Durability monitoring and improvement of a blender
AssigneeHamilton Beach Brands, Inc.
InventorsErnest B. Pryor, Jr., Steven W. Ashworth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A blender for blending foodstuff includes a base enclosing a motor and a jar sensor secured to the base. The base has an upper mounting surface and the motor is mounted beneath the upper mounting surface. The jar sensor is secured to the base proximate the upper mounting surface. A jar is removably mountable to the base on the mounting surface. The jar includes a closed end and an actuator is mounted proximate the lower jar surface. The jar sensor detects the presence of the actuator when the jar is mounted to the base in an operating position. The motor is powered when the jar sensor detects the presence of the actuator in the operating position.
Claims20
A blender for blending foodstuff, the blender comprising:
- a base enclosing a motor and having an upper mounting surface, the motor mounted beneath the upper mounting surface;
- a jar sensor secured to the base proximate the upper mounting surface;
- a jar removably mountable to the base on the mounting surface, the jar including a closed end, the jar mounted to the base in a plurality of operating positions;
- and
- a plurality of actuators mounted proximate the closed end, the jar sensor detecting the presence of at least one of the plurality of actuators when the jar is mounted to the base in any one of the plurality of operating positions, the motor being powered when the jar sensor detects the presence of at least one actuator when the jar is mounted to the base in any one of the operating positions.
A blender comprising:
- a base enclosing a motor and having an upper mounting surface, the motor mounted beneath the upper mounting surface;
- a plurality of jar sensors secured to the base proximate the upper mounting surface;
- a jar removably mountable to the base on the mounting surface, the jar including a closed end, the jar mounted to the base in a plurality of operating positions;
- an actuator mounted proximate the closed end, the jar sensor detecting the presence of the actuator when the jar is mounted to the base in any one of the plurality of operating positions;
- a controller receiving a signal from at least one of the jar sensors indicating that the jar is mounted to the base in any one of the operating positions;
- and
- a jar presence indicator that is visible to a user, the controller permitting power to flow to the motor and activating the jar presence indicator when the jar is mounted to the base in any one of the operating positions.
A method of operating a blender, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a base enclosing a motor, the base having an upper mounting surface, the motor mounted beneath the upper mounting surface, the base including a jar sensor secured to the base proximate to the upper mounting surface;
- removably mounting a jar to the base in any one of a plurality of operating positions, the jar including a closed end,
- detecting at least one of a plurality of actuators mounted to the jar proximate the closed end via the jar sensor;
- upon detecting at least one of the plurality of actuators, generating a signal from the jar sensor;
- and
- receiving the signal from the jar sensor at a controller.
A blender for blending foodstuff, the blender comprising:
- a base enclosing a motor and having an upper mounting surface, the motor mounted beneath the upper mounting surface;
- a single Hall Effect jar sensor secured to the base proximate the upper mounting surface;
- a jar removably mountable to the base on the mounting surface, the jar including a closed end, the jar mounted to the base in a plurality of operating positions;
- a plurality of magnets mounted proximate the closed end, the Hall Effect jar sensor detecting the presence of at least one of the plurality of magnets when the jar is mounted to the base in any one of the plurality of operating positions;
- a signal generated by the Hall Effect jar sensor when the presence of at least one of the plurality of magnets is detected;
- and
- a controller operable to receive the signal from the jar sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.