HK1240051B - Food processor - Google Patents

Description

food processor

Cross-citation to related applications

This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 15/078,432, filed on March 23, 2016, entitled “Food Processor,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

The present teachings relate to household and kitchen appliances. More specifically, the present teachings relate to food processors. More specifically, the present teachings relate to a multifunctional, high-performance food processor that can work with different food processing units and can make noodles and vegetable sticks.

Background Art

Demand for electric household food processors, including blenders, mixers, slicers, and noodle makers, is increasing. Traditionally, due to design limitations, users have needed to purchase separate food processors. To address these limitations, kitchen appliance manufacturers are beginning to offer food processing systems with a universal motor base and various top-mounted food processing units.

Even though these all-in-one food processing systems are growing in popularity, the functionality of top-mounted food processing units is often limited by their universal motor base. Safety issues also exist when operating food processing systems. For example, some systems allow users to operate the system while the blades are exposed. This can create a potentially dangerous situation if the user accidentally opens the processor and is cut by the fast-moving blades or slicer.

A common type of top-mounted food processing unit is the noodle maker. Noodle makers allow users to push vegetables into the machine to form thin strips. For example, a noodle maker can transform carrots into strips suitable for salads. Traditional noodle makers often produce unsatisfactory results, as the strips break easily inside the machine and the quality of the strips is inconsistent.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention aims to provide a high-performance food processor that is versatile and capable of processing a wide variety of foods. It is also an object of the present invention to provide safety features for different processing units, regardless of their size, type, and design. Another object of the present invention is to provide a processing unit that can produce high-quality noodles and vegetable sticks.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the food processing system can work with different top mounted food processing units that are removably engaged with the motor base. Examples of different top mounted food processing units can be a noodle making container, a mixing container, and a slicing unit.

In one aspect of some embodiments of the present invention, the motor base includes a first motor coupling, a second motor coupling, and a third motor coupling. The motor couplings are driven by a planetary gear system at different drive speeds. The top-mounted food processing unit can utilize any of the motor couplings to achieve different rotational speeds for processing a variety of foods.

In another aspect of some embodiments of the present invention, the surface of the motor base includes an inner ring and an outer ring. The inner ring has a plurality of flanges protruding radially outward. It also has a pair of locking channels in which the internal safety actuator is located. The outer ring also has a pair of locking channels in which the external safety actuator is located. The safety actuator provides a safety mechanism for the food processing system so that the motor can only be turned on to drive any rotating blades or slicers when the key protective housing of the top-mounted food processing unit is present and closed. Thus, when the blades or slicers are exposed, the motor will not cause them to rotate. In a specific embodiment, the safety actuators at the inner and outer rings are connected to the same safety mechanism inside the motor base so that the motor can be operated when either safety actuator is pressed.

In some embodiments, the food processing units mounted on the top all have a safety structure that presses on the safety actuator at the inner ring or outer ring. For example, in one embodiment, the processing unit includes an external container, and an external cover is pivotally mounted on the external container. The external cover can be opened and closed. The external container has two rods that slide vertically between an upper position and a lower position and extend slightly downward from the bottom of the external container. When the external cover is closed, the external cover pushes the rods to the lower position, causing the rods to protrude downward. When the processing unit is seated on the top of the motor base, the rods are located at the position of the external safety actuator. Therefore, the rods only press the safety actuator when the external cover is closed, because when the external cover is opened, the rods cannot provide enough downward force to press the safety actuator. This safety mechanism ensures that the food processing system cannot operate when the blades on the internal cover of the processing unit are exposed when the external cover is opened.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that another aspect of some embodiments of the present invention is that the processing system is versatile and safe for working with top-mounted food processing units of different sizes. In one embodiment, the top-mounted processing unit is a mixing unit that is smaller than the other processing units. The mixing unit includes a blade base and a container of elongated shape. The container is removably engaged with the blade base by a pair of threads. The blade base includes a rod that can be slidably mounted between an upper position and a lower position. When the container is screwed in, the rod is pushed downward. The rod is located at a position opposite to the internal safety actuator. The rod can activate the safety mechanism without having to press the external safety actuator. The presence of the safety actuator at different radial positions allows top-mounted processing units of different sizes to be securely mounted on the motor base and activate the safety mechanism in the same way.

