HANDLING OF FOOD PROCESSOR

Abstract

A machine (1) for processing a liquid food substance includes a jug (20) that has a container (21) and a handle (31,32,33) for holding the jug by an adult human hand (40). The container (21) delimits a food cavity (21′) for containing the food substance. The handle (31,32,33) has a connection member (31) projecting from the container (21) and a substantially elongated upright gripping member (32) that is connected to the connection member (31) at a distance from the container (21). The gripping member (32) has an upper portion (32a) that is above the connection member (31) and a lower portion (32b) that is below the connection member (31). The upper portion (32a) is configured to support a thumb (41) of the hand (40) and delimits with the connection member (31) an upper seat (31a) for accommodating an index finger (42) of the hand (40). The handle (31,32,33) has a confinement member (33) that extends: substantially uprightly between the container (21) and the lower portion (32b) of the gripping member (32); and downwardly from the connection member (31) or from close thereto. The confinement member (33) and the lower portion (32b) and the connection member (31) delimit a lower seat (31b) for accommodating a portion of a middle finger (43) of the hand (40).

Claims

1. A machine for processing a liquid food substance, such as milk or a milk-based substance, comprising: a jug having a container and a handle for holding the jug by an adult human hand, the container delimiting a food cavity for containing the liquid food substance, such as a container having a removable lid for covering the cavity; the handle having a connection member projecting from the container and a substantially elongated upright gripping member that is connected to the connection member at a distance from the container, the gripping member having an upper portion that is above the connection member and a lower portion that is below the connection member, the upper portion being configured to support a thumb of the hand and delimiting with the connection member an upper seat for accommodating an index finger of the hand when the handle is held by the hand, the handle has a confinement member that extends: substantially uprightly between the container and the lower portion of the gripping member; and downwardly from the connection member or from close thereto, the confinement member and the lower portion and the connection member delimiting a lower seat for accommodating a portion of a middle finger of the hand when the handle is held by the hand.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the upper part of the gripping member has at least one feature selected from the group consisting of: the upper part is spaced from the container by a distance in the range of 1.5 to 4 cm; the upper part extends above the connection member by a distance in the range of 1 to 3 cm; the upper part of the gripping member has a width in the range of 0.5 to 3 cm; and the upper part has an uppermost free end.

3. The machine of claim 1, wherein the lower part of the gripping member has at least one feature selected from the group consisting of: the lower part is spaced from the container by a distance in the range of 1.5 to 4 cm; the lower part extends below the connection member by a distance in the range of 1 to 5 cm; the lower part of the gripping member has a width in the range of 0.5 to 3 cm; and the lower part has a lowermost free end.

4. The machine of claim 1, wherein the confinement member has at least one feature selected from the group consisting of: the confinement member is spaced by a distance to the lower part of the gripping part in the range of 1.5 to 3 cm; the confinement member has a lowermost end that is spaced by a distance to the connection member in the range of 0.5 to 5 cm; the confinement member has a width in the range of 0.5 to 3 cm; and the confinement member has a lowermost free end.

5. The machine of claim 1, wherein the container has a rim delimiting an opening of the container cavity, the removable lid (22) extending over the rim (22′) and having at least one of: a) a peripheral wall that extends downwardly to form an outside lid face of the container, an outside lid face: having a height in the range of 0.5 to 5 cm; and/or extending flush with an outside face of the container uncovered by the lid and/or with an outside face of the base, and b) an upright inner wall that extends downwardly into the cavity along the rim.

6. The machine of claim 1, wherein the removable lid has a or the peripheral wall that has a bottom end that contacts or comes close to the connection member.

7. The machine of claim 1, wherein the cavity of the container extends to above the connection member by a height in the range of 1 to 7 cm.

8. The machine of claim 1, wherein the base delimits a peripheral seat, for receiving the confinement member when the container is received by the seat of the base such that the container is in place for processing the liquid food substance, the seat and the confinement member having at least a feature selected from the group consisting of: complementary shapes so that the base and the confinement member form together a continuous outside surface; an arrangement to prevent a rotation of the container relative to the base; and an arrangement such that a downwardly oriented edge of the container rests on an upwardly oriented edge of the base or such that the container edge is distant to the base edge by no more than 0.5 mm, the base edge forming for instance a rim of the base seat for receiving the container.

