Method for blending a beverage in a single serving cup

• US 20090186141A1
• Filed: 01/17/2008
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enodis Corporation (Ali Holding Srl)
• Original Assignee: Enodis Corporation (Ali Holding Srl)
• Inventors: Almblad, Jay, Almblad, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,685,477 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/590
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/045 of slush-ice, e.g. semi-frozen beverage
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/12 using means for stirring the contents in a non-moving container
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/52 Liquid products; Solid products in the form of powders, flakes or granules for making liquid products ; Finished or semi-finished solid products, frozen granules
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 2/52 Adding ingredients adding preservatives A23L2/44

Abstract

A method and apparatus for preparing a single serving of a frozen slurry beverage in a disposable drink container or cup by preparing a supply of fine frozen particles of water in the form of ice flakes and/or ice nuggets of compressed ice flakes, depositing a predetermined quantity or amount of the fine frozen particles of partially frozen water into a disposable single serving drinking cup or container, dispensing or adding a predetermined quantity or amount of flavored liquid beverage mix into the disposable single serving drinking cup or container and blending the fine frozen particles of partially frozen water and the flavored liquid beverage mix into a substantially uniform frozen slurry beverage of a predetermined consistency.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a single serving of a frozen slurry beverage in a disposable drink container by preparing a supply of fine frozen particles of water, depositing a predetermined quantity of the fine frozen particles of partially frozen water into a disposable single serving drinking container, dispensing a predetermined quantity of flavored liquid beverage mix into the disposable single serving drinking container and blending the fine frozen particles of partially frozen water and the flavored liquid beverage mix into a uniform frozen slurry beverage of a predetermined consistency.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the fine frozen particles of water comprise ice flakes.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the ice flakes comprise from about 81 percent ice or frozen water to about 89 percent ice or frozen water by weight with the remainder unfrozen water.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the ice flakes comprise about 85 percent ice or frozen water by weight with the remainder unfrozen water.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the fine frozen particles comprise ice nuggets of compressed ice flakes.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the ice nuggets comprise from about 89 percent ice or frozen water to about 97 percent ice or frozen water by weight with the remaining unfrozen water.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the ice nuggets comprise about 93 percent ice or frozen water by weight with the remainder unfrozen water.

8. The method of claim 1 comprising water supplied to an ice making device through a water supply conduit, creating fine frozen particles of water within the ice making device;

placing a disposable drink container on an ice dispensing station of the ice maker device beneath the ice dispenser nozzle;

dispensing a predetermined quantity of fine frozen particles of water from the ice dispensing nozzle into the disposable drink container;

removing the disposable drink container containing the predetermined quantity of fine frozen particles of water from the ice dispensing station;

placing the disposable drink container containing the predetermined quantity of fine frozen particles of water on a liquid beverage mix station of the liquid beverage mix device beneath a liquid beverage mix dispensing nozzle;

dispensing a predetermined quantity of flavored liquid beverage mix from the liquid beverage mix dispensing nozzle into the disposable drink container containing the predetermined quantity of fine frozen particles of water;

removing the disposable drink container containing the unmixed predetermined quantities of fine frozen particles of water and flavored liquid beverage mix from the liquid beverage mix station of the liquid beverage mix device;

placing the disposable drink container containing the unmixed predetermined quantities of fine frozen particles of water and flavored liquid beverage mix on a beverage blending station of a beverage blending device;

lowering the rotating blender blade of the beverage blending device into the interior of the disposable drink container and into the unmixed predetermined quantities or amounts of fine frozen particles of water and flavored liquid beverage mix;

raising the rotating blender blade of the beverage blending device above the disposable drink container containing the substantially uniform frozen slurry beverage of a predetermined consistency; and

removing the disposable drink container with the substantially uniform frozen slurry beverage from the beverage blending station of the beverage blending device.

9. The method of claim 8 further includes securing the disposable drink container containing the unmixed predetermined quantities or amounts of fine frozen particles of water and flavored liquid beverage mix on the beverage blending station of the beverage blending device.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the rotating blender blade of the beverage blending device oscillates vertically within the disposable drink container containing the unmixed predetermined quantities of fine frozen particles of water and flavored liquid beverage mix through the interface therebetween to thoroughly mix the unmixed predetermined quantities of fine frozen particles of water and flavored liquid beverage mix together into a substantially uniform frozen slurry beverage of a predetermined consistency.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the fine frozen particles of water comprise ice flakes from about 81 percent ice or frozen water to about 89 percent ice or frozen water by weight with the remainder unfrozen water.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the fine frozen particles of water comprise ice flakes of about 85 percent ice or frozen water by weight with the remainder unfrozen water.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the fine frozen particles of water comprises ice nuggets of compressed ice flakes.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the ice nuggets comprise from about 89 percent ice or frozen water to about 97 percent ice or frozen water by weight with the remaining unfrozen water.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the ice nuggets comprise about 93 percent ice or frozen water by weight with the remainder unfrozen water.