Blender base with food processor capabilities

A blade base and unit for a blender comprising:

• a blade unit;
• a blade base;
• and
• an extraction mechanism for releasing the blade unit from the blade base.

A blender base comprising:

• a reversible motor;
• a user interface;
• and
• a microcontroller in communication with the motor and the user interface, and comprising memory, the memory including preprogrammed motor routines associated with a plurality of predetermined functions, at least one of the motor routines including both forward and reverse functions of the motor;
• wherein the microcontroller is operative to retrieve the at least one preprogrammed motor routine from the memory in response to user selection of an input associated with the at least one of the preprogrammed motor routines, and operates the motor in both the reverse and forward directions based on the preprogrammed motor routines.

A blender base comprising:

• a motor;
• a user interface;
• a display;
• and
• a microcontroller in communication with the motor and the user interface, and comprising memory, the memory including preprogrammed motor routines associated with a plurality of predetermined functions, the microcontroller being operative to retrieve the at least one preprogrammed motor routine from the memory in response to user selection of an input associated with the at least one of the preprogrammed motor routines.

A blender base comprising:

• a motor;
• a user interface;
• a microcontroller in communication with the motor and the user interface, and comprising memory, the memory including preprogrammed motor routines associated with a plurality of predetermined functions, the microcontroller being operative to retrieve the at least one preprogrammed motor routine from the memory in response to user selection of an input on the user interface associated with the at least one of the preprogrammed motor routines;
• and
• a pause switch on the user interface, the microcontroller being operative to pause the program and resume the program in response to activation of the pause switch.

A blender base comprising:

• a motor;
• a user interface;
• a microcontroller in communication with the motor and the user interface, and comprising memory, the memory including preprogrammed motor routines associated with a plurality of predetermined functions, the microcontroller being operative to retrieve the at least one preprogrammed motor routine from the memory in response to user selection of an input on the user interface associated with the at least one of the preprogrammed motor routines;
• and
• a pulse switch on the user interface, wherein the microcontroller is operative to operate the motor in a continuation function for a routine in response to activation of the pulse switch after the routine has been completed.

A blender base comprising:

• a motor;
• a user interface;
• a display;
• and
• a microcontroller in communication with the motor and the user interface, and comprising memory, the memory including information regarding a number of recipes, the microcontroller being operative to retrieve a recipe from the memory in response to user selection of an input associated with the recipe and to display the recipe on the display.

A blender base comprising:

• a reversible motor;
• a sensor associated with the motor;
• and
• a microcontroller in communication with the sensor and the motor, the microcontroller being operative to reverse the direction of the motor in response to the sensor sensing a predetermined strain in the motor.

A container for use with a blender, comprising:

• a jar;
• a blade base removably attachable to the jar;
• a lid with an opening therethrough, the lid adapted to fit over the jar;
• and
• a cap configured to fit into the opening, the cap being capable of forming a connection with the blade unit to disengage the blade unit from the jar.

A container for use with a blade base, comprising:

• a drinking container having a first interface at its top;
• a blade base having a blade unit thereon and a second interface thereon, the second interface configured to mate with the first interface, the blade base and the drinking container forming a sealed container;
• and
• a drinking cap having a drinking hole and a third interface, the third interface configured to mate with the first interface.

A method of mixing ingredients in a drinking container, comprising:

• placing ingredients in a drinking container;
• attaching a blade base to the drinking container;
• inverting the blade base and drinking cup;
• placing the blade base on a blender base and operating the blender base to mix the ingredients in the drinking cup;
• removing the blade base and drinking cup from the blender base;
• inverting the blade base and drinking cup;
• and
• removing the blade base from the drinking cup.

A blender base, comprising:

• a blender base configured to receive at least two different types of containers;
• a sensor system on the blender base, the sensor system for detecting the type of container on the blender base;
• a motor associated with the blender base for operating the blender;
• a microcontroller associated with the sensor system and the motor, wherein the microcontroller is configured such that the motor is capable of operation within a first specified range if a first container is detected by the sensor system to be on the blender base, and is capable of operation within a second specified range is a second container is detected by the sensor system to be on the blender base.

A blender base comprising:

• a reversible motor;
• a user interface having a manual speed selector;
• a microcontroller in communication with the motor and the user interface, and comprising memory, the memory including preprogrammed motor routines associated with a plurality of predetermined functions;
• wherein the microcontroller is operative to retrieve the at least one preprogrammed motor routine from the memory in response to user selection of an input associated with the at least one of the preprogrammed motor routines, and operates the motor based on the preprogrammed motor routines;
• and
• wherein the microcontroller is operative to increment each of the functions in a routine responsive to a user actuating the manual speed selector during operation of the routine.

A blender base comprising:

• a reversible motor;
• a user interface;
• and
• a microcontroller in communication with the motor and the user interface, and comprising memory, the memory including preprogrammed motor routines associated with a plurality of predetermined functions;
• wherein the microcontroller is operative to retrieve the at least one preprogrammed motor routine from the memory in response to user selection of an input associated with the at least one of the preprogrammed motor routines, and operates the motor based on the preprogrammed motor routines;
• and
• wherein the microcontroller is configured to generate an audible tone upon completion of the at least one preprogrammed motor routine.