U.S. patent application number 16/576600 was filed with the patent office on 2020-02-27 for pods for blender system.
The applicant listed for this patent is Jooster IP AG. Invention is credited to Christoph Bertsch.
Application Number | 20200061557 16/576600 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 67770005 |
Filed Date | 2020-02-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20200061557 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bertsch; Christoph |
February 27, 2020 |
PODS FOR BLENDER SYSTEM
Abstract
A container includes a nutrient receptacle to receive contents
with a closed end and an opening opposite the closed end, a lip
about the opening, and at least two flaps coupled to the lip via
respective flap hinges and positioned in a closed position to cover
a portion of the opening. When a portion of the lip is pressed
towards the closed end, the at least two flaps are configured to
rotate on the respective flap hinges to an open position when
engaged by another portion of the lip.
Inventors: |
Bertsch; Christoph; (Pacific
Palisades, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Jooster IP AG |
BIELBENKEN BL |
|
CH |
|
|
Family ID: |
67770005 |
Appl. No.: |
16/576600 |
Filed: |
September 19, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
16216343 |
Dec 11, 2018 |
10427119 |
|
|
16576600 |
|
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|
16107787 |
Aug 21, 2018 |
10399050 |
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16216343 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 83/0094 20130101;
B65D 51/185 20130101; B01F 13/002 20130101; B65D 81/3222 20130101;
B01F 13/0033 20130101; B65D 2251/0087 20130101; B01F 7/162
20130101; B01F 15/00519 20130101; A47J 43/046 20130101; B65D
2251/0031 20130101; A47J 43/0716 20130101; B65D 47/046 20130101;
B65D 77/2024 20130101; B01F 13/0022 20130101; A47J 43/042 20130101;
B01F 15/0087 20130101; B01F 15/0224 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B01F 13/00 20060101
B01F013/00; A47J 43/042 20060101 A47J043/042; B01F 15/00 20060101
B01F015/00; B01F 7/16 20060101 B01F007/16; B65D 81/32 20060101
B65D081/32 |
Claims
1. A container comprising: a nutrient receptacle to receive
contents with a closed end and an opening opposite the closed end;
a lip about the opening; and at least two flaps coupled to the lip
via respective flap hinges and positioned in a closed position to
cover a portion of the opening, wherein, when a portion of the lip
is pressed towards the closed end, the at least two flaps are
configured to rotate on the respective flap hinges to an open
position when engaged by another portion of the lip.
2. The container of claim 1, wherein the lip comprises an inner lip
about the opening and an outer lip about the inner lip, and
wherein, when the outer lip is pressed towards the closed end, the
at least two flaps rotate when engaged by the inner lip.
3. The container of claim 2, wherein the outer lip is coupled to
the nutrient receptacle at the inner lip via a lip hinge, such that
a slot is formed between the outer lip and the inner lip.
4. The container of claim 3, further comprising a rim, wherein the
rim comprises an apron, wherein the apron extends orthogonally from
the rim and is configured to engage the slot to couple the rim to
the outer lip, and wherein the at least two flaps are coupled to
the rim via the flap hinges.
5. The container of claim 4, wherein the apron engages the slot
with a snap-fit.
6. The container of claim 4, wherein the apron comprises a ridge
configured to complement a groove in the outer lip.
7. The container of claim 3, wherein the lip hinge is configured
such that, when the outer lip is pressed toward the closed end, the
lip hinge bends to allow the outer lip to move towards the closed
end.
8. The container of claim 2, wherein the outer lip comprises a
ledge extending away from the opening and configured to receive a
force pressing the outer lip towards the closed end.
9. The container of claim 1, wherein the at least two flaps are
coupled to each other via a membrane.
10. The container of claim 1 further comprising a removeable seal
covering the at least two flaps and configured to seal the contents
within the container until the seal is removed.
11. The container of claim 10, wherein the seal comprises foil.
12. The container of claim 10 further comprising a cover configured
to cover the seal and couple to the container with a snap-fit about
the lip.
13. The container of claim 1, wherein the at least two flaps are
four flaps.
14. The container of claim 1, wherein the nutrient container has a
truncated conical shape.
15. The container of claim 1 further comprising container
identification information.
16. The container of claim 15, wherein the container identification
information includes a barcode.
17. The container of claim 15, wherein the container identification
information comprises a near-field communication tag.
18. The container of claim 15, wherein the container identification
information comprises authentication information.
19. The container of claim 1, wherein the container comprises
bioplastic.
20. The container of claim 1, wherein the container comprises of
compostable materials.
21. The container of claim 1, wherein the at least two flaps are
two flaps.
Description
CROSS -REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 16/216,343, filed Dec. 11, 2018, entitled
"BEVERAGE BLENDER SYSTEM", which is a divisional application of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/107,787, now U.S. Pat. No.
10,399,050, issued Sep. 3, 2019, entitled "BEVERAGE BLENDER
SYSTEM", the contents of each of which are incorporated herein by
reference.
