Kitchen appliance operable by electric motor, data memory element, and combination of a kitchen appliance operable by electric motor and a data memory element

Abstract

A kitchen appliance operable by electric motor includes a housing, which has an outer surface, and a data transmission interface designed to interact with a data memory element. The data transmission interface is formed in an outer surface of the housing by metal contact elements, which are arranged adjacent to each other and which each have a contact surface and form part of the outer surface. Further, a data memory element for transmitting data to a kitchen appliance operable by electric motor includes a plurality of contact elements that are separate from each other and optionally a contact surface. Further, a combination of a kitchen appliance operable by electric motor and a data memory element, which can be detachably connected to the kitchen appliance, can transmit data of the data memory element to the kitchen appliance while the data memory element is connected to the kitchen appliance. Further, a combination of a kitchen appliance operable by electric motor and a data memory element, which can be handled as an individual part, can bring the data memory element into contact with the kitchen appliance for data exchange.

Claims

1. An electrical appliance comprising: an electric motor, a housing, which has an outer surface, a data memory element, and a data transmission interface designed to interact with the data memory element, wherein the data transmission interface is formed in the outer surface of the housing by metal contact elements, which are arranged adjacent to each other and which each have a contact surface and form part of the outer surface, wherein, in the area of the data transmission interface, the outer surface of the housing is designed as a partial outer surface, which is offset towards the interior of the appliance, and wherein the metal contact elements rise beyond the plane of the partial outer surface by a measure, which corresponds to no more than the largest extension thereof, or less, or are shifted back by such a measure relative to the plane.

2. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the data memory element has a non-volatile memory.

3. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the data memory element has a cryptographic memory.

4. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the data transmission interface comprises a standard universal serial bus interface in addition to the metal contact elements.

5. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein provision is made for three or more common contact elements.

6. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the metal contact elements are arranged along a straight line.

7. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the appliance is a kitchen appliance further comprising a mixing vessel and an agitator within the mixing vessel.

8. The appliance according to claim 7, wherein the partial outer surface is closed in a depth direction towards an interior of the kitchen appliance so as not to have any apertures, openings, or depressions towards the interior of the kitchen appliance, and wherein the contact surfaces are embodied in a surrounding bearing surface having essentially the same height as the contact surfaces.

9. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein the partial outer surface has an area center and wherein the metal contact elements are arranged outside of the area center.

10. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein provision is made for at least one magnet located in the partial outer surface.

11. The appliance according to claim 10, wherein a magnet is provided laterally offset to a metal contact element.

12. The appliance according to claim 10, wherein a magnet is invisible from outside.

13. The appliance according to claim 10, wherein provision is made for two magnets.

14. The appliance according to claim 13, wherein a distance between the magnets is larger than a distance between two outermost metal contact elements, which are arranged adjacent to each other.

15. The appliance according to claim 10, wherein a magnet is arranged below the partial outer surface.

16. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein the metal contact elements extend in the plane of the partial outer surface.

17. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein the partial outer surface has a layout contour, which has curves, wherein the layout contour is circular or the layout contour is oval.

18. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein the partial outer surface has a layout contour, which has curves, wherein a largest extension of the layout contour is between 1 and 10 cm.

19. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein provision is made in the partial outer surface for at least one magnetizable area.

20. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein the metal contact elements are combined in an elevated rib on a bottom of the partial outer surface.

Description

(1) The invention will furthermore be explained below by means of the enclosed drawing, which, however, represents only an exemplary embodiment:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective general view of a kitchen appliance comprising assigned data memory element;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the area of the partial outer surface in enlargement;

(4) FIG. 3 shows an illustration according to FIG. 2, comprising inserted data memory element;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a cross section through the kitchen appliance, cut along the line IV-IV in FIG. 3;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the data memory element, viewed onto the bottom side;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a cross sectional illustration of the data memory element, cut along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 7 shows an exploded illustration of the data memory element, viewed diagonally from the top;

(9) FIG. 8 shows an exposed illustration of the data memory element, viewed diagonally from the bottom; and

(10) FIG. 9 shows an illustration of the data memory element according to FIG. 6, comprising one or a plurality of suggested additional common USB interfaces.

(11) What is illustrated and described is a kitchen appliance 1 operable by a non-illustrated electric motor, which is located within the kitchen appliance 1. The kitchen appliance 1 furthermore has a mixing bowl 2, which can be accommodated therein and which is accommodated in the illustration of FIG. 1, and a control panel 3.

(12) Provision is furthermore made in the kitchen appliance 1 for a control device for a mixer, which can operated within the mixing bowl 2, and preferably for a heating device for heating the mixing bowl 2.