Another aspect of some embodiments of the present invention is a food processing unit for producing high-quality noodles and vegetable strips. In one embodiment, the top-mounted food processing unit includes a stationary outer container, an outer cover, a rotatable inner container, and an inner cover having a blade and a food passage opening on the surface. The inner container includes a circular wall, a bottom, and a cavity defined by the solid wall and the bottom. The cavity allows for receiving processed food. The cavity is shaftless at the center of the inner container. The inner container has a rotary coupler having a shape complementary to a motor coupler. The rotary coupler allows the motor coupler to drive the inner container directly or indirectly.

When the inner cover is seated on the top of the inner container, the inner cover is fixed in place together with the inner container. Thus, the inner cover can be driven by the inner container so that the inner container moves in unison with the inner cover during rotation. In a specific embodiment, the circular wall of the inner container has a plurality of recesses on the top edge of the wall. The inner cover has a plurality of protrusions at its circumference. The shape and position of the protrusions complement the recesses so that the inner cover can be fixed in place together with the inner container by matching the recesses and protrusions. Therefore, the inner container and the inner cover will rotate in unison. The center of the inner cover is very smooth and does not have an axis extending downward from the cover. In this way, the cavity of the inner container between the center of the cover and the center of the inner container is shaftless.

The shaftless arrangement offers significant advantages when making noodles or cutting food, particularly vegetables, into strips. If a central shaft were used inside the container to rotate the lid, the strips would tend to settle around the shaft, creating friction around the rotating components and sometimes choking the shaft enough to slow it down. This can also negatively impact the quality of the noodles and strips, causing them to tear and clump. The absence of a shaft significantly improves the quality of the processed noodles or vegetable strips.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The teachings of the present invention may be better understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the following description, in which:

1 is a perspective view of a food processing system having a noodle making container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a perspective view of a food processing system having a mixing container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a perspective view of a food processing system having a slicing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a perspective view of a motor base of a food processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an interior view of the motor base shown in FIG. 4 .

FIG. 6 is an isolated perspective view of a first processing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of the processing unit shown in FIG. 6 .

8 is an isolated view of an outer container of a first processing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates an inner container and a cover of a first processing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the inner container shown in FIG. 9 .

FIG. 11 is a top view of the inner container without the closure.

12 is an isolated view of the outer and inner containers without the outer cover of the first processing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

13 is a view showing the outer container and inner container shown in FIG. 11 , but with a cover on top of the inner container.

14 is a top view of a cover of an inner container of a food processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

15 is a bottom perspective view of the cover shown in FIG. 13 .

16 is a perspective view of a slicing unit of a food processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a bottom perspective view of the slicing unit shown in FIG. 15 .

18 is a bottom perspective view of a mixing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is intended to illustrate the general principles of the invention and is not to be considered in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims.

The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. However, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

While exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described herein with reference to idealized embodiments thereof, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, embodiments of the present invention should not be construed as limited to the specific shapes of regions shown herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing.

The following description is intended to illustrate the general principles of the invention and is not to be considered in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims.

Referring to Figures 1-4 , a food processing system 100 is shown having various top-mounted food processing units 200, 300, or 400 that are removably coupled to a motor base 110, according to some embodiments of the present invention. Depending on the embodiment, the motor base 110 may have at least one noodle making container 200, mixing container 300, or slicing unit 400 mounted atop it. While the top-mounted processing units are designated by specific names, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the top-mounted processing units are not limited to performing the functions indicated by their names. For example, depending on the design of the blades and slicer in the unit 200, the noodle making container 200 may also be a general processing unit for slicing food.

4 and 5 , a motor base 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, the motor base 110 including a motor 111 securely mounted inside its housing, a well-shaped member 120 forming a space for different top-mounted food processing units 200, 300 or 400 to be inserted, a first motor coupling 112, a second motor coupling 114 and a third motor coupling 116.