NOTICE OF COPYRIGHTS AND TRADE DRESS
[0002] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains
material which is subject to copyright protection. This patent
document may show and/or describe matter which is or may become
trade dress of the owner. The copyright and trade dress owner has
no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent
disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent
files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright and trade
dress rights whatsoever.
BACKGROUND
Field
[0003] This disclosure relates generally to portable blenders.
Description of the Related Art
[0004] Different types of available stationary and portable
blenders allow consumers to blend whole fruits, vegetables, nuts,
seeds, milks and other ingredients to create nutrition smoothies.
However, the process of buying and preparing these ingredients can
be inconvenient and costly. Existing portable blenders still
require bulky and messy ingredients to be purchased, carried, and
prepared to blend a smoothie. A portable blender that can be used
to conveniently make nutrition smoothies and other foods is
desirable.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is an exploded cross-sectional side view of a
container in an upright closed position.
[0006] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 1 in
an upright closed position.
[0007] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the container of FIG. 1
in an upright open position.
[0008] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 1 in
an upright open position.
[0009] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 1 in
an upright closed position with a seal.
[0010] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a blender in an upright
position.
[0011] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the blender of FIG. 6 in an
upright position.
[0012] FIG. 8 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the blender of
FIG. 6 and the container of FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the blender of FIG. 6
and the container of FIG. 1.
[0014] FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing a method of using the
blender of FIG. 6 and the container of FIG. 1.
[0015] Throughout this description, elements appearing in figures
are assigned three-digit reference designators, where the most
significant digit is the figure number and the two least
significant digits are specific to the element. An element that is
not described in conjunction with a figure may be presumed to have
the same characteristics and function as a previously-described
element having a reference designator with the same least
significant digits.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] A portable blender that uses a container (e.g., pod) to
easily and conveniently make a smoothly blended beverage or food
(hereinafter referred to as a "smoothie") is disclosed herein. The
containers contain nutrients, such as powdered fruits and
vegetables or other foods, and are convenient for a consumer to
transport along with the blender. The container can be placed in
the blender and its contents discharged into a blending chamber.
The container contents can be blended with a pourable fluid,
suspension or mixture, such as water, juice, milk, soy milk, or
almond milk, to form a rich, nutrient-dense smoothie. A blending
assembly in the blender properly blends the ingredients to
eliminate clumps and achieve desired viscosity and aeration,
providing a superior product to protein shaker bottles (i.e.,
bottles with the metal-wire whisk balls for agitation). Power is
provided to the blending assembly via a battery.
[0017] Referring now to FIG. 1, an exploded cross-sectional side
view of a container 100 in an upright closed position is shown.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container 100 of FIG. 1 in an
upright closed position, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the
container 100 of FIG. 1 in an upright open position, and FIG. 4 is
a perspective view of the container 100 of FIG. 1 in an upright
open position. The container 100 has a nutrient receptacle 101 that
can receive and hold nutrients. The nutrient receptacle 101 has a
closed end 109 and an opening 112 opposite the closed end 109. The
nutrient receptacle 101 can have a truncated conical shape (as
shown). Other suitable shapes can be cylindrical, cubical, or
prismatic shapes with an opening at one end that can receive and
hold nutrients.
[0018] An inner lip 106 is at a perimeter of the opening 112. An
outer lip 107 is positioned outside the inner lip 106 and coupled
to the nutrient receptacle 101 at the inner lip 106 via a lip hinge
108, such that a slot 111 is between the outer lip 107 and the
inner lip 106. The outer lip 107 may further include a ledge or
widening of the outer lip 107 extending away from the opening 112
at an end of the outer lip 107 opposite the closed end 109.
[0019] A separate cover 102 includes an apron 110 configured to fit
in the slot 111, e.g., via a snap-fit, press-fit, or friction-fit.
The apron 110 may include a ridge 113 that is configured to
complement a groove 114 on the outer lip 107 in the slot 111 to
further fix the cover 102 to the outer lip 107. Alternatively, the
apron 110 may include a groove that is configured to complement a
ridge on the outer lip 107 in the slot.
[0020] A rim 105 is at an edge of the apron 110 opposite the closed
end 109. Flaps 103 are broad flat projections that are coupled to
the rim 105 via a flap hinge 104, where the flap hinge 104 only
extends along a portion of the flap 103. The flaps 103 are
positioned to cover the opening 112, where each flap covers a
portion of the opening 112. Four flaps 103 are shown, but other
suitable numbers of flaps that are shaped and positioned to cover
the opening 112 can be used, such as two flaps, three flaps, five
flaps, or six flaps.
