Individualized blender

<u style="single">BACKGROUND</u>

Various devices for blending various liquids and solids have been developed over the years. These devices have various features and options to suit a wide variety of uses and applications. For example, there are many blenders that are either handheld or freestanding devices. While these devices have been useful, these prior art devices can be difficult to clean, use and store unused products, especially, when preparing smaller batches. More specifically, freestanding devices can be too large and cumbersome to use to make smaller portions and are generally better designed for blending larger quantities of fluids and ingredients. Handheld units may be useful to make individualized portions, but they may lack the power to properly blend ingredients together. Furthermore, these handheld units are generally used with open containers such as bowls or cups that can increase the chances of spilling or splattering during preparation of the ingredients. Moreover, the unused portion would have to be poured out of the open container and into a sealable container to be stored or to be readily carried by a person. Accordingly, there remains a need for an individualized blender system that may be easier to use, clean and store unused products.

In <patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="EP1279359A"><text>EP-A-1 279 359</text></patcit> a food blending apparatus is disclosed having the features of the precharacterizing portion of independent claim 1. This known blending apparatus has a base provided with a drive motor and a funnel-shaped container having a rotatable blending element at the large or small diameter end of the container.

In <patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="US6065861A"><text>US-A-6, 065, 861</text></patcit> there is disclosed a blender system having a motor base provided with a heating seat for a heating container and a blender seat for a blender container having a cutter blade and a strainer

<u style="single">SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION</u>

According to the invention there is provided a blender system, comprising: <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li>a base having a means for rotating a shaft, a recessed well positioned at a top of the base, a pressure-actuated switch positioned about the periphery of the recessed well, and a locking groove;</li><li>an individualized smaller sized container comprising a container body, a selectively removable container base, the container base being sized to fit into the recessed well of the base, the container base comprising a means for agitating contents of the container and a means for locking the container within the recessed well of the base;</li></ul> characterized in that the container has a rounded closed end apposite said base and further comprises a plurality of ridges extending from an outer surface of the container, wherein the ridges form a stable platform for standing the container on a substantially flat surface; and that the blender system further comprises: <ul id="ul0002" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>a larder sized blender container comprising a blender container body, a selectively removable blender container base, the blender container base being sized to fit into the recessed well of the base, the blender container comprising a means for agitating contents of the blender container, a means for sieving the contents of the blender container; and a means for locking the blonder container within the recessed well of the base.</li></ul>

Accordingly, the blender system is composed of a base including a motor means, an individual-sized smaller container and a larger sized combination blender and/or juicer canister. The base includes a body, a motor means, an agitating means coupled to the motor, a recessed well for receiving a container and a pressure-sensitive switch that selectively powers the motor means. In use, the container or canister may be placed on the base, pressure is applied to the container or canister thereby activating the motor means and agitating the contents of the container or canister. The locking groove permits the user to lock the container or canister on the base while keeping the motor means in the powered position.

The individually sized container having the rounded or bullet-shaped closed end may be sealed with a simple cap or a cap having an agitating means. The container also includes a plurality of ridges that form a stable platform for standing the container like a typical drinking vessel. That is, the bullet-shaped container may be inverted so that the container rests on the ridges, and the cap is readily accessible. Additionally, the container may include locking members that engage the locking grooves provided on the blender base.

The larger sized blender canister includes, at a minimum, a body, a selectively removable base having an agitating means, locking members that engage the locking grooves provided on the blender base and a selectively removable means for sieving the container contents. In use, with the sieving means provided in the body of the blender canister, fruits and vegetables may be placed and blended within the bore of the sieving means. The pulp remaining from the fruits and vegetables remain in the bore of the sieving means and the resultant juice may be decanted from the blender canister. Alternatively, the blender canister may be used without the removable means for sieving the container contents.

<u style="single">BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS</u>

<ul id="ul0003" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>Figure 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the blender system;</li><li>Figure 2A is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an individualized blender container;</li><li>Figure 2B is an exploded perspective view of Figure 2A;</li><li>Figure 2C is an inverted perspective view of Figure 2A;</li><li>Figure 2D is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of an individualized blender container;</li><li>Figure 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a blender base;</li><li>Figure 4 is a top plan view of Figure 3;</li><li>Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a blender base taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4;</li><li>Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a blender base taken along line 6-6 of Figure 5;</li><li>Figure 7 is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a blender container;</li><li>Figure 8 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a blender container;</li><li>Figure 9 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of blender container base; and</li><li>Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of blender container taken along line 10-10 of Figure 7.</li></ul>

<u style="single">DETAILED DESCRIPTION</u>

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of exemplary embodiments and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the exemplary embodiments may be constructed and/or utilized.

