Adapter between a disposable cup and a blender blade assembly

An adapter for use with a blender motor housing and a detachable blade assembly, one end of the blade assembly being releasably securable to the blender motor housing for rotating the blades on the blade assembly for blending food ingredients, comprising:

• a rigid, reusable container having an open upper end with an annular ledge, the interior of the container having a circular cross section dimensioned to receive a disposable cup having a lip on its upper end with the bottom of the lip seating on the annular ledge;
• an annular coupling member joined at one to the other end of the blade assembly in coaxial alignment therewith, the other end of said coupling member having an annular surface;
• a mechanism releasably securing the other end of the coupling member to the upper end of the container in a closed position wherein the annular surface of the coupling member abuts the top of the lip of the cup for releasably securing the lip of the cup between the annular surface on the coupling member and the annular ledge on the container when a disposable cup is in the container and for preventing food ingredients in the disposable cup from leaking at the interface of the coupling member and the container, the mechanism comprising a hinge joining said one end of the coupling member to the upper end of the container for pivotal motion of said coupling member between said closed position and an open position wherein said coupling member is pivoted away from said container for exposing the upper end thereof, and a latch member opposite the hinge, the latch member being pivotally attached at one end to one of the coupling member and the container and having a lock member at the other end which is releasably securable to the other one of the coupling member and the container for securing the coupling member in the closed position, and wherein the coupling member has a plurality of radially outwardly extending tabs which engage openings in the blender motor housing for activating the motor in the blender motor housing when said one end of the blade assembly is releasably secured to the blender motor housing, one of said tabs being disposed on the latch member for engagement with one of said openings in the blender motor housing only when the lock member is releasably secured to the other one of the coupling member and the container.

An adapter for use with a blender motor housing and a blade assembly, one end of the blade assembly being releasably securable to the blender motor housing for rotating the blades on the blade assembly for blending food ingredients, comprising:

• a rigid, reusable container having an open upper end with an annular ledge, the interior of the container having a circular cross section dimensioned to receive a disposable cup having a lip on its upper end with the bottom of the lip seating on the annular ledge;
• an annular coupling member joined at one end to the other end of the blade assembly in coaxial alignment therewith, the other end of said coupling member having an annular surface;
• a mechanism releasably securing the other end of the coupling member to the upper end of the container in a closed position wherein the annular surface of the coupling member abuts the top of the lip of the cup for releasably securing the lip of the cup between the annular surface on the coupling member and the annular ledge on the container when a disposable cup is in the container and for preventing food ingredients in the disposable cup from leaking at the interface of the coupling member and the container, said mechanism comprising a hinge joining said one end of the coupling member to the upper end of the container for pivotal motion of said coupling member between said closed position and an open position wherein said coupling member is pivoted away from said container for exposing the upper end thereof.