Adjustable slicing mechanism for a food processor

1. A food processor, comprising:

a base;

a motor disposed within said base;

a drive shaft operatively connected to said motor and extending outwardly from said base, said drive shaft being rotatable upon actuation of said motor;

a bowl removably coupled to said base; said bowl having a handle;

a lid removably coupled to said bowl so as to define a processing chamber;

a slicing assembly positioned within said processing chamber and driven by said motor, said slicing assembly being positionable in a plurality of slicing positions to produce sliced food items of varying thicknesses; and

a slice thickness adjustment mechanism operable to move said slicing assembly between said plurality of slicing positions, said slice thickness adjustment mechanism including a cartridge mounted to said bowl, said cartridge including an actuator drivingly coupled to a drive screw;

wherein rotation of said drive screw causes the slicing assembly to move between said plurality of slicing positions;

wherein said actuator is in direct connection with said handle on the said bowl.

2. The food processor of claim 1 , wherein:

said cartridge is mounted to a bottom of said bowl.

3. The food processor of claim 1 , wherein:

said actuator is a rotatable dial; and

wherein said rotatable dial is positioned below a handle of said bowl.

4. The food processor of claim 3 , wherein:

said dial is rotatable about a vertical axis parallel to said drive shaft of said motor.

5. The food processor of claim 1 , wherein:

said slicing assembly includes a slicing blade and a rotating disc;

wherein rotation of said drive screw in a first direction causes upward movement of said rotating disc relative to said slicing blade, and rotation of said drive screw in a second direction causes downward movement of said rotating disc relative to said slicing blade.

6. The food processor of claim 5 , further comprising:

an adapter shaft having a lower end having a plurality of teeth matingly engaging a corresponding plurality of teeth formed on said drive screw, and an upper end secured to a hub of said rotating disc.

7. The food processor of claim 3 , wherein:

said dial is drivingly coupled to said drive screw via a gear assembly, said gear assembly including at least one gear and a drive belt.

8. The food processor of claim 1 , wherein:

said cartridge includes a sleeve having a plurality of internal threads;

said drive screw includes a plurality of external threads corresponding to said internal threads of said sleeve; and

said drive screw is received within said sleeve.

9. A bowl for a food processor, comprising:

a floor;

a plurality of sidewalls extending from said floor and defining a processing chamber;

a handle; and

a slice thickness adjustment cartridge mounted below said floor, said slice thickness adjustment cartridge including a rotatable dial beneath said handle and drivingly coupled to a drive screw; said rotatable dial is in direct connection with said handle;

wherein rotation of said dial causes said drive screw to selectively extend from and retract into said cartridge to move a slicing assembly between a plurality of slicing positions.

10. The bowl of claim 9 , wherein:

said bowl is configured to receive said slicing assembly within said processing chamber, said slicing assembly being positionable in a plurality of slicing positions to produce sliced food items of varying thicknesses;

wherein said dial is operable to move said slicing assembly between said plurality of slicing positions.

11. The bowl of claim 10 , wherein:

an upper end of said drive screw has a plurality of teeth configured to matingly engage a corresponding plurality of teeth of a lower end of an adapter shaft, said adapter shaft including an upper end configured to mate with a hub of a rotating disc of said slicing assembly.

12. A food processor, comprising:

a base;

a motor disposed within said base;

a drive shaft operatively connected to said motor and extending outwardly from said base, said drive shaft being rotatable upon actuation of said motor;

a bowl removably coupled to said base; said bowl having a handle;

a slicing assembly positioned within said bowl and driven by said motor, said slicing assembly being positionable in a plurality of slicing positions to produce sliced food items of varying thicknesses; and

a slice thickness adjustment mechanism operable to move said slicing assembly between said plurality of slicing positions,

wherein said slice thickness adjustment mechanism is connected to a knob in direct connection with said handle on the said bowl.