Turning to the drawings, Figure 1 is directed to an exemplary embodiment of an individualized blender system. More specifically, Figure 1 shows a container <b>101</b> engaged to a blender base <b>100</b> and a blender container <b>106.</b> As shown in the exemplary embodiment of Figure 1, the container <b>101</b> is a bullet-shaped container. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the container <b>101</b> may have a plurality of shapes known or developed in the art. Also, the container <b>101</b> may include a plurality of ridges <b>102</b> provided on the outer surface of the container <b>101</b>. The container <b>101</b> also includes a means <b>103</b> for agitating the contents of the container. The means for agitating the container contents can be a blade element coupled to an impeller in a shaft or other transmission means. The blade element may have one, two, three, four, or more cutting elements. The cutting elements are generally flat members that may have sharpened edges, pointed tips, and one or more bends along the surface of the cutting elements.

The blender container <b>106</b> also includes a base <b>110</b>, selectively removable lid <b>104, 105</b>, and a base member <b>110</b> that is coupled to an agitating means <b>108.</b> As shown in Figure 1, the lid is composed of two components, but it is contemplated that a one-piece or multi-piece cap may also be used. The lid <b>104</b> may be locked on to the opening of the container <b>106</b> via a cap-locking member <b>107</b>. The cap-locking member <b>107</b> may be an L-shaped ridge located at the lip of the container <b>106.</b> The cap-locking member <b>107</b> engages a corresponding member (not shown) on the lid <b>104</b> in order to securely fix the lid <b>104</b> to the container <b>106</b>.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the blender container <b>106</b> may include a juicer member <b>111.</b> The juicer element <b>111</b> is composed of a main body <b>113</b> and a plurality of sieve elements <b>114</b> spaced about the periphery of the main body <b>113.</b> According to the exemplary embodiment depicted in Figure 1, the juicer element <b>111</b> may also include a funnel <b>112</b> at one end of the main body <b>113.</b> Additionally, the juicer element <b>111</b> may also include an annular stop member <b>115</b> positioned at one end of the juicer so as to prevent over-insertion of the juicer element <b>111</b> into the blender container <b>106.</b>

Figures 2A through 2C illustrate various views of the individualized container <b>101.</b> That is, an individualized container <b>101</b> is sized for smaller servings that would be prepared/consumed by one and/or a few individuals. As shown in Figure 2A, the container <b>101</b> is resting on external ridges <b>102</b>. The external ridges <b>102</b> are shaped so as to permit the container <b>101</b> to rest on the apex of the container <b>101</b> without tipping over. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the number of ridges may be varied from what is depicted so long as the container can stand upright on a substantially flat surface. As shown in Figure 2A, the container <b>101</b> may be used as a drinking vessel. That is, an individual may blend contents of the container <b>101,</b> remove the container <b>101,</b> base <b>100,</b> access the contents of the container, and secure the cap <b>200</b> onto the container <b>101</b> to store for later use.

In one configuration, the container <b>101</b> may be also enclosed with a cap <b>200.</b> In an alternate configuration, the container may be enclosed with a base having an agitating means as shown in Figure 2D. As shown in Figure 2C, the cap <b>200</b> may be affixed to the opening of the container <b>101</b> by threads <b>204.</b> As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the cap <b>200</b> may be secured to the container <b>101</b> by various known and developed means such as, but not limited to, a friction fit or a snap-fit. As shown in Figure 2B, the container <b>101</b> is inverted and may rest on the cap <b>200</b>.

Figure 2D illustrates an alternate embodiment of the container <b>101</b> having a larger volume as compared to the embodiments depicted in Figures 2A-2C. Also, the base <b>202</b> includes another exemplary embodiment of an agitating means <b>203.</b> Additionally, as shown in Figures 2A through 2C, the container <b>101</b> includes locking members <b>201</b> that are spaced about the periphery of the container <b>101</b>. The locking members <b>201</b> allow the user to operate the blender without requiring the constant application of force to the container (in order to keep the motor means switched on).