9. The machine of claim 8, wherein the container is off its place for processing the liquid food substance when the confinement member is off-set, relative to the peripheral seat.

10. The machine of claim 9, wherein the downwardly oriented edge of the container is spaced apart from an or the upwardly oriented edge of the base, by a distance that is greater than when the confinement member is received in the peripheral seat.

11. The machine of claim 9, which comprises a processing device and a control system that is configured to control the processing device, for processing the liquid food substance, the control system being configured to detect when the container is off its processing place by measuring a characteristic, of the processing device and comparing such measured characteristic to an expected value thereof when the container is in its processing place or off its processing place.

12. The machine of claim 1, wherein the container has at least one outside container wall that can be thermally conditioned by the liquid food substance in the cavity and/or by processing the liquid food substance in the cavity and that faces the base wall(s) when the container is in or on the base seat, and wherein the base and/or the container comprises one or more thermally insulating spacers, such as ribs or protrusions or an insulating layer, spacing the base wall(s) from the container wall(s) when the container is received in or on the seat so as to prevent or inhibit thermal transfer between the base wall(s) and the container wall(s) of the container adjacent the base wall(s).

13. The machine of claim 12, wherein the container is configured to radiate heat to outside of the container or absorb heat from outside of the container predominantly via one or more preferential container walls, as the thermally radiating or absorbing element, when the liquid food substance is processed in the container received in or on the seat of the base, the thermally insulating spacers being positioned so as to space the preferential wall(s) from the base wall(s).

14. The machine of claim 12, wherein the insulating spacer is configured to space the corresponding base wall from the container wall by a distance in the range of 0.1 to 1 cm.

15. The machine of claim 1, wherein the food cavity contains a movable agitating device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0086] The invention will now be described with reference to the schematic drawings, wherein:

[0087] FIG. 1 is a perspective view from below of a machine according to the invention;

[0088] FIG. 2 is a perspective side view of the machine of FIG. 1 in which the container is off-set relative to the base;

[0089] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view from above of the base of the machine of FIG. 1;

[0090] FIG. 4 shows a perspective side view of the jug of the machine of FIG. 1 when held single-handed;

[0091] FIG. 5 is a perspective view from below of a lid of the jug of the machine of FIG. 1; and

[0092] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view from above of the lid of FIG. 5, part of which being cut away.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0093] An exemplary embodiment of a machine 1 according to the invention and parts thereof are illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6.

[0094] Machine 1 is configured for processing a liquid food substance, such as milk or a milk-based substance.

[0095] Machine 1 includes a jug 20 having a container 21 and a handle 31,32,33 for holding jug 20 by an adult human hand 40. Container 21 delimits a food cavity 21′ for containing the liquid food substance. Container 21 may have a removable lid 22 for covering cavity 21′ (FIGS. 1, 2 and 4). Food cavity 21′ may have a central upright or vertical axis 21″.

[0096] Machine 1 may incorporate a base 10 that has one or more walls 11 forming a seat 11′ for removably receiving container 21 (FIG. 3).

[0097] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, handle 31,32,33 can have a connection member 31 projecting from container 21 and a substantially elongated upright gripping member 32 that is connected to connection member 31 at a distance from container 21. Gripping member 32 has an upper portion 32a that is above connection member 31 and a lower portion 32b that is below the connection member 31. Upper portion 32a is configured to support a thumb 41 of hand 40 and delimits with connection member 31 an upper seat 31a for accommodating an index finger 42 of hand 40 when handle 31,32,33 is held by hand 40.

[0098] Connection member 31 can be horizontal or at an angle of less than 30 deg thereto, such as less than 15 deg. thereto, when jug 20 is oriented for processing liquid food substance.

[0099] Upright gripping member 32 may extend vertically or at an angle of less than 30 deg thereto, such as less than 15 deg. thereto.

[0100] Handle 31,32,33 has a confinement member 33 that extends: substantially uprightly between the container 21 and lower portion 32b of gripping member 32; and downwardly from connection member 31 or from close thereto.

