Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02714947 2010-09-20
FOOD PROCESSOR BOWL COVER CLAMP
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application relates to and claims priority from United States
Provisional Application 61/244140.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to food preparation appliances and, more
particularly, to countertop food processor appliances.
Description of Related Art
Countertop food processor appliances generally comprise a base, a motor
housed in the base, a bowl mounted on the base for receiving food product to
be
mixed or chopped, a blade rotationally driven by the motor and positioned in
the
bowl for rotation therein, and a cover or lid for the bowl. An electrical cord
extends from the base and is adapted to be plugged into an external electrical
source such as a wall socket to deliver electrical energy to the motor.
Countertop food processors typically include a lid that must be locked into
place on the bowl in order to activate a switch enabling operation of the
motor.
This is a safety precaution, though certain sizes and configurations of food
processor are inherently safe without such locking a switching arrangement.
Typical food processor bowls and lids have a twist-lock operation in which the
lid
must be rotated relative to the bowl in order to lock and engage a switch to
operate the food processor motor.
OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a food processor bowl
cover that can be securely, conveniently and safely locked.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, a lid adapted to cover a food processor
bowl is designed to safely, securely and conveniently lock to the bowl without
the
need for twist-locking, or rotationally moving the lid relative to the bowl.
The
page 1
CA 02714947 2010-09-20
present invention lid and bowl have mechanisms that cooperate with each other
to snap-lock the lid onto the bowl without twisting.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bowl according to a first preferred
embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 is a front view of a bowl according to a first preferred
embodiment of the invention.
Figure 3 is a rear view of a bowl according to a first preferred embodiment
of the invention.
Figure 4 is a side view of a bowl according to a first preferred embodiment
of the invention.
Figure 5 is a bottom view of a bowl according to a first preferred
embodiment of the invention.
Figure 6 is a top view of a bowl according to a first preferred embodiment
of the invention.
Figure 7A is a side, cross-sectional view of a bowl according to a first
preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 7B is a partial, side, cross-sectional view of a bowl according to a
first preferred embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE
PRESENT INVENTION
Referring to the Drawing Figures, according to the present invention a
food processor bowl 1 comprises a floor 2, a sidewall 3 and a top opening 4.
The
exterior of the bowl 1 has a lid-retention lip 5. The lip 5 extends generally
radially
from the sidewall 3 and it extends downwardly at its distal end to form, in
side
profile, a hook-like mechanism. The food processor lid 6 has a downwardly
extending tongue 7 with an internal hook 8. The tongue 7, which is integrally
page 2
CA 02714947 2010-09-20
formed with the lid 6, flexes so that as the lid 6 is installed onto the bowl,
the
hook 8 contacts and slides over the lid-retention lip 5. This flexes the
tongue 7
radially outwardly until the hook 8 is slid past the lip 5, at which time the
tongue
moves the hook 8 underneath the lip 5. At the same time, a spring-loaded latch
assembly 9, of a conventional type, releasably attaches to the bowl 1 in a
manner generally known. A latch release button 10 is used to release the latch
assembly 9.
Thus, during use, the user may attach the lid 6 by pressing it onto the bowl
1. The user may press either side first, so that the tongue 7 and lip 5 lock
first
and then the latch assembly 9 locks, or vice-versa, or simultaneously. To
release and remove the lid, the release button 10 is activated first.
While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been
disclosed herein, it is understood that various modification can be made
without
departing from the scope of the presently claimed invention.
page 3
