This invention relates to a stand mixer that can be moved by pivoting the base onto attached wheels by lifting a handle.
Several types of mixers exist in the prior art that range from materials mixers, such as cement mixers, to food mixers.
Prior mixing devices have failed to provide an easily maneuverable mixer that rests on a stable base while in use or while idle, but that can be easily moved into a desired position through the engagement of wheels attached to the base. The prior art also fails to disclose a mixing apparatus that can be moved using a handle that has been locked into a secure position to allow a user to pivot the stand mixer onto the wheels for movement to a desired location.
This invention relates to a stand mixer with a base that houses a mixing bowl with a handle, that rests on feet, and that has wheels attached at a rear portion. The handle can be lifted to transfer the stand mixer from the feet to the wheels for movement to a desired position.
In addition to other benefits provided, the stand mixer disclosed herein makes up for the shortcomings in the art as discussed above. The stand mixer provides a mixing apparatus that has enough mass to remain in position during operation, yet that is portable enough to be easily moved into a desired position.
To these ends, the stand mixer described herein includes feet upon which the mixing apparatus securely rests during operation or when idle. In order to make the stand mixer easy to move, wheels have been included on the base of the machine. Since the wheels are typically not in contact with the surface when the stand mixer is in use or when the stand mixer is idle, the feet are typically provided to be of a specific depth. The wheels are engaged by lifting the handle with an upward force to dislodge the feet in a pivoting motion away from the surface upon which the stand mixer resides. The wheels are engaged and allow the stand mixer to be rolled into a desired location.
In order to facilitate the movement of the stand mixer with the handle, the mixing bowl is placed into a locked position. In the locked position, the mixing bowl is securely locked into the base with the handle facing outward. The handle is then simply lifted by the user to transfer the stand mixer's weight from the front and rear feet to the wheels to be maneuvered as desired.
The stand mixer typically comprises a body including a base with attachment means capable of receiving a bowl with a handle and at least one wheel positioned on a lower portion of the base. The handle of the stand mixer can be lifted to engage the at least one wheel for movement of the stand mixer.
In order to move the stand mixer described herein, a handle is attached to the base of the body of the stand mixer and at least one wheel is positioned on a lower portion of the base. The handle is capable of being lifted to engage the at least one wheel for movement of the stand mixer by locking the bowl into the base and then lifting the handle to engage the wheels.
The head 14 of the body 12 includes a top and a bottom portion and typically houses an accessory slot 28 affixed to the bottom portion. The accessory socket 28 is capable of receiving various attachments or accessories (not shown) to facilitate mixing in the bowl 20. The attachments or accessories can include “V” beaters, whips, dough hooks, etc. and are typically formed of polished stainless steel, but could be formed of plastic, aluminum, or any other durable alternative. The attachments or accessories can be removably secured to the accessory socket 28 by any known method of attaching for mixing. When the desired attachment or accessory is secured to the accessory socket 28, the stand mixer 10 can then operate to mix the contents of the bowl 20. The stand mixer 10 drives the desired attachment or accessory under the power of a motor (not shown) housed in motor housing 16. The motor is typically disposed in the motor housing 16, but could be disposed in either the base 18 or the head 14. The motor is capable of several speeds, including low, intermediate, and high speeds and in a preferred embodiment operates up to 1000 watts for a seven quart mixing bowl and up to 800 watts for a five quart mixing bowl. Once attached to the accessory socket 28, the attachment or accessory can then be used in the bowl 20 to stir, mix, beat, cream, whip, pulse, etc. as desired. Each speed is typically utilized for different mixed ingredients, to prepare specific combinations of mixtures, or for different attachment accessories. The speed of the motor is controlled a power control knob 26 that is typically housed on the motor housing 16 of the body 12. The power control knob 26 can be turned to select the desired speed.
To facilitate attachment of the accessories onto the accessory socket 28, the head 14 is capable of being pivoted out of the mixing position. Although the head 14 could alternatively be lifted vertically above the bowl 20 or although the bowl 20 could be lowered away from the head 14, the stand mixer 10 will typically pivot the head 14 out of the bowl 20 through the use of a pivot mechanism 42. In
The back of the stand mixer 10 can also include at least one louver 44 as shown in
As illustrated in
As further illustrated in
The base 18 typically rests on feet 40 that are disposed along the bottom of the base 18 to engage the surface upon which the stand mixer 10 resides. The feet 40 are typically formed of rubber, but could be formed of an elastomeric material, of plastic, or of any material that allows the stand mixer 10 to remain in place during use of motor or when the stand mixer is idle in a standby position. The feet 40 are disposed in any desired position along the bottom of the base 18 and are shown in the figures with five feet, two in the back and three in the front. The feet are deep enough to keep the base 18 of the stand mixer 10 off any surface upon which it resides. Alternatively, the lower portion of the base 18 could be formed of a plastic or other material and perform the function of the feet 40 described above.