[0021] To prepare the container 100 for consumer use, food
ingredients (i.e., nutrients), such as fruits and vegetables,
protein, vitamins and minerals, or supplements, are inserted into
the nutrient receptacle 101 before the cover 102 is fixed into
position. The ingredients may be or include one or more non-food
items, such as acidity regulators, anticaking agents, antifoaming
agents, antioxidants, bleaching agents, bulking agents, carbonating
agents, carriers, colors and color agents, color retention agents,
emulsifiers, emulsifying salts, firming agents, flavor enhancers,
flour treatment agents, foaming agents, gelling agents, glazing
agents, humectants, packaging gasses, preservatives, propellants,
raising agents, sequestrants, stabilizers, sweeteners, and
thickeners. Ingredients may be whole, chopped or powdered, wet,
moist or dry, active or inert.
[0022] Once the ingredients are loaded into the nutrient receptacle
101, the cover 102 is positioned on the nutrient receptacle 101 so
that the apron 110 slides into the slot 111 until the rim 105 is
substantially flush with the outer lip 107 when the cover 102 is
fixed to the nutrient receptacle 101, as shown in FIG. 2. In this
closed position, the flaps 103 cover the opening 112 and the
nutrients are held in the closed container 100.
[0023] The contents can be released from the closed container 100
for use and consumption. The flaps 103 are pushed open and away
from the nutrient receptacle 101, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, by the
inner lip 106 when the outer lip 107 and the rim 105 are pressed
towards the closed end 109. The lip hinge 108 allows the outer lip
107 to move or "collapse" with respect to inner lip 106. The
collapsing outer lip 107 pushes the rim 105 towards the closed end
109. As the rim 105 moves towards the closed end 109, the inner lip
106 presses the against the flaps 103, which then rotate on their
respective flap hinges 104 open and away from the nutrient
receptacle 101. With the flaps 103 open, the nutrient content can
be discharged from the container 100 through the opening 112. The
container 100 should reliably discharge its contents without powder
clinging, sticking or exploding.
[0024] Though a particular configuration of the container 100 has
been described above, the container can have various other
configurations. The container can have four flaps, two flaps, or
other flap count variations. The container can have ribs for
additional structural support. The flaps can be hingedly attached
to the outer lip. The flaps can overlap or be coupled to each other
with a membrane. The container can be constructed of only one piece
or of multiple pieces. The container can include an inner knife
mechanism, where pressure on the closed end of the nutrient
receptacle causes the inner knife mechanism to push the flaps out
or puncture a seal to allow the nutrient content to be discharged
from the container. The closed end can be deformable from one
configuration (e.g., convex) to another configuration (e.g.,
concave) to further aid in the discharging of the nutrient
content.
[0025] The container can be formed of any suitable material, such
as plastic, metal, compostable materials, waxed paperboard,
bioplastic, etc.
[0026] The container 100 can also be sealed, which may prevent
damage to the contents from humidity and contamination, lock in
freshness (e.g., so that the contents do not clump or become hard)
and otherwise secure and protect the contents. FIG. 5 is a
perspective view of the container of FIG. 1 in an upright closed
position with a seal 150. The seal 150 can be placed over the flaps
and affixed to the outer lip 107, e.g., via glue or heat sealing,
to keep the nutrients from escaping between the flaps 103, the
flaps 103 clean, and moisture and other contaminants out. The seal
can be paper, plastic, cellophane, and/or foil, or any other
suitable material that is durable enough to provide protection and
containment for the container 100. The seal can also have a tab,
ring, strip, or other graspable part that can facilitate removal of
the seal by the consumer. A cover or lid (not shown) can also be
used to lock in freshness and protect the seal 150, or be used as a
replacement for the seal, and can snap into place about the outer
lip 107. The consumer would first need to remove the seal 150
and/or cover to use the container 100.
[0027] The container 100 can include identification information 151
to provide various information about the container and its
contents, such as a unique identifier for a particular container,
manufacture date, authenticity information, nutrient content and/or
a blend profile/instructions. The identification information 151
can either be simply printed on the container 100 or on a label
affixed to the container 100. Alternatively, the identification
information can be stored on the container 100 in the form of a
near-field communication (NFC) tag, a printed memory tag, or a
barcode. For example, an NFC tag can be affixed to the container
100, such that an NFC reader and antenna, e.g., in the blender, can
read the identification information from the container 100 when it
is used to make a smoothie. In other examples, a barcode on the
container can be read via a barcode reader or a camera in the
blender. The identification information can be read when the
container is inserted into the blender prior to implementing the
blend cycle, during the blend cycle, and/or after the blend cycle.
The blender can then use the identification information in a number
of ways, including determining whether the container is authentic
or counterfeit, and/or fresh or past an expiration date. For
example, if the container 100 is expired or counterfeit, then the
blender may not actuate the blending assembly. The blender can also
implement the blend profile/instructions during blending. The
identification information can be read so that it can be stored
locally in the blender (e.g., in non-volatile memory) and then
passed to cloud storage (i.e., accessible online) via a
communication method such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) through a
proxy device (e.g., a smart phone or tablet).
