US 11,779,158 B2Granted

Blending apparatus and methods

AssigneeBlendtec, Inc.

InventorsB. Shawn Elgaaen, Thomas D. Dickson, Jr., C. David Voorhees, Javier E. Jimenez, Tyson D. Triplett

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Blending devices can be used to blend material directly in a container such as a disposable container, such as a paper or plastic cup. In some instances, a disposable container can be coupled to an adapter that includes a blade assembly to blend a food product. The food product can be blended directly within the container when the container is coupled to the adapter and supported with a support sleeve that at least partially surrounds an exterior of the disposable container. In further instances, a stand can selectively couple with multiple different sizes of sleeves and disposable containers to the adapter. The food product can be blended directly within the disposable container without causing damage or flex to the disposable container.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A blender apparatus for blending food products, the blender apparatus comprising:

a stand configured to at least partially surround a disposable container, the stand comprising a first connection interface positioned on an interior portion of the stand;
a support sleeve positionable inside the stand, the support sleeve configured to contact an exterior of the disposable container to maintain a shape of the disposable container;
and
a blender adapter, comprising:
a sealing surface to engage an opening rim of the disposable container;
a blade;
a bottom wall defining an internal chamber surrounding the blade;
a rotatable drive shaft extending through the bottom wall and connected to the blade;
and
a second connection interface positioned outside the internal chamber on an exterior portion of the blender adapter, the second connection interface being engageable with the first connection interface to couple the stand to the blender adapter.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/560,784Filed 23 Dec 2021 · division
Priority: 27 Jan 2016
Published: US 2022/0110487 A114 Apr 2022
Granted: 10 Oct 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

A47J 43/046
Machines for domestic use not covered elsewhere, e.g. for grinding, mixing, stirring, kneading, emulsifying, whipping or beating foodstuffs,…
A47J 43/042
Machines for domestic use not covered elsewhere, e.g. for grinding, mixing, stirring, kneading, emulsifying, whipping or beating foodstuffs,…
A47J 43/044
Machines for domestic use not covered elsewhere, e.g. for grinding, mixing, stirring, kneading, emulsifying, whipping or beating foodstuffs,…
A47J 43/0716
Parts or details, e.g. mixing tools, whipping tools: for machines with tools driven from the lower side

Family

Application15/008,308Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 27 Jan 2016
Application62/446,850Us provisional application · filed 17 Jan 2017
Application15/462,353Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 17 Mar 2017
Application16/405,609Parent of this division · filed 7 May 2019
US 10,736,465 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 11 Aug 2020
US 2022/0110487 A1Pre-grant publication · published 14 Apr 2022
US 11,206,951 B2Parent of this division
Application16/405,609Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 10,470,612 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2017/0208998 A1Published application
US 2017/0209000 A1Published application
US 2019/0261815 A1Published application
US 11,779,158 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.