Each of the motor couplings 112, 114, and 116 has radially extending teeth on its wall forming grooves and teeth for coupling to and engaging rotating components of the top-mounted food processing unit 200, 300, or 400. The motor couplings 112, 114, and 116 are driven by the motor 111 through the planetary gear system 118, causing them to rotate at different speeds. In a particular embodiment, the first motor coupling 112 rotates at the fastest speed, while the third motor coupling 116 rotates at the slowest speed. Although in the particular embodiment shown in FIG. 4 , the first motor coupling 112 is the innermost outlet and rotates at the fastest speed, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that any arrangement of the motor couplings is possible, and that the first motor coupling 112 need not be the innermost outlet or the fastest rotating outlet.

A motor base 110 with motor couplings of varying rotational speeds allows the top-mounted food processing units 200, 300, or 400 to utilize different rotational speeds. For example, FIG2 illustrates a mixing vessel 300 having a blade 302 for high-speed blending and fragmenting a food-liquid mixture. Thus, for a particular embodiment, the mixing vessel 300 has a rotational coupling that is complementary in shape to the first motor coupling 112, such that the blade 302 of the mixing vessel 300 is driven by the fastest first motor coupling 112. In another embodiment, the primary purpose of the slicing unit 400 is to cut relatively large pieces of food. This cutting only requires a low-speed slicer 402. Therefore, the slicing unit 400 has a rotational coupling that is complementary in shape to the third motor coupling 116, such that the slicer 402 of the slicing unit 400 is driven by the third motor coupling 116. While only two examples of top-mounted food processing unit and motor coupling combinations are discussed herein, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the combinations and types of top-mounted food processing units are not limited to these two examples. By utilizing different motor couplings, different kinds of food processing units can be used.

Still referring to Figures 4 and 5, the motor base 110 further includes an inner ring 140 and an outer ring 150. The inner ring 140 has a plurality of flanges 142 that project radially outward. It also has a pair of locking channels 144. An internal safety actuator 146 is located in each of the locking channels 144. The outer ring 150 also has a pair of locking channels 154, in which an external safety actuator 156 is located. The internal safety actuator 146 is located at a first radial position relative to the center of the motor base, and the external safety actuator 156 is located at a second radial position relative to the center of the motor base. Thus, the external safety actuator 156 is further away from the center of the motor base than the internal safety actuator 146.

The internal safety actuator 146 and the external safety actuator 156 provide a safety mechanism for the food processing system 100 so that the motor 111 can be turned on to drive the rotating blades or slicers only when the protective housing of the top-mounted food processing unit is present and closed. Thus, when the appropriate safety housing is not present, no rotating blades or slicers can be driven, as will be discussed in further detail below.

Referring to FIG. 5 , which shows an interior view of the motor base 110, the safety mechanism includes a plate 160 positioned vertically between an upper position and a lower position. Plate 160 is biased by a spring 162 so that it naturally remains in its upper position unless compressed to its lower position by an external force. Plate 160 is connected to safety actuators 146 and 156, which protrude vertically upward from plate 160. Plate 160 has a first end 166 connected to a downwardly extending activation arm 167. Activation arm 167 also has an upper position and a lower position and is positioned above microswitch 164. The position of activation arm 167 is controlled by the position of plate 160. Plate 160 is also connected to a second arm 168, which primarily provides counterweight and balance for first arm 166. While in this particular embodiment, plate 160 is connected to activation arm 167 in an L-shape, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other configurations are possible, provided that plate 160 can interact with microswitch 164.

The food processing system 100 can only be operated when the plate 160 is pushed downward. When the plate 160 is in its natural upper position, the activation arm 167 is also in its upper position, where it cannot activate the microswitch 164. When the internal safety actuator 146 or the external safety actuator 156 is pressed, the actuator overcomes the rebound force of the spring 162 and pushes the plate 160 downward to its lower position, causing the activation arm 167 to also move to its lower position. The activation arm 167 activates the microswitch 164 and closes the circuit of the motor 111. Therefore, when either the internal safety actuator 146 or the external safety actuator 156 is engaged, the user can operate the food processing system 100 by using the switch 106. When neither safety actuator is pressed, the food processing system 100 does not respond even if the switch 106 is pressed.