[0028] Identification information can be based on machine-generated
Universally Unique Identifiers ("UUIDs") (i.e., arbitrary
alpha-numeric identifiers), or it can be based on well-defined
encoding structures that contain one or multiple facts about the
container 100. The identification information can be encrypted
(e.g., using Advanced Encryption Standard ("AES")) so that
decryption is required by the blender. The identification
information may contain special characters or encoding structures
that indicate that the container 100 is valid. The container may
have a digital rights management ("DRM") marking that uses a
special ink that reflects a certain wavelength of light (e.g., in
response to exposure to infrared light) that can be read to
determine authenticity.
[0029] Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown a cross-sectional
view of a blender 600 in an upright position. FIG. 7 is a
perspective view of the blender of FIG. 6 in an upright position,
and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional exploded view of the blender of
FIG. 6 and the container of FIG. 1. The blender 600 includes a
bottle 620 and a lid 630. The bottle has an exterior 621, a
blending chamber 622, an outer wall 623, a blending assembly 624
with at least one blade 625 driven by a motor 626, an opening 627,
and a shoulder 628 and a bottle component 629 of a coupling
mechanism about the opening 627. The lid 630 has a container
receiver 631, a lid component 632 of the coupling mechanism about
the container receiver 632, a discharger 633, and electronic
devices 634.
[0030] The blender 600 can also include a button 635 for
controlling its operation. Though the button 635 is shown at the
top of the lid 630 in FIG. 6, one or more buttons can be located in
any suitable location that is accessible to a consumer, such as the
bottom of the bottle 620 or the sides of either the bottle 620 or
the lid 630. The button 635 can also be positioned inside the
bottle 620 or lid 630 such that it is actuated by closing of the
lid. In one example, the button 635 can be actuated by mechanical
depression of the button 635 (e.g., when the lid is rotated), which
may or may not require the container 100 to be positioned in the
blender 600. In other examples, the blender 600 does not have a
button, and the blender 600 is actuated electromechanically via a
reed switch or hall sensor.
[0031] The exterior 621 of the bottle 620 and lid 630 can be formed
of one or more of any suitable material that is durable and rigid,
such as plastic, rubber, metal, a coated material, wood, foam, etc.
The bottle 620 and the lid 630 can be formed of the same material
or different materials.
[0032] The blending chamber 622 is in the interior of the bottle
620. The blending chamber 622 is suitable for containing a fluid
without leaking. The blending chamber 622 can be formed of any
suitable material that is durable and rigid, such as metal,
plastic, a coated material, glass, etc. The blending chamber
includes the shoulder 628 at opening 627 to engage the container
100. The opening 627 allows for fluids and nutrient content to be
placed in the blending chamber 622, and for the consumer to remove
blended smoothie from the blending chamber 622. The blending
chamber 622 can be formed with a double wall construction, where
the blending chamber 622 is within an outer wall 623. Air or
another insulative material can be positioned between the blending
chamber 622 and the outer wall 623, so that the double wall
construction can provide an insulating effect to maintain a desired
temperature of the fluid and smoothie. The blending chamber 622 can
further include a fill line marker to indicate to a consumer how
much fluid should be poured into the blending chamber 622.
[0033] The blending assembly 624 is mounted in the blending chamber
622. The blending assembly 624 is shown mounted at an end of the
blending chamber 622 opposite the opening 627. However, the
blending assembly 624 can be mounted in any suitable position
within the blending chamber 622 such that desirable blending of the
nutrients and fluid is achieved. The blending assembly 624 can have
any suitable number of blades 625, such as one blade, two blades,
three blades, four blades, etc., with any suitable shape such that
desirable blending of the nutrients and fluid is achieved. The
blades 625 can be formed of any suitable material that is rigid and
durable, such as metal or plastic. The blending assembly 624 is
driven by a motor 626. The motor 626 can be any suitable motor that
can achieve a torque and RPM such that desirable blending of the
nutrients and fluid is achieved, such as brushed, brushless,
2-phase, 3-phase, with an internal controller board, or with no
internal controller board. A motor controller (not shown) can be
external to the motor or incorporated into the motor.
[0034] The blender 600 includes the bottle component 629 and lid
component 632 of the coupling mechanism. The bottle component 629
and the lid component 632 together removably couple the bottle 620
and the lid 630. For example, the components 629 and 632 can be
complementary threads, a bayonet coupling, complementary slots and
posts, or any other suitable type of coupling such that the lid 630
can be removably attached to the bottle 620. For the complementary
threads, the threads can be on an exterior surface of the lid 630
and an interior surface of the bottle 620, or the threads can be on
an interior surface of the lid 630 and an exterior surface of the
bottle 620.
