Mixing Bowl Having a Suction Cup

Abstract

A plastic mixing bowl has a bowl body with a bottom side and an elastic annular seal that is provided with a peripheral region that in radial direction of the annular seal is positioned inwardly and is connected air-tightly to the bottom side of the bowl body. The annular seal has a lip extending from the peripheral region at least partially in radial direction outwardly. The lip is moveable into various positions and has a lower side forming a placing face by which the mixing bowl is supported on a setup surface. Annular seal and bottom side of the bowl body form together a suction cup that delimits a cavity varying in size depending on a position of the lip. The annular seal is repositionable from a position of use to a non-use position and in the non-use position bears flat against an exterior surface of the bowl body.

Claims

1. A mixing bowl (2) composed of a plastics material, the mixing bowl comprising: a bowl body (2a) comprising a bottom side (12); an annular seal (4) composed of an elastic material; wherein the annular seal (4) comprises a peripheral region (6) that in a radial direction of the annular seal (4) is positioned inwardly and is connected air-tightly to the bottom side (12) of the bowl body (2a); wherein the annular seal (4) further comprises a lip (8) extending from the peripheral region (6) at least partially in the radial direction outwardly; wherein the lip (8) is configured to move load-dependently into various positions; wherein the lip (8) comprises a lower side forming a placing face (10) by which the mixing bowl (2) in at least one position of the lip (8) is supported on a setup surface; wherein the annular seal (4) and the bottom side (12) of the bowl body (2a) form together a suction cup, wherein the suction cup delimits a cavity (20) that varies in size depending on a position of the lip (8); wherein the annular seal (4) is configured to be repositioned from a position of use to a non-use position; wherein the annular seal (4) in the non-use position bears flat against an exterior surface of the bowl body (2a).

2. The mixing bowl (2) according to claim 1, wherein the lip (8) is arranged at the bowl body (2a) at an external periphery of the bottom side (12).

3. The mixing bowl (2) according to claim 1, wherein the lip (8) is configured as a flat annular seal.

4. The mixing bowl (2) according to claim 1, wherein the movable lip (8) comprises a tension lug (14) as an integrally molded part.

5. The mixing bowl (2) according to claim 1, wherein the bottom side (12) of the bowl body (2a) comprises a support element (16) that defines a maximum lowering height of the mixing bowl (2) relative to the lip (8).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The invention is now to be described in more detail by means of an exemplary embodiment.

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a view of a mixing bowl having an annular seal from obliquely below.

[0021] FIG. 2 shows a view of the mixing bowl shown in FIG. 1 on a setup surface.

[0022] FIG. 3 shows a view of the mixing bowl having the annular seal, in a non-use position.

[0023] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of a mixing bowl having the annular seal, in a position of use.

[0024] FIG. 5 shows the mixing bowl having the annular seal shown in FIG. 4 in a non-use position.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] A mixing bowl 2 is shown in a view from obliquely below in FIG. 1. The annular seal 4 which by way of the internal peripheral region thereof is connected in an air-tight manner to the bowl body 2a of the mixing bowl 2 can be readily seen in this view. The annular seal 4 has a movable lip 8 which extends from the peripheral region 6 in the radial direction to the outside. The lip which in the exemplary embodiment is configured as a flat annular seal in the relaxed position shown in FIG. 1 is oriented obliquely downward.

[0026] The movable lip on the lower side thereof has an encircling placing face 10 which commences at the external periphery of the movable lip 8 and can be inwardly enlarged depending on the load that acts on the movable lip 8. The placing face 10 in the exemplary embodiment is an annular face.

[0027] The peripheral region 6 of the annular seal 4 in the exemplary embodiment is disposed on the external periphery of the bottom side 12 of the mixing bowl 2. On account thereof, the bottom side 12 has a large radius and covers a comparatively large area. Since the annular seal 4 also extends in the lateral direction beyond the face of the bottom side 12 of the mixing bowl 2, the mixing bowl by way of the annular seal 4 is supported across a large area.

