U.S. patent number RE45,308 [Application Number 13/909,796] was granted by the patent office on 2014-12-30 for enclosure for a blender.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Vita-Mix Corporation. The grantee listed for this patent is David J. Kolar, Robert M. Ulanski. Invention is credited to David J. Kolar, Robert M. Ulanski.
United States Patent |
RE45,308 |
Kolar , et al. |
December 30, 2014 |
Enclosure for a blender
Abstract
An enclosure for a blender includes a body portion and a cover.
The cover is hingedly attached to the body portion. The body
portion of the enclosure includes a metallic foot that mates with
the base member of the blender. The base member may include at
least one magnet that secures the foot, and therefore body portion,
in position by the magnetic force acting upon the foot. A gasket is
provided between the foot of the body portion and the base member
to completely isolate the enclosure from the base member, and to
reduce vibrations in the enclosure during operation of the blender.
The body portion of the enclosure may also include gasket strips to
seal the enclosure when the cover is closed.
Inventors: |
Kolar; David J. (Stow, OH),
Ulanski; Robert M. (Broadview Heights, OH) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Kolar; David J.
Ulanski; Robert M. |
Stow
Broadview Heights |
OH
OH |
US
US |
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|
Assignee: |
Vita-Mix Corporation (Olmsted
Township, OH)
|
Family
ID: |
41530199 |
Appl.
No.: |
13/909,796 |
Filed: |
June 4, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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61135480 |
Jul 21, 2008 |
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Reissue of: |
12380468 |
Feb 27, 2009 |
8287180 |
Oct 16, 2012 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
366/347 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J
43/0716 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B01F
15/00 (20060101); A47J 43/07 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;366/347 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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WO 2009/000042 |
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Dec 2008 |
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WO |
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WO 2009000042 |
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Dec 2008 |
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WO |
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Other References
Summit OPeration Manual--Hamilton Beach Nov. 2007. cited by
examiner .
PCT International Search Report for PCT/US2009/003745 dated Apr.
11, 2009. cited by examiner .
PCT Written Opinion for PCT/US2009/003745 dated Jul. 21, 2008.
cited by examiner .
Blendtec Operations Manual--Blendtec Apr. 2006. cited by examiner
.
Xtreme--Waring 2006. cited by examiner .
Q Seris--Blendtec May 2006. cited by examiner .
PCT International Preliminary Report and Written Opinion (11
pages--dated Jul. 21, 2008). cited by applicant .
Q Series--Blendtec (May 2006--2 pages). cited by applicant .
Xtreme--Waring (2006--2 pages). cited by applicant .
Blendtec Operations Manual--Blendtec (Apr. 2006--15 sheets). cited
by applicant .
Summit Operation Manual--Hamilton Beach (Nov. 2007--pp. 1, 4, 6, 7,
8). cited by applicant .
PCT International Search Report (14 pages--dated Apr. 11, 2009).
cited by applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Hindenlang; Alison
Attorney, Agent or Firm: McDonald Hopkins LLC
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application
No. 61/135,480 filed Jul. 21, 2008, which is incorporated herein by
reference.
Claims
What it claimed is:
1. An enclosure for use with a blender that includes a base, the
enclosure comprising a body portion, a cover pivotally attached to
said body, said cover and said body together having a bottom edge
profile that defines a footprint of the enclosure, said footprint
having a plurality of sides, a foot carried by said body portion
and extending outwardly therefrom, said foot having a like
plurality of sides, each side of said foot being positioned
adjacent to a side of said footprint of the enclosure, and a gasket
positioned .[.between the top surface of the base and.].
.Iadd.below .Iaddend.said foot, wherein said gasket isolates the
enclosure from the base to prevent the transfer of vibrations
therebetween.
2. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the base includes a pedestal
projecting upwardly from the top surface, said foot including an
opening sized to allow the pedestal to extend therethrough.
3. The enclosure of claim 2, wherein said gasket includes an
opening therethrough sized and shaped to allow the pedestal to
extend upwardly therethrough.
4. The enclosure of claim 3, wherein said gasket includes an
upwardly extending flange around said opening, said flange
positioned between the pedestal and said foot.
5. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein said gasket is made of a
viscoelastic material.
6. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising gasket strips
positioned on said body portion, said gasket strips being adapted
to create a seal between said body portion and said cover when said
cover is in a closed position.
7. The enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a magnet within the
base, wherein said foot of said enclosure is made of metal, said
foot being secured to said base by the magnet.
8. In combination, an enclosure and a base of a food processor, the
base having a top surface, said enclosure including a body portion,
a cover pivotally attached to said body portion, a foot carried by
said body portion and extending outwardly therefrom, said foot
defining an inner opening adapted to fit around a pedestal
projecting upwardly from said top surface of said base, said foot
extending around the entire periphery of said pedestal; and a
gasket positioned .[.between said top surface of said base and.].
.Iadd.below .Iaddend.said foot, wherein said gasket isolates said
enclosure from said base to prevent the transfer of vibrations
therebetween, and wherein no mechanical fasteners are provided to
secure said enclosure to said base.
9. The combination of claim 8, wherein said gasket includes an
opening therethrough sized and shaped to allow said pedestal to
extend upwardly therethrough.
10. The combination of claim 9, wherein said gasket includes an
upwardly extending flange around said opening, said flange
positioned between said pedestal and said foot.
11. The combination of claim 8, wherein said gasket is made of a
viscoelastic material.
12. The combination of claim 8, further comprising gasket strips
positioned on said body portion of said enclosure, said gasket
strips being adapted to create a seal between said body portion and
said cover when said cover is in a closed position.
13. An enclosure for use with a blender that includes a base with a
top surface, the enclosure comprising a body, a cover pivotally
connected to said body, said cover and said body together having a
bottom edge profile that defines a footprint of the enclosure, said
footprint having a plurality of sides, a foot extending outwardly
from a bottom edge of said body and having a generally planar
bottom surface, said foot having a like plurality of sides, each
side of said foot being positioned adjacent to a side of said
footprint of the enclosure, and a generally planar gasket
positioned .[.between the top surface of the base and.].
.Iadd.below .Iaddend.said bottom surface of said foot, wherein said
gasket isolates the enclosure from said base to prevent the
transfer of vibrations therebetween, and wherein no mechanical
fasteners are provide to secure said enclosure to said base.
14. The enclosure of claim 13, wherein the base includes a pedestal
projecting upwardly from the top surface, and said foot includes an
opening sized to allow the pedestal to extend therethrough.
15. The enclosure of claim 14, wherein said gasket includes an
opening therethrough sized and shaped to allow the pedestal to
extend upwardly therethrough.
16. The enclosure of claim 15, wherein said gasket includes an
upwardly extending flange around said opening, said flange
positioned between the pedestal and said foot.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to an enclosure such as those which house a
food processor to deaden the noise emanating therefrom. More
particularly, this invention relates to such an enclosure having a
main body positioned on the base of a food processor, with a gasket
positioned between the main body and the base to isolate vibrations
and reduce noise.
BACKGROUND ART
Enclosures for electric food processors, or blenders, are well
known in the art. One such enclosure is shown, for example, in U.S.
Pat. No. Des. 427,016. These types of enclosures are utilized to
house a conventional electric blender so that when the blender is
in operation, the noise emanating therefrom will be muffled. This
noise suppression function is particularly desirable when the
blender is being operated in a commercial environment, such as a
restaurant or cocktail lounge, so that the customers are not
distracted or bothered by the sound of the blender that is
processing a beverage.
Blenders include a base and a container, the base having controls
and a motor, and the container being adapted to contain ingredients
to be mixed. A rotating blade is provided at the bottom of the
container and blends ingredients within the container when
activated by the motor. The blender may also include an enclosure,
as discussed above. Most typical enclosures are formed of two
components, that is, a main body and a cover. Usually the cover is
hingedly attached to the main body, and the main body is attached
to the base of the blender by a plurality of fasteners. As such,
when the container of the blender is positioned on the base, it may
be accessed by pivoting the cover relative to the main body.