[0035] The lid 630 includes a container receiver 631 configured to
have a complementary shape to the container 100. The lid 630
optionally may further include a discharger 633 that causes the
container 100 to open and its contents to be discharged when the
lid 630 is coupled to the bottle 620. In one example, as a result
of the lid 630 being coupled to the bottle 620, the discharger 633
presses the container 100 towards the bottle 620 to discharge the
nutrient content from the container 100. The discharger 633 can
operate in any suitable manner to cause the nutrients to be
discharged from the container 100, including via a spring mechanism
and/or a screw mechanism. For example, coupling of the lid 630 to
the bottle 620 can deploy a spring mechanism in the discharger 633
to press against the closed end 109 of the container 100. In
another example, coupling of the lid 630 to the bottle 620 can turn
a screw mechanism in the discharger 633 that causes the discharger
633 to press against the closed end 109 of the container 100. In
yet another example, the discharger 633 may merely provide a firm
fixed surface to apply pressure to the closed end 109 of the
container 100.
[0036] The blender 600 can also include various other electronic
devices 634. For example, the electronic devices 634 can include a
battery 654 that powers the blender 600, which could be chargeable
via either a traditional wired charger or a wireless inductive
charging base. For induction charging, a receiver and coil may be
located in the blender 600 and a transmitter may be located in a
separate charging pad. Alternatively, the battery can be charged
via direct contact, e.g., via a charger with contact-based charger
nodes and a charging ring located on the blender 600. In other
examples, the battery is replaceable once depleted, or the battery
can be recharged using a charging cable that can be plugged into a
power source, e.g., via a USB connector or wall plug. The battery
can be located in the bottle 620 and/or the lid 630.
[0037] The electronic devices 634 can also include communications
equipment, such as a Bluetooth transceiver, to transmit and receive
information. The Bluetooth transceiver can communicate with other
Bluetooth-connected devices, such as computers, tablets, and mobile
phones, to receive information, such as customer information,
registration information, operating instructions and firmware
updates, and to transmit information, such as blender operational
status, blender and container usage, including information about
nutrition consumed by a user. The information can come from cloud
storage or the Internet. The communications equipment can be
located in the bottle 620 and/or the lid 630.
[0038] The electronic devices 634 can also include sensors for
determining whether the lid 630 has been coupled to the bottle 620.
The sensors can include hall sensors, reed switches, or any other
suitable sensor that can be used to determine whether the lid 630
has been properly attached to the bottle 620 and the blender 600 is
ready to be actuated.
[0039] The electronic devices 634 can include electrical devices
652 for reading the identification information 151 from the
container 100. For example, reading of identification information
151 can be via an NFC tag reader, a camera, a barcode reader, a
light-emitting diode (LED) or laser reader, or a printed memory tag
reader. In other examples, the electronic devices for reading
identification information can be located in the bottle 620 and/or
the lid 630. The blender 600 can store the identification
information locally in the blender (e.g., in non-volatile memory),
and/or transmit the identification information to cloud storage
(i.e., accessible online) via a communication method such as
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) through a proxy device (e.g., a smart
phone or tablet). Identification information transmitted to cloud
storage can be used for nutrition consumption analysis for
users.
[0040] The electronic devices 634 can further include a
microcontroller unit, memory and firmware that enable control of
the blender and storage of information, such as operating the
blender (e.g., actuating the blender and controlling blend time and
speed), determining freshness of a container based on date/time and
container identification information, and controlling indicators
regarding operation of the blender. For example, the
microcontroller unit can be a single chip that contains a
processor, non-volatile memory for a program (read-only memory or
flash), volatile memory for input and output (e.g., random-access
memory), a clock and an input/output (I/O) control unit. In another
example, the memory can be a micro SD card.
[0041] To ensure that containers 100 are not reused or refilled,
unique identifiers in the identification information can be read
and stored locally on the blender 600. When identification
information for a particular container is read, the unique
identifier is checked against this list and the blender may not
operate if the unique identifier is on the list.
[0042] The blender 600 can have indicators, including indicator
lights and/or sounds, to notify a consumer about the state of the
blender 600. For example, different sounds, light colors, or light
modulation can indicate different states, such as whether the
container 100 is expired or counterfeit, whether the battery level
is low or fully charged, whether there is problem with the
alignment of the lid 630, whether the blending assembly is stuck,
etc. In one example, an indicator light can emit a certain color to
indicate a certain state, such as red for a stuck blending
assembly, yellow to indicate a low battery, or green to indicate a
fully charged battery. In another example, the blender can emit a
certain sound to indicate a certain state, such as persistent
beeping to indicate a stuck blending assembly or intermittent
beeping to indicate a low battery.
[0043] The blender 600 may have firmware for tracking and
communicating exceptions and unsafe conditions so that the consumer
can be notified and/or appropriate responses can be made. The
firmware can control indicators for exceptions and unsafe
conditions. Indicators for exceptions and unsafe conditions may use
a combination of LED color, intensity and pulsing. Exception and
unsafe conditions may also be indicated via sounds. In another
example, the blender 600 can transmit exceptions and unsafe
conditions via a transceiver to a computer, table, or smart phone
to alert the consumer. An exception is something that is not
normal, but is also not unsafe. For example, "liquid level too
low", "counterfeit pod", or "lid not closed" are exceptions. An
unsafe condition could cause irreparable harm to the unit, or
bodily harm to the consumer. Examples of unsafe conditions include
"motor jammed" and "battery overheating". The blender 600 can
continuously monitor for exceptions and/or unsafe conditions. In
the event of an unsafe condition, the blender will go into
"failsafe mode". If a consumer feels that the blender is not
functioning properly, the consumer can manually turn it off and
"reboot" it using a "panic mode". Both "failsafe mode" and "panic
mode" can put the device into "recovery mode".
