Magnetic drive for food processing apparatus

Abstract

Food processing apparati including magnetic drives are described herein. According to one exemplary embodiment, a food processing apparatus may include a motor having a motor shaft, a rotor rotatably mounted on the motor shaft, and a stator producing an electromagnetic field for interacting with the rotor. The rotor may magnetically drive a drive plate coupled to an impeller inside a food-contact chamber.

1 . A magnetic drive for food processing equipment including a food-contact chamber, comprising:
 a driving member disposed outside the food-contact chamber, the driving member including a plurality of permanent magnet poles carried on a rotating shaft; and   a driven member disposed within the food-contact chamber, the driven member including discrete bodies of magnetically soft material supported from a rotating shaft in opposed relationship to the plurality of permanent magnet poles.   
     
     
         2 . The magnetic drive of  claim 1 , further comprising an electric motor disposed outside the food-contact chamber and mechanically coupled to the driving member. 
     
     
         3 . The magnetic drive of  claim 2 , wherein the driving member is disposed coaxially with the electric motor and wherein the driving member and the electric motor share a common shaft. 
     
     
         4 . The magnetic drive of  claim 2 , wherein the driving member is disposed non-coaxially with the electric motor and wherein a shaft of the motor is coupled to a shaft of the driving member by at least one of a belt and a gear train. 
     
     
         5 . The magnetic drive of  claim 1 , wherein the discrete bodies comprise a ferromagnetic material. 
     
     
         6 . The magnetic drive of  claim 1 , wherein the discrete bodies comprise a ceramic ferrite. 
     
     
         7 . The magnetic drive of  claim 1 , wherein the discrete bodies comprise a laminated structure. 
     
     
         8 . The magnetic drive of  claim 1 , wherein the discrete bodies are embedded in a non-magnetic matrix. 
     
     
         9 . The magnetic drive of  claim 8 , wherein the matrix comprises reinforcing fibers. 
     
     
         10 . The magnetic drive of  claim 8 , wherein the discrete bodies are retained in the non-magnetic matrix, and this retention is facilitated by the inclusion of at least one of at least partially non-parallel sidewalls on the discrete bodies and one or more holes in the discrete bodies. 
     
     
         11 . The magnetic drive of  claim 1 , wherein the discrete bodies comprise non-parallel sidewalls. 
     
     
         12 . The magnetic drive of  claim 1 , wherein the discrete bodies comprise one or more through holes. 
     
     
         13 . The magnetic drive of  claim 1 , wherein the driven member is at least partially enclosed in an over-molding. 
     
     
         14 . Food processing apparatus having a rotary element to be driven by a rotating magnetic field, comprising:
 a food-contact chamber defined by an exterior wall;   a driven member disposed within the food-contact chamber, the driven member including discrete bodies of magnetically soft material supported from a rotating shaft arranged to rotate responsive to the rotating magnetic field.   
     
     
         15 . The food processing apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a driving element including a rotor disposed in a base of the food processing apparatus. 
     
     
         16 . The food processing apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the driven member further comprises a reinforced matrix at least partially surrounding the discrete bodies. 
     
     
         17 . The food processing apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the discrete bodies comprise a plurality of materials. 
     
     
         18 . The food processing apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the rotating magnetic field is generated by a plurality of electromagnets. 
     
     
         19 . The food processing apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein at least a first of the plurality of electromagnets at least partially vertically overlaps at least a second of the plurality of electromagnets. 
     
     
         20 . The food processing apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a housing containing a means for generating the rotating magnetic field, said means having no moving parts.