[0028] When the mixing bowl 2 is placed onto a setup surface 18, the mixing bowl 2 initially bears on the setup surface 18 by way of the external edges of the placing face 10. As the mixing bowl 2 is increasingly stressed, the movable lip 8 bends upward. The placing face 10 of the movable lip 8 herein is enlarged toward the inside until the movable lip 8 by way of the entire radial extent of the latter bears almost horizontally on the setup surface 18. Since the lip 8 in a horizontal position can no longer release restoring forces in an optimal manner because the annular seal 4 by way of the elastic material thereof has almost reached a dead center position, it is advantageous for the dimension by way of which the mixing bowl 2 can be lowered downward in relation to the movable lip 8 to be delimited. For this purpose, a support element 16 which in the exemplary embodiment is configured as an annular web is located on the bottom side 12 of the bowl body 2a of the mixing bowl 2. The support element 16 defines a maximum lowering height of the mixing bowl 2 in relation to the movable lip 8. Air is forced out of the cavity 20 when the mixing bowl 2 is lowered. Since the cavity 20, because of the movable lip 8 and the air-tight adhesion of the latter to the setup surface 18, cannot be filled with fresh air when the mixing bowl 2 is again slightly raised after the contact pressure force has been removed, a vacuum is formed in the cavity 20.

[0029] A tension lug 14 by way of which the movable lip can be raised is molded to the movable lip 8. Raising and lifting the movable lip 8 from the setup surface 18 enables the ambient air to flow into the cavity 20 in which a vacuum has been formed after the mixing bowl 2 has been lowered in the direction of the setup surface 18, the vacuum having been maintained by the annular seal 4 and the bearing thereof on the setup surface 18. The movable lip 8 can be readily gripped and lifted by way of the tension lug 14.

[0030] The mixing bowl 2 is shown as placed onto a setup surface 18 in FIG. 2. In the exemplary embodiment the mixing bowl 2 has been pushed down against the movable lip 8 so far that the latter by way of the external periphery thereof is in an almost horizontal position. In order for the mixing bowl 2 to be able to be lowered so far, air which was located in the cavity 20 below the bottom side 12 of the mixing bowl 2 and of the annular seal 4 had to exit to the outside in the lowering movement. In a restoring movement of the mixing bowl 2 that has been initiated by the movable lip 8 and the restoring forces that have been created therein in the lowering movement, a vacuum on account of which the mixing bowl 2 by way of the annular seal 4 is held so as to be pressed onto the setup surface 18 is formed in the cavity 20.

[0031] A view of the mixing bowl 2 in which the annular seal 4 is located in a non-use position is shown in FIG. 3. The annular seal 4 in the exemplary embodiment is folded upward in the manner of a collar and bears flat against the exterior surface of the neighboring wall of the bowl body 2a of the mixing bowl 2. When the annular seal 4 is located in the non-use position thereof as shown in FIG. 3, the mixing bowl 2 can thus readily be placed onto a setup surface 18 by way of the support element 16. A sectional view of the mixing bowl having the annular seal is shown in the use position in FIG. 4. The movable lip 8 of the annular seal 4 by way of the placing face 10 bears on the setup surface 18 that is located below the placing face 10. The mixing bowl 12 is lowered downwards so far that the support element 16 is also in contact with the setup surface 18. The cavity 20 which is sealed laterally by the annular support element 16 and the movable lip 8 in relation to the outside against inflowing external air is located between the surface of the setup surface 18 and the bottom side 12 of the mixing bowl.

[0032] The mixing bowl shown in FIG. 4 is shown in a sectional illustration in FIG. 5, the annular seal 4 being located in the non-use position in the sectional illustration. It can be seen from the sectional view that the movable lip 8 of the annular seal 4 has been placed against the external contour of the side wall of the mixing bowl 2. The mixing bowl 2 in this instance is downwardly supported only by way of the support element 16 on the setup surface 18.

[0033] The exemplary embodiment described above serves only for explaining the invention. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment. A person skilled in the art will have no difficulties in modifying the exemplary embodiment in a manner that appears suitable to the person skilled in the art in order for the exemplary embodiment to be adapted to a specific type of application.

[0034] The specification incorporates by reference the entire disclosure of European priority document 17 154 468.7 having a priority filing date of Feb. 2, 2017.

[0035] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.