Interlock mechanism
A drive interlock mechanism for an accessory for a food processor having a rotating drive, comprising: an engagement formation for engaging the rotating drive; a cooperating member for cooperating with the accessory so as to move the engagement formation into engagement with the rotating drive; and means for urging the engagement member away from the rotating drive so as to disengage the engagement member from the rotating drive.
1 . A food processor accessory comprising:
a cutting tool including:
a cutting member;
a generally circular plate, wherein the cutting member is mountable thereon; and
a ring gear extending circumferentially around the circular plate;
an adaptor configured to be supported by a food processor, the adaptor including an upwardly open cradle configured to support the cutting tool for rotation within the cradle, the upwardly open cradle including:
an opening extending through the adaptor;
a retaining wall configured to at least partially surround the cutting tool; and
an inward flange around the opening configured to support the cutting tool, wherein the cutting tool is only supported from below the cutting tool;
wherein the adaptor further includes an aperture for receiving a rotating drive of the food processor, the aperture sized to receive gear teeth of the rotating drive upwardly therethrough when the adaptor is supported by the food processor, the aperture overlapping with the cradle to provide driving engagement between the ring gear and the gear teeth of the rotating drive in an assembled condition;
wherein the cutting tool is configured to be received within the cradle allowing upward removal of the cutting tool, including the cutting member, the plate, and the ring gear, from the adaptor, and wherein the gear teeth of the rotating drive are configured to be received within the aperture from below when the frame is supported by the food processor.
2 . The food processor accessory according to claim 1 , wherein, when the cutting tool is received within the cradle, the cutting tool has an axis of rotation that is offset from, and parallel with, an axis of rotation of the rotating drive.
3 . The food processor accessory according to claim 1 , wherein the adaptor is configured to be coupled to a bowl of the food processor.
4 . The food processor accessory according to claim 3 , wherein the adaptor is configured to be interposed between the bowl of the food processor and a lid of the food processor.
5 . The food processor accessory according to claim 4 , wherein the adapter is configured to substantially align the cutting tool, in an assembled condition, with a food chute included in the lid.
6 . The food processor accessory according to claim 5 , wherein the adapter is configured to position the cutting tool to receive foodstuff via the food chute generally coincidental with an axis of rotation of the cutting tool to produce a generally helical ribbon of processed foodstuff.
7 . The food processor accessory according to claim 1 , wherein the ring gear only interacts with the gear teeth of the rotating drive.
8 . The food processor accessory according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting tool further comprises a corer arranged coaxially with an axis of rotation of the cutting tool.