Combined stirring, mixing and blending apparatus for commercial kitchens
A stirring, mixing and blending (SMB) apparatus includes a mixing container mountable on a base which houses the components and controllers for rotating a blade assembly within the container. The blade assembly includes a pair of substantially flat wings mounted on the opposite sides of a horizontal rod. The wings are generally rectangular with rounded corners and blunt edges. The wings are oriented at a downward angle relative to the horizontal rod which enhances the stirring, mixing and blending functions of the apparatus.
1. A stirring, mixing and blending (SMB) apparatus comprising:
a base housing a drive assembly, the drive assembly including a motor for generating rotational motion at an output shaft;
a container for containing a food composition to be processed by the SMB apparatus, the container removably mounted to the base;
a blade assembly rotatably mounted within said container and removably engageable to said output shaft for rotation by said motor, said blade assembly including;
a transverse rod;
a mounting shaft perpendicular to said transverse rod and configured to removably engage said output shaft and support said transverse rod for rotation within said container; and
a pair of wings, each projecting in opposite directions from said transverse rod and each angled downward toward said mounting shaft at an angle of 75° (±2°) relative to said mounting shaft,
wherein said drive assembly is configured to drive said blade assembly at a rotational speed of less than 500 rpm;
wherein said base includes a housing and a mounting plate mountable on said housing, said mounting plate including a pair of upstanding flanges, each of the flanges defining a slot; and
wherein said container includes a pair of knobs, each of said pair of knobs configured for removable engagement within a slot of a corresponding one of said pair of flanges.
2. The SMB apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of said wings is substantially rectangular.
3. The SMB apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each of said wings includes an edge, wherein said edge is blunt.
4. The SMB apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each of said wings includes a pair of rounded corners.
5. The SMB apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
said container defines an inner diameter at said blade assembly; and
said wings define an effective diameter that is 2 mm less than said inner diameter of said container.
6. The SMB apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said inner diameter of said container is 165 mm and said effective diameter of the mixing blade is 163 mm.
7. The SMB apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said drive assembly includes a gearbox between said motor and said output shaft.
8. The SMB apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said motor is configured to operate at 1800 rpm and said gearbox has a drive ratio of 1:5 to drive said blade assembly at 360 rpm.
9. The SMB apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said base includes a housing and a mounting plate mountable on said housing, said mounting plate carrying said drive assembly.
10. The SMB apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said mounting shaft is removably engageable to said output shaft in telescoping engagement.
11. The SMB apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said container includes a lid.
12. The SMB apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said container includes a pair of handles for carrying the container.