A bowl assembly

Abstract

A Bowl Assembly A bowl assembly ( 110 ) for a kitchen appliance ( 1 ) arranged to process ingredients contained within the bowl assembly ( 110 ), comprising: a bowl ( 112 ) having an aperture ( 115 ) in its base; a drivable tool mount ( 200 ) for a food processing tool arranged to fit within the aperture ( 115 ); and a blanking plug ( 300 ) arranged to fit within the aperture ( 115 ); wherein the drivable tool mount ( 200 ) and blanking plug ( 300 ) are interchangeable with one another.

1 - 75 . (canceled) 
     
     
         76 . A bowl assembly for an appliance arranged to process contents of the bowl assembly, comprising:
 a bowl having an aperture in its base;   a tool mount for a processing tool, the mount being arranged to fit within the aperture in a first configuration; and   a blanking plug arranged to fit within the aperture in a second configuration;   wherein the tool mount and the blanking plug are interchangeable with one another; and   wherein the bowl assembly is mountable with the appliance for processing in both the first and second configurations.   
     
     
         77 . The bowl assembly of  claim 76 , wherein the tool mount and blanking plug are each arranged to fit within the aperture, whereby to seal it, and/or wherein the tool mount and the blanking plug each comprise a lip portion arranged to abut an edge of the aperture when fitted within the aperture. 
     
     
         78 . The bowl assembly of  claim 76 , wherein the aperture is shaped to inhibit rotation of the tool mount or blanking plug when fitted within the aperture, preferably wherein the aperture is a keyed aperture, and/or has a non-circular shape, optionally wherein the tool mount and the blanking plug are each correspondingly shaped, and optionally wherein the tool mount and the blanking plug have substantially the same cross-sectional shape arranged to fit the aperture, and/or wherein the cross-sectional shapes of both the tool mount and the blanking plug are arranged to correspond with the shape of the aperture such that they can fit within and fill the aperture. 
     
     
         79 . The bowl assembly of  claim 78 , further comprising a locking arrangement, wherein in a first configuration the tool mount is releasably engaged with the locking arrangement whereby to secure the tool mount to the bowl; and in a second configuration the blanking plug is releasably engaged with the locking arrangement whereby to secure the blanking plug to the bowl, preferably wherein the locking arrangement is provided by a separate locking member. 
     
     
         80 . The bowl assembly of  claim 79 , wherein the locking member is arranged to pivot relative to the drivable tool mount or blanking cap between a “locked” first position whereby the tool mount or blanking plug is held secure by the locking member and an “unlocked” second position whereby the tool mount or blanking plug is released by the locking member from sealing engagement with the aperture, preferably wherein the locking arrangement is configured to inhibit movement of the tool mount or blanking plug relative to the bowl when fitted within the aperture of the bowl. 
     
     
         81 . The bowl assembly of  claim 80 , wherein, in the second position, the locking member is arranged to inhibit correct mounting of the bowl onto a base unit of the appliance, and/or wherein the locking member comprises a collar arranged to receive part of the tool mount or blanking plug and a handle element extending outwardly from the collar, and/or wherein the locking member is arranged to engage with the tool mount or blanking plug from an underside of the bowl, and/or wherein the locking arrangement is integral with the bowl. 
     
     
         82 . The bowl assembly of  claim 76 , wherein the bowl has a bowl support arranged on the bottom of the bowl for supporting the bowl in an upright position, and/or the appliance is a kitchen appliance, and the processing tool is a food processing tool. 
     
     
         83 . The bowl assembly of  claim 76 , wherein the bowl is arranged to supply heat to contents of the bowl, preferably wherein the bowl comprises a heating element arranged in a base of the bowl and/or wherein the bowl is arranged to heat contents via induction, and/or wherein the bowl is arranged to receive power and/or heat from a separate base unit. 
     
     
         84 . The bowl assembly according to  claim 76 , wherein the blanking plug has a featureless upper surface, and/or wherein the blanking plug comprises a body portion and a cap portion, optionally wherein the cap portion is arranged to provide a substantially continuous inner surface in the bowl when the body portion is fitted within an aperture in the bowl, and/or wherein the cap portion is arranged to extend across the aperture in the bowl. 
     
     
         85 . The bowl assembly of  claim 84 , wherein the cap portion comprises a material having a thermal conductivity that is comparable to the material of the inner surface of the bowl, and/or wherein one or both of the bowl and the cap portion comprise a metal such as stainless steel. 
     