Each of the top-mounted food processing units 200, 300, and 400 includes a safety feature that activates the internal safety actuator 146 or the external safety actuator 156 only when the food processing unit's key protective housing is present and closed. Referring to Figures 6 and 7, which illustrate a first top-mounted food processing unit 200, the unit 200 includes an external container 210 with an external cover 250 pivotally mounted thereon. The external cover 250 can be opened and closed. The external container 210 has two rods 252. The rods slide vertically between an upper position and a lower position and protrude slightly downward from the bottom of the external container 210. When the external cover 250 is closed, it pushes the rods 252 to a lower position. The rods 252 then protrude downward. When the food processing unit 200 is positioned on top of the motor base 110, the rods 252 are positioned opposite the external safety actuator 156. Thus, the rod 252 engages the external safety actuator 156 only when the outer cover 250 is closed because, when the outer cover 250 is open, the rod 252 cannot provide sufficient downward force to depress the external safety actuator 156. In this particular embodiment, the outer cover 250 is a critical protective housing that must be present and closed before the food processing system 100 can operate. The safety mechanism ensures that the food processing system 100 cannot operate when the inner cover 220 is exposed.

16 and 17 , slicing unit 400 has a slicer 402 that is covered by a cover 404 when in operation. Slicing unit 400 includes a safety feature similar to that shown for unit 200. It also includes a slidably mounted lever 452 that is located at the location of external safety actuator 156 and engages external safety actuator 156 when cover 404 is closed. In this particular embodiment, external cover 404 is a critical protective housing that ensures that slicer 402 cannot be driven by motor 111 when it is exposed.

FIG18 is a bottom view of a blending unit 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The blending unit 300 primarily includes a blade base 310 on which a blade 302 is rotatably mounted on an elongated container 350. The container 350 is removably engaged with the blade base 310 via a pair of threads. The blade base 310 also includes a slidably mounted rod 352 that slides between an upper position and a lower position. When the container 350 is screwed in, the rod 352 is forced downward. The rod 352 is located at the location of the internal safety actuator 146. In this particular embodiment, the container 350 is a critical protective housing that must be present and screwed in before the food processing system 100 can be operated. This safety feature prevents the blade base 310 from engaging the motor coupling when the container 350 is not screwed in.

4 , the flange 142, the inner locking channel 144, and the outer locking channel 154 allow the top-mounted food processing unit 200, 300, or 400 to be securely engaged with the motor base 110 and activate the safety mechanism of the food processing system 100. Secure engagement and locking between the motor base 110 and the food processing unit is achieved by sliding the rod 252, 353, or 452 of the food processing unit into the locking channel 144 and also sliding the retaining tab 262, 362, or 462 of the food processing unit under the flange 142.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, food processing units are used for different purposes and may require different sizes. For example, compared with the food processed by the mixing unit 300 for making smoothies and juices, the slicing unit 400 mainly cuts vegetables (such as carrots) into relatively large pieces. Therefore, comparing Figures 2 and 3, the slicing unit 400 including its diameter is much larger than the mixing unit 300. Even if the food processing units have different sizes, the motor base 110 is still suitable for fixing the food processing units installed on the top and can start a safety mechanism. The flange 142 in the inner ring 140 and the locking channel and safety actuator in both the inner ring 140 and the outer ring 150 allow the food processing units with different sizes to be detachably mounted and securely engaged with the motor base 110.

For example, as shown in FIG7 , the bottom of the machining unit 200 has a plurality of retaining tabs 262 located at opposite positions to the flange 142. In this particular embodiment, the retaining tabs 262 are L-shaped, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that other shapes are possible for the retaining tabs. When the machining unit 200 is mounted on and engaged with the motor base 110, the horizontal portions of the retaining tabs 262 slide under the flange 142. The vertical portions of the retaining tabs 262 prevent the retaining tabs 262 from moving beyond the flange 142. The rods 252 are located at opposite positions to the external locking channels 154 so that when the key protection housing is closed, the rods 252 can press the external safety actuator 156 located at the outer ring 150 of the motor base 110. Referring to FIG17 , a similar retaining tab is shown for the slicing unit 400.

