Method and apparatus for controlling the blending of drinks
First Claim
1. A method of blending a drink having a plurality of components in a pitcher of a blender comprising the steps of providing at least one of the components to the pitcher until a predetermined weight of the component is received by the pitcher, providing at least another component to the pitcher, and operating the blender to blend the drink.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A drink-blending machine (10) includes an ice-shaving unit (11) and a blender assembly (12). The ice-shaving unit (11) is adapted to transfer ice from a bin (15) to the pitcher (18) of the blender assembly (12). A weighing mechanism (31) includes a deflection beam (33), one end of which carries the pitcher (18). The deflection beam (33) includes a strain gauge (34) which provides a signal proportional to weight to a control circuitry box (30). In operation of the machine (10), a quantity of liquid is placed in the pitcher (18) and dependent upon the weight of ice or liquid-to-ice ratio predetermined by depressing a selected button (44), ice from the ice-shaving unit (11) is transferred to the pitcher (18) until the predetermined weight of ice is received by the pitcher (18).
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Citations
11 Claims
- 1. A method of blending a drink having a plurality of components in a pitcher of a blender comprising the steps of providing at least one of the components to the pitcher until a predetermined weight of the component is received by the pitcher, providing at least another component to the pitcher, and operating the blender to blend the drink.
- 4. A method of mixing a drink utilizing a blender having a pitcher comprising the steps of transferring a first component of the drink to the pitcher, determining the weight of the first component that is being transferred to the pitcher, stopping the transfer when a predetermined weight of the first component is received in the pitcher, transferring at least a second component to the pitcher, and operating the blender to mix the components to form the drink.
- 6. Apparatus for controlling the mixing of a drink comprising a blender having a pitcher, a device for transferring a component of the drink to said pitcher, and a weighing mechanism to determine the weight of the transferred component, said weighing mechanism initiating the stopping of the transfer of the component to said pitcher when a predetermined weight of the component is in said pitcher.
Specification