Because it is associated with food products, the enclosure must be
frequently cleaned. To do so, some enclosures, such as that shown
in U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,238, allow the cover to be totally removed
from the main body by means of an easy disconnection of the hinge.
However, the main body still needs to be disconnected from the
blender base which normally requires the manual manipulation of
several fasteners which not only is time consuming, but which also,
after frequent manipulations, causes wearing of the parts such that
a sturdy connection can no longer be maintained. In addition, the
direct connection between the main body of the enclosure and the
base of the blender acts to transfer vibrations emanating from the
base to the enclosure, compounding the noise generated by the
blender when in operation. Regardless of the type of connection
used between the main body of the enclosure and the base of the
blender, vibrations are transferred at any point of direct
contact.
Thus, the need exists for a blender having an enclosure which can
easily and quickly be disassembled while providing improved noise
reduction capabilities.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is thus an object of one aspect of the present invention to
provide an enclosure for a food processor which is capable of
deadening the noise resulting from the blending of ingredients
within a container.
It is an object of another aspect of the present invention to
provide an enclosure, as above, that isolates the vibrations of the
motor within the base of the food processor from the enclosure
positioned thereon.
It is an object of another aspect of the present invention to
provide an enclosure, as above, which is secured to the base
without the use of mechanical fasteners.
These and other objects of the present invention, as well as the
advantages thereof over existing prior art forms, which will become
apparent from the description to follow, are accomplished by the
improvements hereinafter described and claimed.
In general, an enclosure for a food processor having a base
includes body portion, a cover pivotally attached to the body
portion, and a foot carried by the body portion. A gasket is
provided between the top surface of the base and the foot of the
enclosure. The gasket isolates the enclosure from the base to
prevent the transfer of vibrations therebetween.
The combination of an enclosure and the base of a food processor is
provided in accordance another aspect of the present invention. The
base has a top surface and the enclosure includes a body portion, a
cover pivotally attached to the body portion, and a plate carried
by the body portion. A gasket is provided between the top surface
of the base and the foot. The gasket isolates the enclosure from
the base to prevent the transfer of vibrations therebetween. No
mechanical fasteners are provided to secure the enclosure to said
base.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, an
enclosure for a food processor having a base is provided. The base
has a top surface and the enclosure includes a foot. A gasket is
also provided and is positioned between the top surface of the base
and the foot. The gasket isolates the enclosure from the base to
prevent the transfer of vibrations therebetween. No mechanical
fasteners are provided to secure the enclosure to said base.
A preferred exemplary enclosure for a food processor according to
the concepts of the present invention is shown by way of example in
the accompanying drawings without attempting to show all the
various forms and modifications in which the invention might be
embodied, the invention being measured by the appended claims and
not by the details of the specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an enclosure for a food processor
made in accordance with the concepts of the present.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the enclosure of FIG. 1 with the
cover in an open position.
FIG. 3 is an exploded side elevational view of the enclosure of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged top view of a gasket made in accordance with
the concepts of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the gasket shown in FIG. 4.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An enclosure for a food processor made in accordance with the
present invention is indicated generally by the numeral 10. A base
member of a food processor, generally indicated by the numeral 12,
houses a motor. Enclosure 10 includes a cover 16 and a body portion
18 and is designed to be positioned over base member 12. The
container (not shown) of the blender is positioned on the base
member 12 and housed within enclosure 10 so that when the blender
is in use, the noise generated by the operation of the blender is
muffled. Cover 16 and body portion 18 are preferably made of a
clear thermoplastic material, such as polycarbonate or polyester,
so that the container of the blender positioned on base member 12
can be viewed.
Base member 12 often includes a control panel 20 on one of its
surfaces where the blender can be turned on and off, and the speed
of rotation of the motor can be adjusted. An opening (not shown)
may also be provided in base member 12 so that an electric cord can
pass from within to provide power to the motor housed within base
member 12. Base member 12 also includes a raised pedestal 22 on a
top surface thereof which is adapted to be received in the base of
the container. Pedestal 22 may optionally include a number of
projections 24 which prevent the container from rotating when the
motor within base member 12 is actuated. In addition, pedestal 22
also includes a coupler having a splined end 26, the coupler being
attached to the rotating motor shaft, as is well known in the art.