(13) The kitchen appliance furthermore encompasses a data memory and a microprocessor. In addition, provision is preferably also made for a further data memory for accommodating data, which can be input via a data memory element. The data memory element 4 can be held at the kitchen appliance 1 so as to be capable of being detached. FIG. 1 illustrates the data memory element 4, detached from the kitchen appliance and viewed onto the surface, which will be referred to as bottom side hereinbelow. Initially, a data transmission from the data memory element 4 is preferably provided in the mentioned further data memory of the kitchen appliance. In addition or in the alternative also in the data memory, which is mentioned initially and which is already present in the kitchen appliance.

(14) In detail, the kitchen appliance 1 has a housing 5, comprising an outer surface 6. In further detail, four outer surfaces 6, which are to be differentiated, result in the case of a strict observation of the kitchen appliance from the front, the rear and from the side. A partial outer surface 7 is embodied in one of the outer surfaces 6, here preferably a side outer surface. The partial outer surface 7 represents an area, which is offset towards the interior of the kitchen appliance 1 as compared to the surrounding outer surface 6. As can be seen, the partial outer surface 7 is small as compared to the surrounding outer surface 6. It corresponds to less than half of, preferably less than a third of, more preferably less than a tenth of the surrounding outer surface 6, hereby based on a side surface in the mentioned context, for example up to a fiftieth.

(15) A side outer surface of the kitchen appliance is in particular a surface, which can be projected onto an imaginary vertical surface with regard to a view, which is prepared according to common drawing rules, as described above. With regard to an upper side of a kitchen appliance, it is accordingly an (imaginary) horizontal surface, which is located thereabove.

(16) With the exception of a transition area x into the surrounding outer surface 6, the partial outer surface 7 is embodied in a planar manner. Metal contact elements 8 can hereby form a further exception, see FIG. 2 or FIG. 3, respectively. The partial outer surface 7 is shifted back as compared to the mentioned outer surface 6 of the kitchen appliance. Within the partial outer surface 7, the metal contact elements 8 form an area of this partial outer surface.

(17) The partial outer surface 7 is preferably embodied as closed area. This follows in the case of the exemplary embodiment in particular by an edge contour line 9, which runs in a closed manner. The edge contour line 9 does not necessarily need to correspond to an actual edge in the housing. Preferably, it is formed by an edge. For instance, it can also be provided by a rounded transition (in cross section) into the surrounding outer surface 6, thus corresponding to an exposed edge.

(18) More preferably, as also follows in particular from the cross sectional illustration of FIG. 3, the partial outer surface 7 is embodied so as to be closed in a depth direction, towards the interior of the kitchen appliance. It does not have any apertures, openings or depressions towards the interior of the kitchen appliance. It thus represents a substantially smooth, easily cleanable surface. This is also not precluded when the contact elements, as will be explained in more detail below, are arranged so as to be slightly lifted or lowered again as compared thereto.

(19) Even though the metal contact elements 8 are arranged within the depression of the partial outer surface 7, they are preferably arranged so as to be slightly elevated as compared to the planar bottom 10 of the partial outer surface 7, which can also be referred to as trough bottom.

(20) They can also be arranged at the same level or slightly countersunk relative to the bottom 10, as explained above. The elevation is preferably (only) such that even though said contact elements extend elevated relative to the surrounding area of the bottom 10, they extend below the edge contour line 9 or below a surrounding surface area f of the outer surface 6, respectively. In a further detail, the elevation is formed in a rib-like manner. The contact surfaces form partial areas of a front surface of such a rib-like elevation.

(21) As a whole, provision is preferably made for a total of four metal contact elements 8, which are preferably also arranged on a straight line adjacent to each other.

(22) With regard to its edge contour, the partial outer surface is formed in a circular manner in the case of the exemplary embodiment, comprising an area center M. In the case of the exemplary embodiment, a diameter D corresponds to approximately 4 cm.

(23) Magnets 11 or magnetizable areas, which, however, are arranged below the bottom 10 and so as preferably not visible from the outside, are furthermore assigned to the bottom 10 of the partial outer surface 7.

(24) If provision is made for corresponding magnets in the data memory element, these magnets 11 or magnetizable areas serve to orient and hold the data memory element while it is connected to the kitchen appliance.

(25) A distance a between the magnets 11 is preferably larger than a distance between two of the outermost metal contact elements 8, four contact elements in the case of the exemplary embodiment, which are arranged adjacent to each other.

(26) Preferably, the magnets 11 or corresponding magnetizable areas, respectively, are in each case arranged close to the edge contour of the partial outer surface 7.

(27) The magnets 11 or magnetizable areas and the contact elements are also located in a surface area, which corresponds to half of or less than the total surface of the partial outer surface 7, preferably so as to be combined.

(28) The data memory element 4 is illustrated in a further detail in FIGS. 4 to 6.

(29) With reference to FIGS. 5 and 7, 8, it can be seen that, in the case of the exemplary embodiment, said data memory element has a circular layout, but which can also be formed in an oval-shaped manner or irregularly rounded, for example, with regard to the contour, optionally comprising straight intermediate sections.