18 , the mixing unit 300 has a smaller diameter than the food processing units 200 and 300. The mixing unit 300 also has a plurality of L-shaped retaining tabs 362. However, the rod 352 is located at an opposing position within the internal locking channel 144 so that the rod 352 can also activate the safety mechanism by engaging the internal safety actuator 146.

The locking of the food processing unit and the activation of the safety mechanism are both important. Therefore, the flange 142 and the safety actuators 146 and 156 are positioned in a special position so that any food processing unit can only be inserted in two orientations. This ensures that when the safety actuator is pressed, the food processing unit installed on the motor base 110 will be fixed. In a specific embodiment shown in Figure 4, the flange 142 and the safety actuator 146 or 156 are each separated by 60°. Using the middle of the left locking channel 144 as a starting point, the flange 142 is located at 60°, 120°, 240° and 300°, while the safety actuator 146 is located at 0° and 180°. The rod and retaining tab on the bottom of the food processing unit also use the same arrangement, such as the arrangement in Figure 7, with the rod 252 located at 0° and 180°, and the L-shaped retaining tab located at 60°, 120°, 240° and 300°.

Referring now to Figures 6, 12, and 13, according to one embodiment, the processing unit 200 includes a stationary housing, which may be referred to as an outer container 210, and a food receiving container 230, which may be referred to as an inner container 230. The housing is stationary because when the processing unit 200 is mounted on the motor base 110, only the inner food receiving container 230 will rotate, while the outer container or housing 210 will remain stationary and secured by the locking mechanism described above. The housing 210 has an outer cover 250 that is pivotally mounted on the stationary housing. The inner container 230 is removably mounted inside the outer container 210. The inner container 230 can be removed by the user after the food has been processed in the inner container 230. The inner container 230 also has a cover, which may be referred to as an inner cover 220.

Referring to Figures 10 and 11, top and bottom perspective views of a food receiving container 230 are shown, which may be referred to as the inner container of the processing unit 200. The food receiving container 230 includes a circular solid wall 234, a bottom 236, and a cavity 235 defined by the solid wall 234 and the bottom 236. The cavity 235 allows for the receipt of processed food. The cavity 235 is shaftless, specifically located at the center of the food receiving container 230. The food receiving container 230 also includes a rotary coupler 232, which may have a shape complementary to the motor coupling 112, 114, or 116. The rotary coupler 232 allows the food receiving container 230 to be driven directly or indirectly by the motor coupling to rotate when the food receiving container 230 is engaged with the motor base 110. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the shape of the rotary coupler 232 may vary.

The rotational coupler 232 may also engage directly or indirectly with the motor coupling. In one embodiment, the food receiving container 230 may be mounted directly on the motor base 110. When mounted on the motor base 110, the motor coupling engages the food receiving container 230. In this arrangement, the outer stationary housing 210 has an opening (not shown) at its bottom so that the food receiving container 230 can engage directly with the motor base 110.

In another embodiment, the food receiving container 230 is indirectly engaged with the motor coupling. Referring to Figures 7 and 8, the top and bottom of the outer container 210 are shown. The outer container 210 has an external rotary coupler 212 at its center. When the outer container 210 remains stationary, the external rotary coupler 212 can rotate. The external rotary coupler 212 has two parts. On the outer bottom of the outer container 210 (Figure 7), the external rotary coupler 212 has a shape that is complementary to one of the motor couplings 112, 114 or 116. Inside the outer container 210 (Figure 8), the external rotary coupler 212 has a shape that is complementary to the internal rotary coupler 232 of the inner container 230, so that the inner container 230 can engage with the rotary coupler 212 of the outer container. Therefore, when the outer container 210 is mounted on the motor base 110 , and the inner container 230 is mounted on the outer container 210 , the motor coupling indirectly drives the inner container 230 to rotate via the rotating outer rotary coupler 212 .

