Frozen drink maker

• US 7,942,094 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2008
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sunbeam Products, Inc. d/b/a Jarden Consumer Solutions (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sunbeam Products, Inc. d/b/a Jarden Consumer Solutions (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Kounlavong, Phetsouvanh, Pena, Alejandro
• Primary Examiner(s): Elve; M. Alexandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): WASAFF, JOHN SAMUEL
• Application Number:
  US12/191,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20100037786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 994/86, 992/75, 993/00, 994/84, 221/13, 241/285.2, 366/205, 366/144, 222/135, 222/146.6
• US Class Current: 99/486
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/045 of slush-ice, e.g. semi-frozen beverage
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/22 Details, component parts or accessories of apparatus insofar as not peculiar to a single one of the preceding groups
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/224 Agitators or scrapers
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 43/0716 for machines with tools driven from the lower side A47J43/0727 - A47J43/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/06 with selective dispensing of different fluids or materials or mixtures thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0071 Food articles which need to be processed for dispensing in a cold condition, e.g. ice and ice cream

Abstract

A frozen drink maker is provided having an ice shaving unit with a rotatable ice chute. A plurality of blender units are positioned about the ice shaving unit, each having a removable blender jar for receiving shaved ice therein. A programmable controller is operably connected to the ice shaving unit and each of the blender units for controlling the operation of the ice shaving unit and the blender units. The programmable controller includes a plurality of preprogrammed routines to make a plurality of different frozen drink, wherein the programmable controller can be selectively set to make one of the plurality of frozen drink in each of the blender jars.

Claims

1. A frozen drink maker comprising:

a base and a housing vertically positioned on the base, the housing including an ice shaving unit;

an ice chute positioned on an outer surface of the housing in communication with the ice shaving unit, the ice chute being selectively rotatable about the housing;

a plurality of blender units positioned on the base, radially about the housing, each of the plurality of blender units having a removable blender jar for receiving shaved ice therein, wherein the ice chute is rotatable about the housing to be selectively positioned over each of the blender jars; and

a controller operably connected to the ice shaving unit and each of the plurality of blender units, the controller selectively controlling an operation of the ice shaving unit and each of the plurality of blender units.

2. A frozen drink maker as set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller automatically and selectively rotates the ice chute on the ice shave unit.

3. A frozen drink maker as set forth in claim 2, wherein the controller automatically controls an amount of ice deposited into each of the blender jars and a duration of operation of each of the blender units.

4. A frozen drink maker as set forth in claim 3, wherein the controller is preprogrammed to make a plurality of different frozen drinks.

5. A frozen drink maker as set for in claim 4, wherein the controller can be set to make a different frozen drink in each of the blender jars.

6. A frozen drink maker as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a control panel having a plurality of control knobs to control the operation of the blender units, one each for each of the blender units.

7. A frozen drink maker as set forth in claim 6, wherein each of the control knobs can be independently set to one of the preprogrammed frozen drinks.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a base and a vertical housing positioned on the base, the vertical housing including an ice shaving unit;

an ice chute positioned on an outer surface of the vertical housing in communication with the ice shaving unit, the ice chute being selectively rotatable about the vertical housing;

a programmable controller operably connected to the ice shaving unit for controlling an operation of the ice shaving unit,

wherein the programmable controller automatically and selectively rotates the ice chute radially about the housing and

wherein the vertical height of the ice chute changes as the ice chute is rotated about the vertical housing.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 8 further comprising;

a plurality of blender units positioned on the base radially about the vertical housing, each of the plurality of blender units having a blender jar for receiving shaved ice therein; and

wherein the programmable controller is operably connected to each of the plurality of blender units for controlling the operation of each of the plurality of blender units.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the programmable controller includes a plurality of preprogrammed routines to make a plurality of different frozen drink, and the programmable controller can be selectively set to make one of the plurality of frozen drink in each of the blender jars.

11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the programmable controller automatically and selectively rotates the ice chute on the ice shaving unit over each of the blender jars.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the programmable controller can be selectively set to make the same frozen drink in each of the plurality of blender jars.

13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein the programmable controller can be selectively set to make a different frozen drink in at least one of the blender jars.

14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of preprogrammed routines controls the amount of ice deposited into the blender jars and the duration of operation of the blender unit for the respective blender units.

15. A frozen drink maker comprising:

a base and a vertical housing positioned on the base, the vertical housing including an ice shaving unit;

an ice chute positioned on an outer surface of the vertical housing in communication with the ice shaving unit, the ice chute being selectively rotatable about the vertical housing;

a first blender unit positioned on the base proximal to the vertical housing, the first blender unit having a removable first blender jar for receiving shaved ice therein;

a second blender unit positioned on the base proximal to the vertical housing, the second blender unit having a removable second blender jar for receiving shaved ice therein;

a third blender unit positioned on the base proximal to the vertical housing, the third blender unit having a removable third blender jar for receiving shaved ice therein, wherein the first, second, and third blender units are radially positioned about the vertical housing;

a programmable controller operably connected to the ice shaving unit and each of the first, second, and third blender units for controlling an operation of the ice shaving unit and the first, second, and third blender units, the programmable controller including a plurality of preprogrammed routines to make a plurality of different frozen drink,

wherein the programmable controller can be selectively set to make one of the plurality of frozen drink in each of the first, second, and third blender jars, and

wherein the programmable controller automatically and selectively rotates the ice chute radially about the vertical housing, over each of the first, second, and third blender jars.

16. A frozen drink maker as set forth in claim 15, wherein the programmable controller can be selectively set to make the same frozen drink in each of the plurality of blender jars.

17. A frozen drink maker as set forth in claim 16, wherein the programmable controller can be selectively set to make a different frozen drink in at least one of the blender jars.