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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

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.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A food processing apparatus having a rotary element to be driven by a rotating magnetic field, the food processing apparatus comprising: a food-contact chamber defined by an exterior wall;a driven member disposed within the food-contact chamber, the driven member including a plurality of discrete

1. A food processing apparatus having a rotary element to be driven by a rotating magnetic field, the food processing apparatus comprising: a food-contact chamber defined by an exterior wall;a driven member disposed within the food-contact chamber, the driven member including a plurality of discrete bodies of magnetically soft material supported from a rotating shaft arranged to rotate responsive to the rotating magnetic field; anda driving element configured to generate the rotating magnetic field, the driving element disposed outside the food-contact chamber and positioned, in use of the food processing apparatus, beneath the driven member. 2. The food processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driving element includes a rotor disposed in a base of the food processing apparatus. 3. The food processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driven member further comprises a reinforced matrix at least partially surrounding the discrete bodies. 4. The food processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the discrete bodies comprise a plurality of materials. 5. The food processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driving element comprises a plurality of electromagnets. 6. The food processing apparatus of claim 5, wherein at least a first of the plurality of electromagnets at least partially vertically overlaps at least a second of the plurality of electromagnets. 7. The food processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a housing containing the driving element, the driving element having no moving parts. 8. The food processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driving element includes a plurality of permanent magnet poles carried on a rotating shaft. 9. The food processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the discrete bodies comprise a ferromagnetic material. 10. The food processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the discrete bodies comprise a laminated structure. 11. The food processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the discrete bodies are embedded in a non-magnetic matrix. 12. The food processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the discrete bodies are retained in a 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. 13. The food processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the discrete bodies comprises a first vertical sidewall and a second vertical sidewall, each of the first vertical sidewall and the second vertical sidewall having a region acutely angled from a line normal to one of an upper and a lower surface of the each of the discrete bodies. 14. The food processing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the discrete bodies comprise one or more through holes, at least a portion of the one or more through holes being filled with the matrix. 15. The food processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driven member is at least partially enclosed in an over-molding. 16. A food processing apparatus having a rotary element to be driven by a rotating magnetic field, the food processing apparatus comprising: a food-contact chamber defined by an exterior wall; anda driven member disposed within the food-contact chamber, the driven member including a plurality of generally pie-shaped discrete bodies of magnetically soft material supported from a rotating shaft arranged to rotate responsive to the rotating magnetic field. 17. The food processing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the discrete bodies comprise a laminated structure. 18. The food processing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the discrete bodies are embedded in a non-magnetic matrix. 19. The food processing apparatus of claim 18, 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. 20. The food processing apparatus of claim 16, wherein the driven member further comprises a reinforced matrix at least partially surrounding the discrete bodies.