     
         86 . The bowl assembly of  claim 84 , wherein the cap portion is arranged to overhang the body so as to provide a lip that can rest on an edge of the aperture when the blanking plug is fitted within the aperture, optionally wherein the lip has a chamfered edge adjoining the upper surface, and preferably wherein the lip extends a sufficient amount to allow a sealing member to be positioned between the lip and the edge of the aperture, and preferably further comprising an integral sealing member provided on an underside of the lip so as to be positioned between the lip and the edge of the aperture when the blanking plug is fitted within the aperture, optionally wherein the sealing member is more deformable than the lip of the cap portion, whereby to effect a fluid-tight seal in use. 
     
     
         87 . The bowl assembly of  claim 84 , wherein a cap portion of the blanking plug extends into the bowl no further than at least one of 10% of the height of the bowl and 20 mm. 
     
     
         88 . The bowl assembly of  claim 76 , wherein the tool mount and blanking plug each comprise a body portion and a cap portion, preferably wherein the part of the body portion closer to the cap portion comprises a multi-faceted shape being arranged to correspond with a multi-faceted shape of the aperture, and optionally wherein the body portion defines a dog-leg shape such that a part of the body portion further from the cap portion has a cross-section of a smaller diameter than a part of the body portion closer to the cap portion. 
     
     
         89 . The bowl assembly of  claim 87 , further comprising a plurality of bayonet tabs capable of being engaged by a locking arrangement whereby to secure the tool mount or blanking plug to the bowl, preferably wherein the plurality of tabs are provided on the part of the body portion that is further from the cap portion, and preferably wherein the plurality of tabs are provided proximate a bottom surface of the part of the body portion further from the cap portion. 
     
     
         90 . The bowl assembly of  claim 76 , wherein the blanking plug and/or the tool mount comprises a sensor arranged to measure a parameter of the bowl or contents of the bowl, preferably temperature, and preferably wherein the blanking plug and/or the tool mount further comprises a transmitter arranged to transmit data relating to a measured parameter. 
     
     
         91 . The bowl assembly of  claim 76 , wherein the tool mount is drivable for driving the tool, preferably wherein the bowl assembly comprises at least one tool arranged to be mounted on the tool mount, optionally wherein the mount comprises a body portion; a cap portion; and a shaft arranged to extend longitudinally through the body portion such that it passes through the cap portion, optionally wherein the cap portion is arranged to extend across an aperture in the bowl, and optionally wherein a bearing arrangement is provided within the body portion for supporting the shaft, and/or wherein the tool mount is arranged to receive rotational drive from an underside of the bowl when fitted within the aperture, preferably from a rotatable drive outlet of the kitchen appliance. 
     
     
         92 . The kitchen appliance incorporating a bowl assembly according to  claim 76 , further comprising a rotational drive outlet arranged to engage the tool mount of the bowl assembly, optionally wherein the kitchen appliance is arranged to supply power and/or to provide heat to the bowl for heating food ingredients contained within the bowl. 
     
     
         93 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 92 , wherein the blanking plug when fitted within the aperture is spaced from the rotational drive outlet when the bowl is mounted on the kitchen appliance, and/or further comprising a base unit arranged to support the bowl arrangement, wherein the rotational drive outlet is provided within the base unit. 
     
     
         94 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 92 , further comprising a protruding element, wherein the bowl assembly is provided with a recess on its underside for receiving the protruding element, preferably whereby to correctly locate the bowl assembly on the kitchen appliance, and optionally wherein the bowl assembly comprises a locking member arranged to pivot relative to the bowl between a “locked” first position and an “unlocked” second position whereby to secure or release the driveable tool mount or blanking plug; and wherein the locking member is arranged such that, in the second position, it interferes with the protruding element by obstructing the recess in the bowl assembly thereby inhibiting correct mounting of the bowl onto the kitchen appliance, and optionally wherein the protruding element is arranged to measure the temperature of the bowl, preferably wherein the protruding element is a temperature probe. 
     
     
         95 . A method of providing multi-functionality to a bowl assembly for a kitchen appliance; comprising the steps of:
 providing a bowl assembly according to  claim 76 ;   removing one of said tool mount or blanking plug from the aperture; and   fitting the other of said tool mount or blanking plug into the aperture.