FIG14 and FIG15 show a top view and a bottom perspective view of a cover 220 adapted to be mounted on a food receiving container 230. On its surface, the inner cover 220 has a front blade 222 having a plurality of food passage openings 223 for passing food through the cover 220, and a rear blade 224 having a straight cutting edge and straight food passage openings 225. The inner cover 220 also has two finger openings 226 for a user to insert their fingers so that the inner cover 220 can be easily lifted from the inner container 230. While a particular arrangement of a pair of blades is shown in FIG14 , those skilled in the art will appreciate that any other number, arrangement, and design of the cover 220 is possible.

When the inner cover 220 is seated on top of the inner container 230, the inner cover 220 is secured in place with the inner container 230. Thus, the inner cover 220 can move in unison with the inner container 230 during rotation, but remains stationary relative to the inner container 230. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are various ways to secure the inner cover 220 with the inner container 230. In one particular embodiment, shown in Figures 11, 13, 14, and 15, the circular wall 234 of the inner container has a plurality of recesses 238 on the top edge of the wall. The inner cover 220 has a plurality of protrusions 228 around its circumference. The shape and position of the protrusions 228 complement the recesses 238, allowing the inner cover 220 to be secured in place with the inner container 230 through the cooperation of the recesses and protrusions. In another embodiment, the inner cover 220 is pivotally mounted to the inner container 230, such that the inner cover 220 is secured in place with the inner container 230 via a hinge.

Referring now to Figures 6, 11, 13, and 15, since the inner lid 220 is fixed in place with the inner container 230, rotation of the inner container 230 will drive the inner lid 220. There is no need for an axis to be located beneath the inner lid 220. The bottom portion of the center of the inner lid 220 can be substantially flat and smooth, without an axis extending downward from the lid 220. In this manner, the cavity 235 of the inner container is axisless between the center of the lid 220 and the center of the inner container 230. In other words, there is no axis connecting the lid 220 to the inner container 230 at the center of the container.

The shaftless arrangement offers significant advantages when making noodles or cutting food, particularly vegetables, into strips. Specifically referring to Figures 6 and 13 , when a user inserts food into the processing unit 200 via the food passage 270, the food enters the inner cover 220 and is processed there. The cover 220 rotates counterclockwise, causing blade 222 to become the leading blade and blade 224 to become the trailing blade. Therefore, the food is first processed by the leading blade 222, resulting in the food being cut into strips. The stripped food is then further processed by the straight blade 224 to form individual strips. Because the blades are rotating, the processed strips tend to settle into a vortex within the food receiving container 230. If a central axis were present within the container to rotate the cover 220, the strips would tend to settle around the axis, thereby restricting the movement of the rotating components. The lack of a shaft significantly improves the operation of the present invention and significantly enhances the quality of the processed noodles or vegetable strips.

The foregoing description of the embodiments of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. In light of the above teachings, many modifications and variations are possible. The numerical values described in the specification are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the invention to the precise numbers. It is intended that the scope of the present invention be limited not by this detailed description, but by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims (20)

