Drink maker

• US 20070137492A1
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Beach Brands Incorporated (Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Co.)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex Incorporated (Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Co.)
• Inventors: Stamper, George, Branson, Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 7,673,824 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/275
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 43/046 with tools driven from the bottom side
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 43/0722 Mixing, whipping or cutting tools

Abstract

A drink maker for processing foodstuff and dispensing the processed foodstuff therefrom. A base encloses a motor and a jar including a first recirculation surface is removably mountable to the base. A processing cup including a second recirculation surface is removably mountable to the jar and the jar and processing cup comprise a container in an assembled configuration. A recirculation chamber is defined by the first and second recirculation surfaces. The base includes an arcuate-shaped mounting wall extending from its top surface and the jar includes a skirt having a first wall and a second wall positioned radially outwardly from the first wall. The first and second walls define a mounting gap and the mounting wall is positioned in the mounting gap in the assembled configuration.

Claims

1. A drink maker for processing foodstuff and dispensing the processed foodstuff therefrom, the drink maker comprising:

a base enclosing a motor;

a jar removably mountable to the base, the jar including a first recirculation surface;

a processing cup removably mountable to the jar, the processing cup and jar comprising a container in an assembled configuration, the processing cup including a second recirculation surface; and

a recirculation chamber defined by the first recirculation surface and the second recirculation surface.

2. The drink maker of claim 1 further comprising:

an impeller removably and rotatably mounted to the processing cup, the processing cup including a base surface, a peripheral wall and a receiving chamber defined by the base surface, the peripheral wall and the impeller.

3. The drink maker of claim 2 wherein the peripheral wall extends generally perpendicularly relative to the base surface and includes a hole therein, the receiving chamber in fluid communication with the recirculation chamber through the hole.

4. The drink maker of claim 3 further comprising:

a grinding chamber defined by an inner surface of the jar, the impeller and an inner surface of the peripheral wall, the peripheral wall including a top edge; and

a channel extending along a length of the jar, a recirculation opening defined between the top edge and the channel, the recirculation chamber in fluid communication with the grinding chamber through the recirculation opening.

5. The drink maker of claim 1 further comprising:

a generally cylindrical cutting blade mounted to an inner surface of the processing cup.

6. The drink maker of claim 1 further comprising:

a dispensing spout mounted to the jar and being in fluid communication with the recirculation chamber, the dispensing spout movable between an open position to dispense foodstuff and a closed position to block foodstuff from flowing out of the container.

7. The drink maker of claim 1 wherein the jar includes a lower skirt comprised of a first wall and a second wall, the second wall positioned radially outwardly from the first wall, the first and second walls defining a mounting gap therebetween.

8. The drink maker of claim 7 wherein the base includes an arcuate-shaped mounting wall extending from a top surface, the mounting wall positioned within the mounting gap in the assembled configuration.

9. The drink maker of claim 8 wherein the mounting wall includes an indent and one of the first and second walls includes a rib extending radially into the mounting gap, the rib positioned within the indent in the assembled configuration.

10. The drink maker of claim 1 wherein the processing cup includes a peripheral wall and a base surface, the peripheral wall including a hole therein, the base surface including a groove that pitches downwardly toward a bottom apex of the hole.

11. The drink maker of claim 1 wherein the jar includes a sealing edge and the processing cup includes a radially outwardly extending platform, the sealing edge engaging the platform to seal the container.

12. The drink maker of claim 11 further comprising:

a gasket positioned between the sealing edge and the platform.

13. The drink maker of claim 11 wherein the jar includes a lower skirt comprised of a first wall and a second wall, the second wall positioned radially outwardly relative to the first wall, the sealing edge comprised of a terminal end of the first wall.

14. The drink maker of claim 1 further comprising:

a lid removably mountable to a mouth of the jar, the lid including a movable hatch.

15. The drink maker of claim 1 further comprising:

a dispensing spout mounted to the jar, the base including a cup indentation on a side surface, the dispensing spout positioned proximate the cup indentation in the assembled configuration.

