DURABILITY MONITORING AND IMPROVEMENT OF A BLENDER

• US 20100246319A1
• Filed: 06/07/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Beach Brands Incorporated (Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Co.)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Beach Brands Incorporated (Hamilton Beach Brands Holding Co.)
• Inventors: ASHWORTH, Steven W., PRYOR, Ernest B. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,042,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 366/205
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 43/0766 activated by the proper positioning of the mixing bowl
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 366/601 Motor control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 388/936 Food preparation equipment

Abstract

A blender for blending foodstuff includes a base enclosing a motor and a jar sensor secured to the base. The base has an upper mounting surface and the motor is mounted beneath the upper mounting surface. The jar sensor is secured to the base proximate the upper mounting surface. A jar is removably mountable to the base on the mounting surface. The jar includes a closed end and an actuator is mounted proximate the lower jar surface. The jar sensor detects the presence of the actuator when the jar is mounted to the base in an operating position. The motor is powered when the jar sensor detects the presence of the actuator in the operating position.

Claims

1. A blender for blending foodstuff, the blender comprising:

a base enclosing a motor and having an upper mounting surface, the motor mounted beneath the upper mounting surface;

a jar sensor secured to the base proximate the upper mounting surface;

a jar removably mountable to the base on the mounting surface, the jar including a closed end; and

an actuator mounted proximate the closed end, the jar sensor detecting the presence of the actuator when the jar is mounted to the base in an operating position, the motor being powered when the jar sensor detects the presence of the actuator in the operating position.

2. The blender of claim 1 wherein the jar includes four hollow feet at the closed end and the base includes four protrusions extending from the upper mounting surface, at least a portion of each of the protrusions positioned within one of the feet in the operating position.

3. The blender of claim 2 wherein the actuator is comprised of at least one magnet mounted between two of the feet and the jar sensor is secured to the base between at least two of the protrusions.

4. The blender of claim 1 further comprising:

a jar pad constructed of a polymeric material, the jar pad removably mountable to the upper mounting surface.

5. The blender of claim 4 wherein the polymeric material is an elastomeric material and the jar pad includes four receiving extensions, the jar pad mounted between the jar and the base in the operating position.

6. The blender of claim 1 wherein the base includes a control panel having a jar presence indicator thereon, the jar sensor providing a signal to the jar presence indicator and the jar presence indicator providing an indication to a user when the jar is mounted to the base in the operating position.

7. The blender of claim 6 wherein the jar presence indicator is a light emitting diode (LED).

8. The blender of claim 1 further comprising:

a motor shaft driven by the motor;

a male drive coupling mounted to an exposed end of the motor shaft;

a jar shaft rotatably mounted to the closed end of the jar;

a blender blade mounted to a first end of the jar shaft; and

a female drive coupling mounted to a second end of the jar shaft, the female drive coupling receiving the male drive coupling in the operating position.

9. The blender of claim 8 wherein the jar shaft is rotatably mounted to the closed end by a first bearing and a second bearing.

10. The blender of claim 1 further comprising:

a motor shaft driven by the motor and extending through the upper mounting surface;

a seal ring providing a seal between the upper mounting surface and the motor shaft to limit flow of liquid into the base where the motor shaft extends through the upper mounting surface; and

11. The blender of claim 1 further comprising:

a motor shaft driven by the motor and extending through the upper mounting surface;

a drain channel on the upper mounting surface extending from a position proximate the motor shaft and a peripheral edge of the upper mounting surface that directs fluid away from the motor shaft.

12. The blender of claim 1 further comprising:

a rectifier positioned between a power source and the motor that rectifies alternating current to direct current before the current flows to the motor.