(30) From the upper side in FIG. 5, also referred to as bottom side above, the data memory element 4 has a bearing surface 12, by means of which it rests against the partial outer surface 7 while connected to the kitchen appliance 1. A plurality of contact surfaces 13, in the case of the exemplary embodiment four contact surfaces 13, which are arranged adjacent to each other, are embodied in the bearing surface 12, corresponding to the described four contact surfaces 8 at the kitchen appliance.

(31) According to the slightly raised design of the area, in which the contact surfaces 8 of the kitchen appliance are arranged, the contact surfaces 13 of the data memory element 4 are arranged in an area, which is slightly countersunk as compared to the bearing surface 12. The countersunk area is formed in a groove-like manner. With regard to the dimensions, reference is also made to the above description of the rib-like elevation in the area of the partial outer surface or of the outer surface of the kitchen appliance, respectively. A complementary design results in this regard.

(32) In further detail, see FIGS. 6 to 8, the data memory element 4 is composed of a part, which is identified as lid part 14, in which the mentioned contact surfaces 13 and the bearing surface 12 are embodied, an annular part 15, a functional support part 16 and a bottom part 17. In the case of the exemplary embodiment, the electronic components, which are required for the operation and the use of the data memory element 4, are arranged on the functional support part 16, wherein a different arrangement or fastening is also possible within the data memory element 4. They are memory elements, in particular also a cryptographic memory, conductor elements and optionally, in a special embodiment, elements, which are required for the radio transmission of data, for instance according to the UMTS standard.

(33) It can be seen from the illustration of FIG. 8, in which the parts, which are visible in FIG. 7, are illustrated diagonally from the bottom, that provision is also made in the lid part 14 for corresponding components, in particular conductor elements and printed circuit boards, for interacting with the electronic components, which are arranged in the functional support 16.

(34) Magnets 11 or magentizable areas are also embodied in the data memory element 4, preferably in a mirror-inverted manner to an embodiment in the outer surface or partial outer surface of the kitchen appliance 1.

(35) As a whole, the data memory element 4 is preferably embodied as flat part, comprising a bottom side and an upper side. A larges layout dimension of the bottom side or of the upper side, respectively, can preferably correspond to 1.5-times or more of a largest thickness of the data memory element 4. The second contact elements 13 are preferably arranged in the bottom side. In the case of a memory element, which is arranged at the kitchen appliance for the transmission of data, practically only the upper side is visible (see FIG. 3).

(36) The visibility of the upper side can be clarified such that, at least based on a straight line of sight of a cone axis A, which extends vertically to a center plane E, is provided in a cone angle of 60 or less. As can be seen, the center plane E extends at right angles to a thickness of the data memory element 4 and preferably parallel or nearly parallel to the upper side of the data memory element 4. Furthermore, the cone axis A preferably extends through the area center M of a layout of the data memory element.

(37) While in the contact state, which is illustrated in FIG. 4, the data memory element 4 also has a handle part. The handle part is provided herein by the design of the data memory element 4 itself, namely in that, in detail, the bottom side U partially projects forwards beyond the surrounding outer surface 6 of the kitchen appliance 1 and transitions into a circumferential edge K, starting at which the upper side O extends. The data memory element 4 can then be removed from the kitchen appliance 1 again at the edge K, gripping with the fingers of a hand.

(38) In absolute values, a distance u of the edge K across the surrounding outer surface 6 of the kitchen appliance 1 can be between 0.5 and 5 mm, for example.

(39) The edge K is preferably provided due to the fact that the edge sections of the contour line of the data memory element, the cross section of which extend conically upwards or downwards in the edge area, respectively, meet. With reference to the center plane E, said edge is offset to the upper side O.

(40) It is suggested in FIG. 9 that the data memory element 4 can also have one or a plurality of common USB interfaces 18, which project into the interior of the data memory element 4 in a hole-like manner. In the case of this embodiment, preferably only a common USB interface 18 is realized at the data memory element.

(41) Such a USB interface 18 can in particular be formed starting at the upper side O or a side surface F. On principle, however, it can also be formed starting at the bottom side U.

(42) Such a common USB interface 18 can be provided with a locking piece, which is not illustrated in detail, so as to avoid a contamination in response to common use, if possible. The locking piece can be embodied in a plug-like manner. It can also be provided so as to only be capable of being detached by means of a tool. For example, it can be screwed to the data memory element.

(43) TABLE-US-00001 REFERENCE LIST 1 kitchen appliance A cone axis 2 mixing bowl E center plane 3 control panel K edge 4 data memory element M area center 5 housing O upper side 6 outer surface U bottom side 7 partial outer surface F side surface 8 contact element u distance 9 edge contour x transition area 10 bottom cone angle 11 magnet 11 magnet 12 bearing surface 13 contact element 14 lid part 15 annular part 16 functional support part 17 bottom part 18 USB interface