The shaft of the blade of the blender container is also splined and
engages splined end 26 of the coupler. Rotation of the motor shaft
caused by the actuation of the motor is thereby transferred to the
blades rotatably positioned within the container.
As best shown in FIG. 1, body portion 18 of enclosure 10 includes
opposed side walls 34 spanned by a rear wall 36 and an abbreviated
top wall (not shown). Body portion 18 has an open front area
opposed to rear wall 36, which front area is closed by cover 16 to
form enclosure 10. Cover 16 of enclosure 10 is pivotally secured to
body portion 18 such that it can be moved from a closed position to
an open position, allowing access to the interior of enclosure 10.
Cover 16 may be pivotally connected to body portion 18 by any
method known in the art, such as, for example, a pair of sockets 28
on body portion 18 and a pair of corresponding apertures 30 in
cover 16, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Cover 16 is thus pivotable
with respect to body portion 18 on an axis defined by sockets 28,
and a handle 32 may be provided to conveniently assist in the
opening and closing of enclosure 10. Body portion 18 may include
gasket strips 40 on sidewalls 34 and the top wall to seal enclosure
10. Thus gasket strips 40 may be positioned at various positions on
the outer surfaces of body portion 18 so that when cover 16 is
closed, enclosure 10 is sealed and noise emanating therefrom during
operation of the blender is reduced.
Body portion 18 also includes a foot 41 at the bottom of rear wall
36 and sidewalls 34. Foot 41 is made of a metallic material and is
generally rectangular in shape, although it may optionally take any
desired shape. Foot 41 is provided with an opening 43, rectangular
in nature, and having an inner periphery that is larger than the
outer periphery of pedestal 22 so that pedestal 22 protrudes
upwardly through the opening 43 in foot 41 when body portion 18 is
positioned on base member 12. At least one magnet 39 may be
provided within base member 12 to impart a magnetic force on metal
foot 41. In one embodiment of the invention, four magnets 39 are
provided, one at each of the corners of base member 12 adjacent to
its top surface (FIG. 3). The magnetic force provided by the
magnets within base member 12 secures body portion 18 of enclosure
10 to base member 12 without the use of mechanical fasteners. While
a particular method of securing enclosure 13 to base 12 is
described and shown herein, it is also contemplated that other
means may be employed to secure enclosure 10 to base 12 without the
use of mechanical fasteners. Thus, any method or mechanism known in
the art, other than mechanical fasteners, may be utilized to secure
enclosure 10 to base 12 without deviating from the scope of the
invention. In one alternative embodiment, foot 41 is provided with
sufficient weight so that no other mechanism is required to secure
enclosure 10 to base 12.
A gasket 42, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, is provided between foot 41
and base member 12. Gasket 42 mirrors the shape of foot 41 and, in
the embodiment shown in the drawings, is rectangular in shape, and
has an opening 45 therein. Gasket 42 rests on base member 12 around
pedestal 22 without the use of any type of fasteners or adhesive.
If magnets 39 are provided, their force acting upon foot 41 serves
to secure gasket 42 in the desired location. Gasket 42 may include
an upwardly extending flange 44 around its inner periphery. Flange
44 is adjacent to pedestal 22 and separates foot 41 from pedestal.
Gasket 42 may be made of any material capable of absorbing and
dampening vibrations created by the motor within base member 12. In
one embodiment, gasket 42 may be made of a viscoelastic material,
such as, for example, amorphous polymers, semi crystalline
polymers, biopolymers, and bitumen materials. Thus, enclosure 10 is
completely separated from base member 12 by a vibration dampening
gasket 42, thereby significantly reducing the vibrations that are
transferred from base member 12 to enclosure 13. By reducing the
vibrations of enclosure 10 during operation of the food processor,
the sound emitted is also significantly reduced.
It is thus evident that an enclosure for a food processor
constructed as described herein accomplishes the objects of the
present invention and otherwise substantially improves the art.
* * * * *