[0044] Exceptions and unsafe conditions can also include: Battery
Requires Charging, Device Commissioning, Device Charging (may also
be indicated by charging pad), Charging Pad, On Pad and Charging,
Not on Pad Properly, Not Charging, Charging Done, Panic Mode,
Factory Reset, Device Recovering, Unable to Read Container,
Counterfeit Container, Motor Blade Jammed, Overheating, Water Level
too Low/Add Water, Container Blending, Done Blending, Firmware
Updating, Blender is on its Side (i.e., Bad Angle), Error.
[0045] Firmware can be pre-loaded onto the blender 600 during
manufacturing. Firmware on the blender 600 may be uploaded later
and/or updated, such as in the field. For example, firmware updates
can be received wirelessly via BLE, e.g., via a proxy device such
as a smart phone or tablet. Alternatively, firmware updates can be
received via a wired method, such as USB. In an example, firmware
can be stored in cloud storage (i.e., accessible online). Once a
consumer is notified or becomes aware that a firmware update is
available, the firmware can be updated on the blender. In one
example, an over-the-air firmware update can be performed using the
smartphone or tablet as a distribution proxy. Here, the update can
be delivered to the blender, e.g., via BLE pairing with a
smartphone or tablet, or direct connection to the Internet.
[0046] The blender 600 can have firmware-managed states for
conserving battery power. The blender 600 can go into "sleep mode"
after a certain period of inactivity. An accelerometer may be used
to detect activity to wake up the blender 600 and put it in "active
mode". In another example, coupling of the lid 630 to the bottle
620 can wake up the blender. In yet another example, the blender
600 is woken up when the lid 630 is coupled to the bottle 620, and
the blender 600 remains in "active mode" until the lid 630 is
removed. In "active mode", the blender 600 detects activity, such
as movement, button activation, or container insertion, so that the
blender can respond accordingly. In another example, the blender
600 can be delivered to the consumer in "hybernation mode" so that
minimal energy is consumed during transportation, distribution,
fulfillment, etc. The blender 600 may be taken out of hybernation
mode when the consumer first unboxes it and places it on a charging
pad or plugs it in.
[0047] The blender 600 can have a fluid level sensor 653. For
example, the blending chamber can have a capacitive-based fluid
level sensor. A rigid-flex circuit design allows sensors to be
placed against the inside wall of the blending chamber 622.
Alternatively, a digital infrared LED sensor solution can be used
to determine fluid level, where the infrared LED and a
phototransistor are optically coupled when the sensor is in air and
the optical coupling is altered when the sensing tip is immersed in
liquid. The blender 600 can use the information from the sensors to
determine whether the fluid level in the blending chamber 622 is
within acceptable limits. If the fluid level is not within
acceptable limits, the blending assembly 624 may not actuate and/or
an unacceptable fluid level indicator may be initiated.
[0048] In different examples of the blender 600, electronic
components can be located in different locations. For example, the
microcontroller unit, memory, PCB boards, batteries, charging
coils, transceivers, and sensors can be located in either the lid
630 and/or the bottle 620.
[0049] In one example, electronic components are located in the lid
630 such that the bottle is dishwasher safe. For induction charging
in this example, a wireless charging pad for the lid 630 can be
configured to have a shape similar to a container 100. The lid 630
receives the charging pad in a similar manner to reception of the
container 100 so that the battery 654 in the lid 630 can be
inductively charged via the charging pad. Further, electrical
contacts can be positioned on the bottle component 629 and lid
component 632 of the coupling mechanism so that electrical power
can travel from the battery 654 in the lid 630 to the motor 626 to
actuate the blending assembly 624. In one example, at least a
portion of the bottle component 629 and the lid component 632 is
formed of a non-conductive material (e.g., plastic). The electrical
contacts can then be positioned in the non-conductive material of
the bottle component 629 and the lid component 632, respectively,
so that the electrical contacts align and conduct current when the
lid 630 is coupled to the bottle 620. In an example where the
coupling mechanism includes threads, the electrical contacts of the
bottle component 629 and the lid component 632 are aligned when the
lid 630 is rotated to a certain orientation with respect to the
bottle 620 during coupling. Further, one or more of the electrical
contacts can include a spring to firmly press corresponding
electrical contacts against each other and facilitate conduction of
electrical power.