Figure 3 is directed to the base <b>100</b> and the various components that are associated with the base's recessed well <b>300.</b> The base <b>100</b> includes a motor means (not shown) that is coupled to an impeller <b>301</b>. The impeller <b>301</b> includes a plurality of blades <b>303</b> that radiate from the center of the impeller <b>301.</b> Along the periphery of the recessed well <b>300</b>, a plurality of bushings <b>305</b> may be placed about the periphery of the recessed well <b>300.</b> In another exemplary embodiment of the base <b>100,</b> the base does not include the bushings <b>305.</b> The bushings <b>305</b> may be made from a generally resilient material such as, but not limited to, rubber or silicone that may serve to reduce the vibrations during the agitation of the container contents. Also, as shown in Figure 3, the recessed well <b>300</b> includes a plurality of pressure-activated switches <b>302</b>. In use, the weight of the container <b>101</b> or the blender container <b>106</b> causes the downward movement of the switch <b>302</b> thereby activating the motor means. As shown in Figure 3, a locking groove <b>304</b> may be provided adjacent to the switch <b>302.</b> Accordingly, in use, when the locking members <b>201</b> contact and depress the switch <b>302</b>, the container <b>101, 106</b> may be rotated such that the locking member <b>201</b> engages the locking groove 304. That is, as shown in Figure 6, when a force F₁ is applied to the switch <b>302</b>, the switch <b>302</b> moves downward. This downward motion causes the cam <b>600</b> on the switch <b>302</b> to contact a switching means <b>501</b> that is connected to the motor <b>500</b> thereby powering the motor. Accordingly, depending on the intended use or application, the container <b>101, 106</b> may be depressed to activate the motor <b>500</b> for short periods of time. Alternatively, the container <b>101, 106</b> may be depressed and rotated slightly so as to allow the locking members <b>201</b> to engage the locking groove <b>304</b> to permit the continued operation of the motor <b>500</b> without requiring the user to exert constant pressure to keep the motor powered.

Figure 7 is directed to an exemplary embodiment of the blender container <b>106.</b> The blender container comprises a main body that defines a volume and a lid <b>104, 105</b> that is affixed thereto. The lid includes a plurality of openings <b>700</b> that may be used to decant the contents of the container <b>106</b> while the lid <b>104</b> remains affixed to the container <b>106</b>. The blender container <b>106</b> also includes a base <b>110.</b> The base is sized to fit within the recessed well <b>300</b>. Also, the base is coupled to the container <b>106</b> by a screw-fit relation. The base <b>110</b> also includes an agitating means <b>108,</b> as shown in Figure 9. Turning back to Figure 7, the blender container <b>106</b> also includes a plurality of locking members <b>109</b> spaced about the periphery of the blender container <b>106</b> near the base <b>110</b> of the container <b>106.</b> As shown in the exemplary blender container <b>106</b> depicted in Figure 7, a juicer <b>111</b> may be provided within the body of the blender container <b>106</b>. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the blender container <b>106</b> may be used without the juicer <b>111.</b> The blender container <b>106</b> may include a handle <b>800</b> and a spout <b>801</b> that facilitates the decanting of the contents of the container.

Figure 10 illustrates the cross-sectional view of the blender container <b>106</b>. The cross-sectional view shows the juicer element <b>111</b> placed within the body of the blender container <b>106.</b> As shown in Figure 10, the juicer element <b>111</b> is secured to the bottom of the blender container <b>106.</b> Additionally, the bore of the juicer <b>111</b> may be accessed by removing cap element <b>105.</b> In use, fruits and/or vegetables may be placed into the bore <b>1003</b> of the juicer <b>111</b>. Rotation of the motor means is transmitted through shaft <b>1000</b> and mating impeller <b>1001</b> thereby transmitting a rotational force to the agitating means <b>108.</b> The contents of the juicer <b>1003</b> are then blended thereby causing the resulting juice to move from the bore <b>1003</b> into the container body <b>1002</b> through the sieve elements <b>114.</b> The remaining pulp is separated and trapped within the bore <b>1003</b> of the juicer <b>111</b>. By providing a two-part cap <b>104, 105,</b> an individual user can access the bore <b>1003</b> of the juicer <b>111</b> without removing the entire cap or stopping the machine for fear of spillage or splattering. For example, the individual user may remove cap <b>105</b> to access the bore <b>1003</b> of the juicer <b>111</b> to add more products for juice extraction. The resulting juice that is located within the space <b>1002</b> may be decanted from the container without removing the lid through the openings.

While the present invention has been described with regards to particular embodiments, it is recognized that additional variations of the present invention may be devised without departing from the scope of the claims.