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US 2006/0039235 A1Published application
Blending apparatus
AssigneeMcGill Technology Limited
InventorsShane McGill, Martin White
Life of this patent
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AssigneeMcGill Technology Limited
InventorsShane McGill, Martin White
Estimating the term…
This invention is concerned with providing apparatus for blending product within a container (10) by charging the container with product, applying a lid (12) with an integral blending element (14) thereon. The product is blended by driving the blending element with an external drive (34) whilst the container is in an inverted position. The assembled and filled container is located in a holder (22) whilst in a generally upright position and the holder is moved to invert the container so that the lid is lowermost and the product is in contact with the blending element in which position the product is blended. Inversion may take place in a housing (23) in which the product may be heated to a blending temperature.
Blending apparatus comprises a container having an opening through which product to be blended is introduced into the container, a lid to close the opening, a blending element mounted on the lid and directed downwards into the container when the lid is located thereon, drive means driveably engageable with the blending element to rotate the element and obtain a blending action on product in the container, mounting means on which an assembly of container, lid and blending element is arranged to be located during blending, the container being movable between an upright receiving position and an operative position in which the assembly is inverted with the lid lowermost and the drive means is connectable to the blending element.
A container assembly for blending apparatus comprising a nestable container base, a lid to seal an upper opening of the base, and a blending element mounted on the lid for rotation relative thereto and extending into the container when assembled, the lid having an opening for receiving the blending element rotatably therein, the blending element including a shaft towards one end of which is carried blending blades and towards the other end of which is connection means for effecting driving connection with drive means, the shaft extending through the opening in the lid in use, the assembly being inverted in use to blend product in the container in the inverted position by operation of the blending element.
A method of blending product within a container comprising an assembly of container base, lid for sealing an upper opening of the base, and a blending element mounted for rotation relative to the lid, in which the container base is filled through the upper opening, the blending element is united with the lid to be rotatable relative thereto, the lid is placed over the upper opening of the base and is sealed thereto, the assembly containing the food product is located in a holder, the holder is rotated to invert the container so that the lid is directed downwardly, and drive means is drivingly connected to the blending element and operated to blend product within the container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.