[0050] The blender 600 is configured to have a size and shape so
that a consumer having a typical human hand can manipulate and
consume smoothie from the blender. Further, the blender 600 is
configured to have a size and shape that is portable, e.g., by hand
or in a purse, backpack, or other bag. For example, the blender 600
can have a length of three inches to twelve inches, and a diameter
of one inch to six inches. In one example, the blender 600 has a
length of about eight inches and a diameter of about three inches.
The blender 600 is configured to have weight that allows the
blender 600 to be portable and easily manipulated by a typical
human hand. For example, the blender 600 can have a weight of 4
ounces to three pounds. In one example, the blender 600 can have a
weight of about 8 ounces. In one example, the bottle 620 is heavier
than the lid 630 so that the blender is less likely to tip
over.
[0051] The blender 600 is configured to have a blending chamber 622
with a capacity to make a smoothie having a desirable volume for
human consumption. For example, the blending chamber 622 can have a
capacity of six fluid ounces to thirty-two fluid ounces. In one
example, the blending chamber 622 has a capacity of about ten fluid
ounces. The container 100 is configured to have a size with a
capacity for nutrients that is complementary to the fluid capacity
of the blender, such that a smoothie with a desirable consistency
and flavor can be blended. For example, the container 100 can have
a capacity from one fluid ounce to eight fluid ounces. In one
example where the blender has a capacity of ten fluid ounces, the
container 100 may have a capacity of 2 fluid ounces.
[0052] Referring now to FIG. 9, there is shown a cross-sectional
view of the blender of FIG. 6 and the container of FIG. 1.
Referring also to FIG. 10, there is shown a flow chart of a method
1000 of using the blender of FIG. 6 and the container of FIG. 1 to
make a smoothie.
[0053] At step 1001, a consumer adds fluid to the blending chamber
622. The consumer can pour in a desired amount of a desired fluid.
In one example, the blending chamber 622 includes a fill line to
indicate to a consumer how much fluid should be added to the
blending chamber 622. While this step of adding fluid to the
blending chamber 622 is described first here, fluid can be added to
the blending chamber 622 at any point before the blending assembly
624 is actuated.
[0054] At step 1002, a consumer prepares the container 100 for use
with the blender 600 by first removing any seal 150, cover/lid or
other packaging. In one example, the seal can be removed by firmly
pulling or peeling the seal from the outer lip 107.
[0055] At step 1003, the container 100 is then placed on the bottle
620, so that the outer lip 107 is seated on the shoulder 628. When
the outer lip 107 is seated on the shoulder 628, the flaps and
inner lip 106 are positioned above the opening 627 of the bottle
620. In one example, the rim 105 is also seated on the shoulder 628
when the container 100 is placed on the bottle 620. In another
example, the rim 105 is positioned above the opening 627 when the
container 100 is placed on the bottle 620. Alternatively, the
container 100 can be placed in the lid 630. In one example, the
container 100 can be retained in the lid 630 so that it does not
fall out when the lid 630 is right-side up. For example, the
container 100 can be retained in the lid 630 by a friction fit, a
snap fit between a part of the container 100 and a part of the lid
630, or an adhesive surface.
[0056] At step 1004, the lid 630 is then coupled to the bottle 620
via the lid component 629 and the bottle component 629 of the
coupling mechanism. When the lid 630 is coupled to the bottle 620,
the outer lip 107 and rim 105 of the container 100 remain seated on
the shoulder 628, and the flaps 103 and inner lip 106 are
positioned above the opening 627. In one example where the
discharger 633 includes a spring-loaded mechanism, the
spring-loaded mechanism deploys with enough force to push open the
container 100 to discharge the contents into the blending chamber
622 when the lid 630 is coupled to the bottle 620. In an
alternative example, a fixed discharger applies pressure to the
closed end 109 to discharge the nutrient content, where sufficient
pressure is applied to the closed end 109 after a certain number of
rotations of the lid 630. The discharger 633 presses the closed end
109 towards the bottle 620, while the shoulder 628 presses against
the outer lip 107 and the rim 105. As the closed end 109 moves
towards the bottle 620, the lip hinge 108 allows the outer lip 107
and the rim 105 to collapse or move back towards the closed end
109. As a result, the inner lip 106 presses against the flaps 103,
which then rotate on their respective flap hinges 104 open and away
from the nutrient receptacle 101. With the flaps 103 open, the
contents are expelled from the container 100 and into the bottle
620 through the opening 627 when the blender 600 is in an upright
position via gravity and/or the force from the deployment of the
discharger 633. For fixed dischargers, the contents exit the
container 100 because of gravity when the blender 600 is in an
upright position.
[0057] The lid 630 can be coupled to the bottle 620 by pressing the
lid 630 onto the bottle 620 so that the discharger 633 engages the
container 100 and discharges the nutrient content. In an
alternative configuration, the lid 630 can be coupled to the bottle
620 by rotating the lid 630 with respect to the bottle 620 to
engage the coupling components 629 and 632 so that the discharger
633 engages the container 100 and discharges the nutrient content.
