount of time. When cream is the ingredient to be whipped, continuation of operation of the food processor beyond the whipped cream stage will produce butter. Thus, the food processor also functions as a churn.

The operation of the attachments with a food processor, in addition to whipping, beating or churning, 12 allow the food processor to substitute for a conventional mixer without further modification. For example, with batter in the bowl, the food processor would perform as a mixer.

Although the invention has been described relative to particular embodiments, it will be understood to those skilled in the art that the invention is capable of a variety of alternative embodiments. For example, the portion of plate 58 within the bowl could have holes therein, be stepped, as previously described, or it could be narrow at its upper portion and wider as it comes closer to the knife blade 38. 1 intend to be limited only by embodiments within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

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Claims

CLAIMS:

1. In combination for beating egg albumen or whipping cream, a food processor having a housing base containing a motor drive means with controls therefor, a bowl assembly including a bowl having a closed base and an open top, a shaft sealingly mounted through said bowl base for rotation by said motor drive means when operatively connected therewith, a cover for said bowl, said cover having a food chute therethrough, and a knife blade having a hub and a pair of vertically and angularly spaced, radially extending blade elements, said knife blade hub being mountable on said shaft for rotation therewith, the lower of said blade elements being in close proximity to said bowl base when mounted; and means within said bowl to intercept albumen or cream that is caused to rise adjacent the inner periphery of said bowl by operation of said knife blade to beat said albumen or whip said cream.

2. A combination as defined in Claim 1, wherein said last mentioned means comprises a radially oriented plate in close proximity to the upper blade element of said knife blade.

3. A combination as defined in Claim 2, wherein said last mentioned means is located proximate to the inner periphery of said bowl.

4. A combination as defined in Claim 1, wherein said last mentioned means comprises a spiral wire mounted to said cover and extending proximate to the upper blade element of said knife blade.

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5. A combination as defined in Claim 1, wherein said last mentioned means comprises a disc mounted on said shaft, and a flat plate mounted to said disc to extend proximate to the upper blade element of said knife blade and the inner periphery of said bowl.

6. A combination as defined in Claim 1, wherein said last mentioned means comprises an upwardly extending flat plate, radially oriented and mounted to the upper blade element of said knife blade.

7. A combination as defined in Claim 2, wherein said plate is twisted to form a spiral.

8. A combination as defined in Claim 1, wherein said plate is secured to said cover.

9. In a food processor for whipping cream or beating egg albumen, the processor having a housing base containing a motor drive means with control therefor, a bowl assembly including a bowl having a closed base and an open top, a shaft sealingly mounted through said bowl base for rotation by said motor drive means when operatively connected therewith, a cover for said bowl, said cover having a food chute therethrough, and a knife blade having a hub and a pair of vertically and angularly spaced, radially extending blade elements, said knife blade hub being mountable on said shaft for rotation therewith, the lower of said blade elements being in close proximity to said bowl base when mounted; the improvement comprising, means within said bowl to intercept cream or albumen that is caused to rise adjacent the inner periphery of said bowl by operation of said knife-blade to whip said cream or beat said albumen.

0 1

10. In a food processor as defined in Claim 9, wherein said last mentioned means comprises a radially oriented plate in close proximity to the upper blade element of said knife blade.

11. In a food processor as defined in Claim 10, wherein said last mentioned means is located proximate to the inner periphery of said bowl.

12. In a food processor as defined in Claim 9, wherein said last mentioned means comprises a spiral wire mounted to said cover and extending proximate to the upper blade element of said knife blade.

13. In a food processor as defined in Claim 9, wherein said last mentioned means comprises a disc mounted on said shaft, and a flat plate mounted to said disc to extend proximate to the upper blade element of said knife blade and the inner periphery of said bowl.

14. In a food processor as defined in Claim 6, wherein said last mentioned means comprises an upwardly extending flat plate, radially oriented and mounted to the upper blade element of said knife blade.

15. In a food processor as defined in Claim 10, wherein said plate can be twisted to form a spiral or of a fork form.

16. A food processor attachment for a food processor having a knife blade comprising, means for projecting within a food processor for disrupting flow form the knife blade of the food processor.

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17. A method for beating egg albumen or whipping cream comprising the steps of: breaking the connective bond of the material to be whipped or beaten to create fine droplets therefrom with a migratory movement, and disrupting said migratory movement to cause a deceleration of said fine droplets, thereby decreasing the time normally required for beating or whipping.

1

18. A method for beating or whipping material comprising the steps of: creating fine droplets of said material having a migratory movement, and disrupting said migratory movement to cause a deceleration of said fine droplets, thereby decreasing the time normally required for beating or whipping said material.

19. A food processor attachment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Published 1990atThePatentOffice. State House. 66 71 High Holborn, London WC1R4TP.Purther copies maybe obtainedfrom The Patent Office. Sales Branch. St Mary Cray. Orpington, Kent BRS 3R1) Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray, Kent, Con. V87