[0101] Confinement member 33 and lower portion 32b and connection member 31 may delimit a lower seat 31b for accommodating a portion of a middle finger 43 of hand 40 when handle 31,32,33 is held by hand 40.

[0102] As illustrated in FIG. 4, such a handle configuration may be used to safely secure handle 31,32,33 between the inner side of the hand's thumb 41 (pushing in a direction 41a the handle's upper portion 32a towards container 21), the inner side of a hand's first finger 42 below the thumb 41 (e.g. the index finger 42 pulling in a direction 42a the handle's upper portion 32a away from container 21) and the rear and lateral sides of a hand's second finger 43 (e.g. the hand's middle finger 43 resting against confinement member 33 towards container 21 and supporting connection member 31 in a direction 43a). In such a holding configuration, jug 20 is held by second finger 43 and locked in position by thumb 41 and first finger 42 in an ergonomic manner. The remaining fingers 44, e.g. the annular and the little fingers 44, are not even required for holding or securing jug 20 in the user's hand. If the lower portion 32a of the gripping member 32 is long enough, these remaining fingers 44 may seize it to assist the holding (in a direction 44a). However, such a contribution by the remaining fingers is optional.

[0103] Upper part 32a of gripping member 32 may have at least one of the following features: upper part 32a can be spaced from container 21 by a distance in the range of 1.5 to 4 cm, such as 2 to 3 cm; upper part 32a may extend above connection member 31 by a distance in the range of to 3 cm, such as 1.5 to 2.5 cm; upper part 32a of gripping member 32 can have a width in the range of 0.5 to 3 cm, such as 1 to 2 cm; and upper part 32a can have an uppermost free end.

[0104] Lower part 32b of gripping member 32 may have at least one of the following features: lower part 32b can be spaced from container 21 by a distance in the range of 1.5 to 4 cm, such as 2 to 3 cm; lower part 32b may extend below connection member 31 by a distance in the range of 1 to 5 cm, such as 2.5 to 4.5 cm; lower part 32b of gripping member 32 can have a width in the range of 0.5 to 3 cm, such as 1 to 2 cm; and lower part 32b may have a lowermost free end.

[0105] Confinement member 33 may have at least one of following features: confinement member 33 can be spaced by a distance to lower part 32b of gripping part 32 in the range of 1.5 to 3 cm, such as 2 to 2.5 cm; confinement member 33 can have a lowermost end that is spaced by a distance to connection member 31 in the range of 0.5 to 5 cm such as 1 to 3 cm, e.g. 1.5 to 2.5 cm; confinement member 33 may have a width in the range of 0.5 to 3 cm, such as 1 to 2 cm; and confinement member 33 can have a lowermost free end.

[0106] As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, container 20 may have a rim 22′ delimiting an opening of container cavity 21′, removable lid 22 extending over rim 22′.

[0107] As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, lid 22 can have a peripheral wall 22a that extends downwardly to form an outside lid face of container 21, such as an outside lid face: having a height in the range of 0.5 to 5 cm e.g. in the range of 1.5 to 3.5 cm; and/or extending flush with an outside face 20a of container 21 uncovered by lid 22 and/or with an outside face 10a of base 10.

[0108] Lid 22 may have an upright inner wall 22c that extends downwardly into cavity 21′ along rim 22′. Peripheral wall 22a and/or upright inner wall 22c can have a sealing member 22d, such as an annular deformable sealing member, for sealing off cavity 21′.

[0109] Sealing member 22d may have one or more substantially parallel sealing lips 22e, such as annular lips arranged side-by-side.

[0110] Sealing member 22d can have a tab 22f for seizing sealing member 22e.

[0111] Sealing member 22d may be removable from lid 22, for instance for cleaning, and mountable on lid 22.

[0112] Removable lid 22 can have a or the above peripheral wall 22a that has a bottom end 22b that contacts or comes close to connection member 31. Bottom end 22b can be spaced from connection member 31 by less than 1 cm, such as less than 0.5 cm.