In another alternative configuration, the lid 630 can be coupled to
the bottle 620 by rotating the lid 630 with respect to the bottle
620 to engage the coupling components 629 and 632, and then
pressing the lid 630 and the bottle 620 together to engage the
discharger 633 and discharge the nutrient content. The rotation can
be any suitable number of rotations or a partial rotation such that
the lid 630 can be removable coupled to the bottle, such as half a
rotation, a full rotation, two rotations, etc.
[0058] In other examples, the lid 630 can be coupled to the bottle
620, e.g., via rotation, enough to keep fluid from leaking from the
blender 600, but not discharge the contents of the container 100.
After the rotation to prevent leaking, the lid 630 could either be
pressed down, further rotated, or both, to cause the contents to be
discharged from the container 100.
[0059] At step 1005, the blender 600 reads identification
information from the container 100. While this step is shown as
being after the lid 630 is coupled to the bottle 620 and before the
blending assembly 624 is actuated, the identification information
can be read at any point. For example, the identification
information can be read when the container is positioned on the
bottle or in the lid, or after the blending assembly 624 has been
actuated. The battery 654 of the blender 600 must be sufficiently
charged prior to operation of the identification information
reader. In other examples, this step is skipped and there is no
reading of identification information.
[0060] At step 1006, the blending assembly 624 is actuated to blend
the contents with the fluid. In one example, either pressing or
further pressing the lid 630 towards the bottle 620 actuates the
blending assembly 624. In another example, rotating or further
rotating the lid 630 with respect to the bottle 620 actuates the
blending assembly 624. Any combination of rotation and pressing can
be employed to discharge the nutrients from the container 100 and
actuate the blending assembly 624. The blending assembly 624 can be
actuated when sensors on the lid 630 and bottle 620 align to
indicated that the contents have been discharged and the consumer
is ready to blend the smoothie, or when an internal button is
pressed (e.g., when the lid 630 rotated or pressed onto the bottle
620). In another example, the blending assembly 624 can be actuated
by an external action, such as pressing a button, moving the
blender 600 (which could be detected, e.g., via an accelerometer),
or waving a hand or other object over a camera or other sensor. In
an example, the blending assembly 624 will not actuate unless the
blender 600 is in a substantially upright position. The battery 654
must be sufficiently charged prior to operation of the blending
assembly 624.
[0061] The blending process may take a number of forms. The
blending process may be fixed, such as a single rotational speed
and a single torque for a specific period of time. Alternatively,
speed, torque and/or time may be varied during the blending
process. Variation in the speed, torque, and/or time may be varied
based upon the particular container contents and/or consumer
preferences. In other examples, the blending process can be varied
based on temperature of the content, bottle, container and/or
outside air, humidity, and/or air pressure (e.g., either measured
by a sensor on the blender 600 or input by the consumer).
[0062] The blend cycle performed by the blending assembly 624 can
be based on a pre-determined RPM and duration. This information may
be hard-coded into firmware or maintained in a local config file or
in an database. For example, default blend cycles can be used, or
new blend cycles can be downloaded. Alternatively, this information
may be contained in identification information stored on the
container 100, and may be varied based on the contents of the
container 100. In another alternative, various blend cycles can be
stored on the blender 600, and a particular blend cycle can be
implemented based on identification of the particular container
100. The blend cycle may be based on a consumer-defined preference,
where the consumer can set a desired RPM and duration for
particular containers 100. These settings can be received by the
blender 600 and written to the local storage.
[0063] At step 1007, the lid 630 is removed from the bottle 620 so
that the smoothie can be removed from the bottle 630. The consumer
can either consume the smoothie directly from the bottle 620 or
pour the smoothie into another container. The empty container 100
can be removed from either the lid 630 or the bottle 620, and then
discarded or recycled.
[0064] Closing Comments
[0065] Throughout this description, the embodiments and examples
shown should be considered as exemplars, rather than limitations on
the apparatus and procedures disclosed or claimed. Although many of
the examples presented herein involve specific combinations of
method acts or system elements, it should be understood that those
acts and those elements may be combined in other ways to accomplish
the same objectives. Acts, elements and features discussed only in
connection with one embodiment are not intended to be excluded from
a similar role in other embodiments.
[0066] As used herein, "plurality" means two or more. As used
herein, a "set" of items may include one or more of such items. As
used herein, whether in the written description or the claims, the
terms "comprising", "including", "carrying", "having",
"containing", "involving", and the like are to be understood to be
open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the
transitional phrases "consisting of" and "consisting essentially
of", respectively, are closed or semi-closed transitional phrases
with respect to claims. Use of ordinal terms such as "first",
"second", "third", etc., in the claims to modify a claim element
does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of
one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts
of a method are performed, but are used merely as labels to
distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another
element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to
distinguish the claim elements. As used herein, "and/or" means that
the listed items are alternatives, but the alternatives also
include any combination of the listed items.
* * * * *