Patent · US Expired

Feed tube protector for a food processor

US4226373A · kind A · utility

33Cited by
3References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 5, 1979
Grant dateOct 7, 1980
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 5, 1999

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF16P3/08
  • WIPO fieldFurniture, games
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A feed tube protector for a food processor having a motor, with a working bowl, a motor-driven shaft in the bowl for receiving rotatable tools, and with a removable cover positioned on the bowl during operation. Food processors normally include a feed tube and a manual food pusher used to feed items through this feed tube to the rotating tool. The feed tube protector has an outer sleeve carrying an actuator for enabling machine operation only when this sleeve is properly positioned over the feed tube. This sleeve is associated with a movable food pusher mounted for movement within the sleeve. When the cover is positioned on the bowl and this sleeve is mounted over the feed tube, the food pusher is manually movable within the passageway in the feed tube, and the actuator on the sleeve is operatively associated with control means to permit operation of the motor drive. Thus, inadvertent insertion of a hand or a foreign object through the feed tube is prevented when the tool is being driven. By virtue of this arrangement, the feed tube can safely be shortened and have a larger cross-sectional area than in UL-approved food processors commercially available for home use, so that larger …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.