A feed chute (100) having a feed opening cooperating with a transparent pusher (102) is disclosed. The transparent pusher is dimensioned to slide through the feed chute to push food articles into a food processor (104) for processing by a food processing element (106). The feed chute (100) comprises at least one signal processor (110) disposed on the interior surface of the feed chute to ensure consumer safe operation.

An activation device for transmitting a user input to a control device has an engaging element that forms a first housing part and a feeding element that forms a second housing part. The engaging element has a push magnet, whose magnetic field extends into the feeding element and the feeding element has a push magnet that can be displaced without contact through exposure to the magnetic field. The engaging push magnet can be displaced in the direction of the feeding element by pressure-activating the activation device, and is set up to exert a magnetic force on a corresponding feeding push magnet. The engaging element and feeding element each have at least one rotating magnet that can be displaced parallel to an intermediate plane running between them. The engaging rotating magnet of the engaging element exerts a magnetic force on a corresponding feeding rotating magnet of the feeding element.

Embodiments herein provide an automatic food item feeder and processor system including a feeder, a pusher, and a cutting portion. The feeder receives at least one food item. The pusher pushes the at least one food item inside the automatic food item feeder and processor system. The cutting portion processes the at least one food item. The automatic food item feeder and processor system include helical conical roller shafts that feeds the at least one food item from the feeder to the cutting portion in a rotary motion. When in operation, the helical conical roller shafts are configured to create a feed motion by gripping and pushing the at least one food item to the cutting portion to cut the at least one food item in a pre-determined requirement with a rotary and push force.

A food processor apparatus. The apparatus may include: a base having a motor; a processing bowl that is releasablly couplable to the base; a lid for the processing bowl having a feed tube. A pusher device, having a body and a safety rail that extends from the body, cooperates with the feed tube. A longitudinal slot, is located about the feed tube, and has a pilot opening that is located about the top of the longitudinal slot for receiving the safety rail. A linkage assembly is located about the longitudinal slot. The safety rail engages the linkage assembly when the safety rail is at least partially inserted into the longitudinal slot. A majority of the longitudinal slot, as located below the pilot opening, has a full width of the longitudinal slot directly exposed to an interior of the feed tube.

A food processor (100) including: a base (102) having a mechanism (118) that is operated using electrical power to cause processing of food; a vessel (104) removably mounted on the base (102) and including a bottom wall (108), a side wall (110) extending upwardly from the bottom wall (108) to a rim (112) so as to provide a space (114) to receive the food to be processed, with the rim (112) surrounding an opening (116) to the space; a lid (106) removable coupled to the rim (112) so as to at least partially close the opening (116); and an interlock system (120) operatively associated with the mechanism (118) to cause operation of the mechanism (118), the interlock system (120) including: a transmission coil (122) mounted in the base (102) and a receiver coil (124) mounted in the vessel (104), the transmission and receiver coils (122, 124) being configured to allow inductive transmission of power from the transmission coil (122) to the receiver coil (124); a switch (200) located on the vessel (104), operable between a first state and a second state, the switch (200) being biased toward the first state; and an optical transmitter (126) in the vessel and an optical receiver (128) in the base, the optical transmitter (126) being adapted to emit an activation signal when the switch (200) is in the second state, and the optical receiver (128) being configured to cause operation of the mechanism (118) when the activation signal is received by the optical receiver (126).