1. A food processing machine, comprising: Motor base, including motor coupling components; An external container is detachably mounted on the motor base; An inner container is detachably mounted within the outer container; the inner container has a rotary coupler for engaging the motor coupling. An inner cap includes an opening on its surface for a blade and food to pass through; wherein the inner cap is fixed to the top of the inner container such that the inner container moves in unison with the inner cap during rotation. 2. The food processing machine according to claim 1, wherein the motor base includes a second motor coupling member that rotates at a speed different from that of the motor coupling member, and the second motor coupling member is adapted to be detachably engaged with different food processing units. 3. The food processing machine according to claim 2, wherein the motor base further comprises: an external safety actuator located at a first radial position relative to the center of the motor base, and an internal safety actuator located at a second radial position relative to the center of the motor base; The circuit controls the motor in the motor base so that the motor is turned on only when the external safety actuator or the internal safety actuator is pressed. 4. The food processing machine of claim 3, wherein the outer container comprises: a pivotally mounted outer cover, and a rod located near the outer safety actuator when the outer container is mounted on the motor base; The rod slides vertically between a lower position and an upper position, wherein when the outer cover is closed, the outer cover pushes the rod to the lower position; and subsequently, the rod presses down the outer safety actuator; and The different food processing units include different levers that are positioned to engage with the internal safety actuator when the different food processing units are mounted on the motor base, such that the different levers can press the internal safety actuator. 5. The food processing machine of claim 1, wherein the inner cover is removable from the inner container; the inner container includes a circular wall; the circular wall has a top edge including a recess; the inner cover includes a protrusion complementary to the recess of the inner container, such that the inner cover is secured in place together with the inner container by aligning the recess and the protrusion. 6. The food processing machine according to claim 1, wherein the inner cover is pivotally mounted on the inner container such that the inner cover is fixed in place together with the inner container by means of a hinge. 7. The food processing machine according to claim 1, wherein: The motor base includes a flange; The outer container includes a retaining tab adapted to slide within the flange to lock the outer container in place together with the motor base. 8. The food processing machine according to claim 1, wherein an external cover is pivotally mounted on the external container; The motor base includes a safety actuator; The outer container includes a rod that slides vertically between a lower position and an upper position, wherein when the outer cover is closed, the outer cover pushes the rod to the lower position; and subsequently, the rod presses the safety actuator. 9. The food processing machine of claim 1, wherein the outer container includes a bottom opening such that the rotational coupler of the inner container is directly driven by the motor coupler. 10. The food processing machine of claim 1, wherein the outer container includes a rotatable outer container rotation coupler, wherein the outer container rotation coupler is detachably engaged with the motor coupling, and the rotation coupler of the inner container is detachably engaged with the outer container rotation coupler such that the rotation coupler of the inner container is indirectly driven by the motor coupling. 11. The food processing machine according to claim 1, wherein the blade on the inner cover is a front blade, and the inner cover includes a rear blade; The front blade includes multiple small openings for making noodles; The rear blade includes a straight cutting edge. 12. The food processing machine according to claim 1, wherein the inner cover includes a plurality of finger openings. 13. A food processing machine for processing food, comprising: Motor base, including motor coupling components; A food receiving container is detachably mounted on the motor base; the food receiving container is driven by the motor coupling; the food receiving container has radial walls and a bottom; the walls and the bottom define a cavity for receiving food; A lid is positioned on the food receiving container; the lid is fixed to the food receiving container such that the lid rotates with the food receiving container; the food receiving container is shaftless; the lid includes a blade and an opening through which food passes. Thus, food can be removed from the cavity without having to remove the food from around the shaft. 14. The food processing machine according to claim 13, wherein the bottom surface of the cover is a uniform plane. 15. The food processing machine of claim 13, wherein the cap is removable from the food receiving container; the wall of the food receiving container includes a top edge having a recess; the cap includes a protrusion complementary to the recess of the food receiving container, such that the cap is secured in place with the food receiving container by matching the recess and the protrusion. 16. The food processing machine of claim 13, wherein the cap is pivotally mounted on the food receiving container such that the cap is fixed in place together with the food receiving container by a hinge. 17. The food processing machine according to claim 13, wherein the blade on the cover is a front blade, and the cover includes a rear blade; The front blade includes multiple small openings for making noodles; The rear blade includes a straight cutting edge. 18. The food processing machine according to claim 13, wherein the motor base has an external safety actuator located at a first radial position relative to the center of the motor base, and an internal safety actuator located at a second radial position relative to the center of the motor base; The circuit controls the motor in the motor base such that the motor is turned on only when one of the internal safety actuator and the external safety actuator is pressed. 19. The food processing machine of claim 18, wherein the motor base is connected to a stationary housing surrounding the food receiving container to prevent entry into the food receiving container when it rotates; The stationary housing includes a pivotally mounted external cover and a rod located at the external safety actuator; the rod slides vertically between a lower position and an upper position, wherein when the external cover is closed, the external cover pushes the rod to the lower position; and subsequently, the rod presses against the external safety actuator; and The motor base is adapted to engage with different food processing units; the different food processing units include different levers, which are positioned to engage with the internal safety actuator when the different food processing units are mounted on the motor base, such that the different levers can press the internal safety actuator. 20. The food processing machine of claim 13, wherein the motor base is connected to a stationary housing surrounding the food receiving container to prevent entry into the food receiving container when it rotates.