Food processing assemblies for rotating two processing tools inside a container at two different speeds and/or directions and methods for using such a processing assembly are disclosed. The two processing tools are vertically spaced along the longitudinal axis of the processing assembly. A motor drives the first processing tool and a transmission system, and the transmission system drives the second processing tool. The transmission system outputs a rotation speed and/or direction is different from that of the motor to drive the second processing tool. The transmission system may be located between the two processing tools within the food-containing volume of the container.
1. A food processing apparatus comprising:
a container;
a lid;
a food-containing volume defined between the lid and the container;
a processing assembly that couples to the container, the processing assembly including a transmission system,
wherein, when the processing assembly is coupled to the container, the transmission system is positioned in the food-containing volume; and
an input shaft connected to the transmission system and an output shaft connected to the transmission system, wherein rotation of the input shaft at a first speed causes the output shaft to rotate at a second speed, the second speed different from the first speed.
2. The food processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second speed is lower than the first speed.
3. The food processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second speed is higher than the first speed.
4. The food processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the transmission system comprises a planetary gear system.
5. The food processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing assembly includes a driven coupler which is external to the food-containing volume and engages with a drive coupler.
6. The food processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a base with a drive coupler,
wherein:
the container engages with the base; and
the driven coupler of the processing assembly engages with the drive coupler of the base.
7. The food processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the transmission system remains rotationally fixed relative to the container when the processing assembly is driven.
8. The food processing apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the transmission system comprises a planetary gear system.
9. The food processing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the portion of the transmission system that remains rotationally fixed relative to the container includes a ring gear.
10. The food processing apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a holding member arranged to hold the ring gear rotationally stationary relative to the container, the holding member interacting with an interior of the container.
11. The food processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the processing assembly further includes first and second processing tools;
the first processing tool comprises at least two upwardly angled blades and at least two downwardly angled blades; and
the second processing tool comprises at least two substantially flat blades arranged in a horizontal plane.
12. The food processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the input shaft is attached to a sun gear, the sun gear having an axis of rotation;
the sun gear is constructed and arranged to drive a plurality of planet gears such that each planet gear rotates about its own individual planet axis and revolves around the sun gear;
the planet gears are coupled to a planet carrier such that revolution of the planet gears around the sun gear causes the planet carrier to rotate about the axis of rotation of the sun gear; and
the planet carrier is rotationally fixed to the output shaft.
13. The food processing apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the planet carrier is attached to a planetary drive coupling, the planetary drive coupling is attached to a bottom cap, and the bottom cap is attached to the output shaft.
14. The food processing apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the planet carrier comprises an upper plate, a lower plate, and a plurality of axles, each axle corresponding with one of the plurality of planet gears, wherein each axle passes through a longitudinal axis of its corresponding planet gear.
15. A food processing apparatus comprising:
a container having a food-containing volume;
a processing assembly including first and second processing tools and a transmission system, wherein the transmission system is positioned directly between the first processing tool and the second processing tool,
wherein, when the processing assembly is mounted to the container, the first and second processing tools are located within the food-containing volume, and the transmission system is vertically positioned between a height of the first processing tool and a height of the second processing tool; and
an input shaft connected to the transmission system and an output shaft connected to the transmission system, wherein rotation of the input shaft at a first speed causes the output shaft to rotate at a second speed, the second speed different from the first speed.
16. The food processing apparatus of claim 15 , wherein a longitudinal axis of the transmission system is collinear with axes of rotation of the first processing tool and the second processing tool.
17. The food processing apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a lid that engages with the container, wherein a portion of the processing assembly remains rotationally fixed relative to the lid when the processing assembly is driven.
18. The food processing apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the second speed is lower than the first speed.
19. The food processing apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a base with a drive coupler,
wherein:
the container engages with the base; and
a driven coupler of the processing assembly engages with the drive coupler of the base.
20. The food processing apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first processing tool comprises at least two upwardly angled blades and at least two downwardly angled blades, and the second processing tool comprises at least two substantially flat blades arranged in a horizontal plane.
21. A method of coupling a processing assembly to a container, wherein a lid is engagable with the container to define a food-containing volume, the method comprising:
coupling a processing assembly to the container, the processing assembly including a transmission system, such that when the processing assembly is coupled to the container, the transmission system is positioned in the food-containing volume; and
connecting an input shaft to the transmission system and an output shaft to the transmission system, such that rotating the input shaft at a first speed causes the output shaft to rotate at a second speed, the second speed different from the first speed.