Method and apparatus for rotationally restraining a mixing container

• US 8,336,731 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2008
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: F'Real Foods LLC (Rich Products Corporation)
• Original Assignee: F'Real Foods LLC (Rich Products Corporation)
• Inventors: Farrell, James, Gardner, Clayton
• Primary Examiner(s): CASTELLANO, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US12/265,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20100108696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 220/608, 220/738, 220/630, 220/625, 220/626, 220/737, 215/373, 215/374, 215/375, 248/311.2, 366/206, 366/197
• US Class Current: 220/738
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/12 using means for stirring the contents in a non-moving container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/265 Drinking cups B65D81/3865 takes precedence, holders for plastic cups A47G23/0208
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2303/00 Orienting or positioning means for containers

Abstract

A container for containing food and/or beverage ingredients is described. The container is of a type which may be supported in a support while the ingredients inside the container are processed, such as by a rotating blade or other mechanism. The container includes anti-rotation elements positionable in anti-rotational contact with a corresponding protruding portion in a container support in a manner which restricts rotational movement of the vessel relative to the container support. The off-set between each of the anti-rotation elements is an angle other than 180°.

Claims

1. A cup comprising:

an open top, cup walls and a closed bottom having an anti-rotational pattern protruding downwardly from a generally flat bottom surface,

wherein said anti-rotational pattern comprises a plurality of downwardly protruding vanes of substantially triangular cross-section each extending outwardly from a center portion of said bottom and each having two downwardly pointing vane walls forming an angle of approximately 45 degrees or less which are joined at a ridge wherein one of said vane walls is substantially vertical and the ridges of no

two vanes are separated by 180 degrees, and

further comprising a cupholder having a pair of cupholder fins that are positioned 180 degrees apart from one another such that, if said anti-rotational pattern is placed against one of said pair of cupholder fins, said cup will be inhibited from rotating within said cupholder.

2. The cup of claim 1 wherein the number of vanes is three.

3. The cup of claim 2 wherein said vanes are equidistant from one another.

4. The cup of claim 1 wherein the number of vanes is five.

5. The cup of claim 1 wherein said cup walls are circular in cross-section.

6. The cup of claim 5 further comprising a downwardly protruding outer bottom rim.

7. The cup of claim 6 wherein each of said protruding vanes continuously extend from said center portion to said protruding outer bottom rim.

8. The cup of claim 7 wherein said center portion is also downwardly protruding.

9. The cup of claim 1 wherein each of said vanes of substantially triangular cross-section have a base contiguous with said generally flat bottom surface and a downwardly pointing apex.

10. The cup of claim 9 wherein the apex of each vane forms an arc as it extends from said center portion to the outer periphery of said bottom.

11. A cup comprising:

an open top, cup walls and a closed bottom having an anti-rotational pattern protruding downwardly from a generally flat bottom surface,

wherein said anti-rotational pattern comprises an odd number of downwardly protruding vanes of substantially triangular cross-section each extending continuously outwardly in an arc from a downwardly protruding center portion to a downwardly protruding outer bottom rim and each having two downwardly pointing vane walls forming an angle of approximately 45 degrees or less which are joined at a ridge wherein one of said vane walls is substantially vertical and the ridges of no

two vanes are separated by 180 degrees, and

further comprising a cupholder having a pair of cupholder fins that are positioned 180 degrees apart from one another such that, if said anti-rotational pattern is placed against one of said pair of cupholder fins, said cup will be inhibited from rotating within said cupholder.

12. The cup of claim 11 wherein the number of vanes is either three or five.

13. The cup of claim 12 wherein said vanes are equidistant from one another.

14. The cup of claim 11 wherein said vanes form a counterclockwise arc as viewed from the bottom of said cup.

15. The cup of claim 11 wherein each of said vanes of substantially triangular cross-section have a base contiguous with said generally flat bottom surface and a downwardly pointing apex.

16. A cup capable of being fixedly placed within a cupholder comprising:

an open top, cup walls and a closed bottom having an anti-rotational pattern protruding downwardly from a generally flat bottom surface which, if said anti-rotational pattern is placed against one of a pair of cupholder fins that are positioned 180 degrees apart from one another, is capable of fixing said cup within said cupholder in a way that inhibits said cup from rotating within said cupholder;

wherein said anti-rotational pattern comprises a plurality of downwardly protruding vanes of substantially triangular cross-section each extending outwardly from a center portion of said bottom and each having two downwardly pointing vane walls forming an angle of approximately 45 degrees or less which are joined at a ridge wherein one of said vane walls is substantially vertical and the ridges of no two vanes are separated by 180 degrees, and

further comprising a cupholder having a pair of cupholder fins that are positioned 180 degrees apart from one another.

17. A cup capable of being fixedly placed within a cupholder comprising:

an open top, cup walls and a closed bottom having an anti-rotational pattern protruding downwardly from a generally flat bottom surface which, if said anti-rotational pattern is placed against one of a pair of cupholder fins that are positioned 180 degrees apart from one another, is capable of fixing said cup within said cupholder in a way that inhibits said cup from rotating within said cupholder;

wherein said anti-rotational pattern comprises an odd number of downwardly protruding vanes of substantially triangular cross-section each extending continuously outwardly in an arc from a downwardly protruding center portion to a downwardly protruding outer bottom rim and each having two downwardly pointing vane walls forming an angle of approximately 45 degrees or less which are joined at a ridge wherein one of said vane walls is substantially vertical and the ridges of no two vanes are separated by 180 degrees, and

further comprising a cupholder having a pair of cupholder fins that are positioned 180 degrees apart from one another.