16. The drink maker of claim 1 further comprising:

an impeller removably and rotatably mounted to the processing cup, the impeller having a generally disc-shape including a first surface and a second surface.

17. The drink maker of claim 16 wherein the processing cup includes a base surface, the second surface facing the base surface in the assembled configuration, the second surface, base surface and an inner surface of the processing cup defining a receiving chamber.

18. The drink maker of claim 17 wherein the impeller includes at least one grinding tooth extending generally perpendicularly from the first surface and at least one urging tooth extending generally perpendicularly from the second surface, the at least one urging tooth being integrally formed from a portion of the impeller.

19. The drink maker of claim 18 wherein the at least one grinding tooth comprises a first grinding tooth and a second grinding tooth, the first and second grinding teeth positioned proximate a periphery of the impeller and including driving faces that are oriented generally perpendicularly to a rotation direction of the impeller.

20. The drink maker of claim 18 wherein the at least one urging tooth comprises a first urging tooth and a second urging tooth extending from the impeller toward the base surface in the assembled configuration, the first and second urging teeth positioned behind the first and second grinding teeth relative to a direction of rotation of the impeller.

21. The drink maker of claim 1 wherein the jar includes a recirculation rib extending radially, inwardly from an inner surface of the jar.

22. The drink maker of claim 21 wherein the recirculation rib has a funnel-shape and includes a root end and a distal end, a first diameter defined by the distal end, the processing cup including a generally cylindrical-shaped peripheral wall, a top edge of the peripheral wall defining a second diameter.

23. The drink maker of claim 22 wherein the first diameter is approximately seventy-five to ninety-five percent of the second diameter.

24. The drink maker of claim 22 wherein the first diameter is less than the second diameter and the distal end of the recirculation rib is positioned radially inwardly from the top edge of the peripheral wall in an assembled configuration relative to a longitudinal axis of the drink maker to inhibit the formation of a vortex in the jar during operation.

25. The drink maker of claim 24 wherein the distal end and the top edge are positioned on a generally horizontal recirculation plane in the assembled configuration.

26. A drink maker for processing foodstuff and dispensing the processed foodstuff therefrom, the drink maker comprising:

a base enclosing a motor, the base including an arcuate-shaped mounting wall extending from a top surface;

a processing cup removably mountable to the base;

a jar removably mountable to the processing cup, the jar including a mouth, a base end and a skirt proximate the base end, the skirt including a first wall and a second wall, the second wall positioned radially outwardly from the first wall, the first and second walls defining a mounting gap therebetween, the mounting wall positioned in the mounting gap in an assembled configuration.

27. The drink maker of claim 26 wherein the processing cup includes a platform, a base surface and a peripheral wall extending generally perpendicularly from the base surface, the platform being located radially outwardly from the peripheral wall, the first wall including a sealing edge proximate the base end, the sealing edge positioned proximate the platform in the assembled configuration.

28. The drink maker of claim 27 further comprising:

a gasket located between the sealing edge and platform to seal the base end to the processing cup in the assembled configuration.

29. The drink maker of claim 27 wherein the processing cup includes a hole in the peripheral wall, the jar including a channel with a recirculation base proximate the base end, the recirculation base extending between the first wall and the second wall, the jar including a first recirculation surface and the peripheral wall including a second recirculation surface, the first recirculation surface being located in the channel, the first and second recirculation surfaces and the recirculation base defining a recirculation chamber.

30. The drink maker of claim 29 wherein the channel extends from the mouth to the base end and defines a pour spout proximate the mouth.

31. The drink maker of claim 29 wherein the mounting wall includes a first end, a second end and a recirculation space between the first and second ends, the recirculation chamber positioned in the recirculation space in the assembled configuration.

32. The drink maker of claim 29 wherein the jar includes a dispensing tube extending from the channel proximate the base end, the dispensing tube being in fluid communication with the recirculation chamber through a recirculation outlet, a dispensing spout being removably mountable to the recirculation tube.