[0113] Cavity 21′ of container 21 may extend to above connection member 31 by a height in the range of 1 to 7 cm, such as from 2 to 5 cm, e.g. from 3 to 4 cm.

[0114] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, base 10 can delimit a peripheral seat 13, such as a peripheral seat 13 on a or the above outside face 10a of base 10, for receiving confinement member 33 when container 21 is received by seat 11′ of base 10 such that container 21 is in place for processing the liquid food substance.

[0115] As apparent in FIG. 1, when confinement member 33 is received in peripheral seat 13, seat 13 and confinement member 33 can have at least one of: complementary shapes so that base 10 and confinement member 33 form together a continuous outside surface; an arrangement to prevent a rotation of container 21 relative to base 10; and an arrangement such that a downwardly oriented edge 34 of container 21 rests on an upwardly oriented edge 14 of base 10 or such that container edge 34 is distant to base edge 14 by no more than 0.5 mm, base edge 14 forming for instance a rim of base seat 11 for receiving container 21.

[0116] Container 21 may be off its place for processing the liquid food substance when confinement member 33 is off-set, e.g. angularly off-set, relative to peripheral seat 13, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0117] As apparent from a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2, when container 21 is off its processing place, a or the above downwardly oriented edge 34 of container 21 may be spaced apart from an or the above upwardly oriented edge 14 of base 10, such as a base edge 14 forming a rim of base seat 11 for receiving container 21, by a distance that is greater than when confinement member 33 is received in peripheral seat 13.

[0118] Machine 1 may include a processing device and a control system that is configured to control the processing device, such as an actuator and/or a thermal conditioner controlled by a control unit, for processing the liquid food substance. The control system can be configured to detect when container 21 is off its processing place by measuring a characteristic, e.g. a current consumption and/or a voltage consumption and/or an electric frequency, of the processing device and comparing such measured characteristic to an expected value thereof when container 21 is in its processing place or off its processing place.

[0119] Container 21 may have at least one outside container wall 21a that can be thermally conditioned by the liquid food substance in cavity 21′ and/or by processing the liquid food substance in cavity 21′ and that faces base wall(s) 11 when container 21 is in or on base seat 11′. As illustrated in FIG. 3, base 10 and/or container 21 may include one or more thermally insulating spacers 11a, such as ribs or protrusions or an insulating layer, spacing base wall(s) 11 from container wall(s) 21a when container 21 is received in or on seat 11′ so as to prevent or inhibit thermal transfer between base wall(s) 11 and container wall(s) 21a. Container 21 may include a thermally radiating or absorbing element, such as an electrically resistive element or a thermocouple element. For example, the thermally radiating or absorbing element is powered by base 10 by electric conduction and/or electromagnetic induction.

[0120] Container 21 can be configured to radiate heat to outside of container 21 or absorb heat from outside of container 21 predominantly via one or more preferential container walls 21a, as the above thermally radiating or absorbing element, when the liquid food substance is processed in container 21 received in or on seat 11′. Thermally insulating spacers 11a may be positioned so as to space preferential wall(s) 21a from base wall(s) 11. For example, preferential container wall(s) 21a form a bottom wall 23 of container 21 or a sidewall of container 21 or both.

[0121] The or each insulating spacer 11a may be configured to space the corresponding base wall 11 from container wall 21a by a distance in the range of 0.1 to 1 cm, such as 0.3 to 0.8 e.g. 0.4 to 0.7 cm.

[0122] Base 10 may have a powered cavity, e.g. a cavity powered by the mains via an electric cord 15, that is adjacent container 21. The base cavity may include a thermal conditioner for generating heat in food cavity 21′ (heating the cavity) and/or for removing heat from food cavity 21′ (cooling the cavity).

[0123] Food cavity 21′ may contain a movable agitating device, such as a whisk and/or a stirrer, to agitate the liquid food substance during its processing. The agitating element may be: [0124] driven by a or the above actuator that is contained in the base 10 and that is coupled, for instance magnetically, to the agitating device via a container wall such as a bottom wall 23 of container 21; and/or [0125] configured to foam in food cavity 21′ milk or a milk-based liquid as the liquid food substance when driven by the a or the above actuator.