The stand mixer 10 includes at least one wheel 5. In an exemplary embodiment as shown in the figures, two wheels 5 are provided and are disposed on the back side of and bottom of the base 18. As shown in
The wheels 5 are shown in detail in
The wheeled movement of the stand mixer 10 is described with specific reference to
In step 3 (
When the user is satisfied that the desired position has been reached, the stand mixer 10 is then pivoted in a direction reverse to the arrow shown in step 3. This reverse pivoting returns the stand mixer 10 to the surface for mixing or for storage by placing the stand mixer 10 onto the feet 40 and dislodging the wheels 5 from engagement with the surface.
During upward pivoting of the stand mixer 10 using the handle 22, the wheels 5 will typically engage the surface before all of the feet 40 have cleared the surface upon which the stand mixer 10 resides. Thus, movement of the stand mixer 10 into position could be accomplished with the wheels 5 engaged and at least one of the feet 40 still in contact with the surface. However, in the exemplary embodiment, the user will find that complete disengagement of the feet 40 from the surface, by fully pivoting the stand mixer 10 onto the wheels 5 and off of the feet 40, will facilitate easier movement of the stand mixer 10 into the desired position using the wheels 5.
If the user desires to again move the stand mixer after completion of the movement process detailed above, the user will simply repeat the steps of the process shown in
The stand mixer 10 of the preferred embodiment is typically formed of zinc and aluminum die castings, but could be formed of stainless steel or of any material with enough mass to bear upon the feet 40 for secure contact of the surface upon which the stand mixer 10 resides in order to perform the required mixing functions. With enough mass, the stand mixer 10 is able to engage the feet 40 securely onto the surface and withstand any movement of the stand mixer 10 that could be caused by use of the motor.
In an alternative embodiment and in lieu of, or in addition to, placement of the handle 22 on the bowl 20, the stand mixer could have a body handle attached to, or integrally formed as a part of, the head 14 or the base 18. In such an embodiment, the body handle either could be positioned on the top surface or a side surface of the head 14, or could be positioned in place of the slow-speed attachment, which could be omitted or repositioned elsewhere on the stand mixer, or could be placed on a front portion of the base 18. The body handle in this embodiment would function as described in the exemplary embodiment above, with the handle 22 resident on the bowl 20, to position the mixer by lifting on the body handle to place the wheels in contact with the surface for movement of the stand mixer. However, this embodiment could omit the step of securing the body handle into a locked position since the body handle would not be removable from the stand mixer.
Alternatively still, the body 12 of the stand mixer 10 could include a rear handle (not shown) that could be utilized by a user for ease in placement of the stand mixer 10 onto a desired surface, such as a countertop or table. Although the rear handle would typically be formed as an integral member of the body 12 and could be placed anywhere thereupon to allow placement of the stand mixer 10, the rear handle could be detachable/attachable from, but secured to the body.
The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the stand mixer and are not intended to limit its scope thereof. Many modifications of the stand mixer can be made without departing from the spirit of present disclosure.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2137547 | Snow | Nov 1938 | A |
D149176 | Fleischmann | Apr 1948 | S |
2662753 | Schwarz | Dec 1953 | A |
D196638 | Parker et al. | Oct 1963 | S |
D235371 | Ponkey et al. | Jun 1975 | S |
D237901 | Moran et al. | Dec 1975 | S |
D246715 | Clement | Dec 1977 | S |
4223997 | Violet et al. | Sep 1980 | A |
4357109 | Blakeway | Nov 1982 | A |
4671666 | Herfeld | Jun 1987 | A |
4750840 | Bishop | Jun 1988 | A |
4900160 | Brooks et al. | Feb 1990 | A |
5524530 | Nijzingh et al. | Jun 1996 | A |
D387610 | Hippen et al. | Dec 1997 | S |
D391442 | Sundquist | Mar 1998 | S |
5809872 | Sundquist | Sep 1998 | A |
5957578 | Holbrook et al. | Sep 1999 | A |
6290386 | Baumgartl et al. | Sep 2001 | B1 |
D448966 | Hsieh | Oct 2001 | S |
6367963 | Sanpei et al. | Apr 2002 | B2 |
6435708 | Huang | Aug 2002 | B1 |
20010023642 | Sanpei et al. | Sep 2001 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
35 30 651 | Mar 1987 | DE |
512632 | Jun 2001 | NZ |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20050058018 A1 | Mar 2005 | US |