Abstract:
An appliance for measuring and mixing dry ingredients such as baby formula with a liquid such as water, heating the water to a desired temperature, and mixing the two ingredients together in the appliance. The result is a liquid food, which is at a desired temperature for use by a consumer.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention generally relates to mixing appliances, and more particularly relates to appliances for mixing a dry ingredient with a liquid at a specified temperature.  
         [0003]     2. Background Information  
         [0004]     There are many situations in which it is desirable to mix a dry ingredient with a liquid ingredient at a certain temperature. One specific example of when this might be required is when a person wishes to mix powdered baby formula with warm water in order to make liquid baby formula. In the prior art, this is accomplished by measuring a scoop of powdered baby formula and placing it inside a bottle. Water is brought to the correct temperature and then added to the bottle. The liquid and powder are mixed together to form a warm baby formula. There are numerous appliances that attempt to automate this process. However, none of them have the feature of dispensing the powdered ingredient into a container, warming and dispensing a measured quantity of liquid into the same container, and mixing the two together.  
         [0005]     What is needed is an appliance in which one or more dry ingredients can be stored in one or more compartments. A water source is needed, and a temperature control system to bring the water to the desired temperature. What is further needed is a mechanism for measuring and dispensing measured quantities of the dry ingredient and the liquid into a container. The container then needs to be mixed.  
         [0006]     Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     These and other objects are accomplished by the mixing appliance invention. This appliance is designed for mixing a dry ingredient with a liquid to form liquid foods. It includes one or more storage compartments for storing the dry ingredient. It also includes a liquid source that can be an onboard container which may be optionally removed for filling and cleaning, or which may be a connection to the plumbing system of a building. The temperature control system is for heating the liquid, which will often be water, to the desired temperature, which is selected by a user in a temperature selection device. The temperature control system can heat the water in the container or it can heat water as it enters the appliance from the building plumbing system so that it arrives at a container at the correct temperature. The device includes a first measuring unit for measuring a quantity of the dry ingredient. Once measured, the first measuring unit sends the measured quantity of dry ingredient to a container for mixing. The unit also includes a second measuring unit, for measuring a quantity of liquid for mixing. This measurement would typically be a volumetric measurement, but could also be by weight. A container is provided on the mixing appliance in which the measured quantity of dry ingredient are mixed with a measured quantity of liquid. The container is removable from the mixing appliance, and in the case of a baby formula application, would be a baby bottle. The mixing appliance of the invention also includes a mixing system for mixing the measured quantity of dry ingredient and the measured quantity of liquids, until they are blended together to form a solution.  
         [0008]     It is possible that the mixing appliance of the invention can be configured to mix multiple dry ingredients. In such a case it would have multiple storage compartments for storing the dry ingredients and one or more first measuring units for measuring quantities of the dry ingredients. In either configuration, the first measuring unit can be a screw type measurer, such as an auger or some other type of rotating screw, which carries quantities of dry ingredients along with the rotation of the screw. The first measuring unit can also be weight based, and weigh out a certain selected weight of dry ingredients for addition to the container. One type of first measuring unit can be based on a disk, which has a volume based measuring depression. As the disk rotates through the dry ingredients, the depression in the disk automatically measures the quantity of dry ingredients and transfers it to a container for mixing.  
         [0009]     The mixing system can take a number of configurations. It would typically include a mixing motor on a counter surface of the appliance. The mixing motor can be used to mix the dry ingredients and liquid together by use of a magnetic connection with a magnetic stirrer in the container. In such a case, the mixing motor would be called the magnetic stirrer.  
         [0010]     The mixing motor can also mix the dry and liquid ingredients together by use of a bottle assembly. The bottle assembly would typically include a bottle body and a removable bottle base with a stir bar in the bottle base for connection to the mixing motor. The bottle assembly also includes a nipple for use by a baby in a baby formula application. The connection between the stir bar and the mixing motor can be a mechanical connection. In this case, an extension of the mixing motor can protrude into the bottle base and power the rotation of the stir bar within the container. The connection between the mixing motor and the stir bar can also be magnetic, with a magnetic stirrer associated with the mixing motor, and a stir bar which turns by magnetic attraction to the magnetic stirrer, with the stir bar located inside the baby bottle or container.  
         [0011]     The device can also include a bottle cleaner, which would be utilized to clean the container used for mixing the dry ingredients and liquid ingredients.  
         [0012]     The purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection, the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.  
         [0013]     Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description wherein I have shown and described only the preferred embodiment of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by carrying out my invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modification in various obvious respects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the preferred embodiment are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive in nature. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the mixing appliance of the invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is an exploded side of the bottle of the invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the water holding portion of the appliance.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the appliance showing the water bottle fitting on the mixer motor of the invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a view of one measuring technology of the invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention with a bottle-washing unit.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]     While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.  
         [0021]      FIGS. 1-7  show several preferred embodiments of the mixing appliance of the invention, which is designated as  10 . Shown in  FIG. 1  is one preferred embodiment. This particular embodiment is configured for mixing powdered baby formula with water, but other configurations of this design can be utilized to mix other free flowing dry powders with other liquids. The embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  includes a storage compartment  18  for storage of a dry ingredient  14 , in this case powdered baby formula. The mixing appliance  10  also includes a liquid source  22 . The liquid source  22  can be a plumbing connection to a building water supply or, as shown in  FIG. 1 , it can be a chamber  50 , which is removable from the unit and which may be filled with a liquid  40 . In this embodiment the liquid  40  would be water. The liquid  40  in the chamber  50  is kept at a selected temperature by a temperature control system  24 . The embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  also includes an appliance counter surface  66 . Centered in the appliance counter surface  66  is a stir  62 . A temperature selector  68  is also present, as well as a temperature gauge  92 , an activation button  94 , and a quantity selector  88 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  shows an exploded side view of one version of a container  34 . The version shown in  FIG. 2  has a similar configuration to a conventional baby bottle, but it also includes a bottle base  76 . It has a bottle body  74 , and a screw on nipple  80 . Built into the bottle base  74  is a base plate  96 , which includes a stir bar  78 . This unit assembles like a conventional mixer, with the base plate  96 , and its attached stir bar, fitting into the bottle base  76 . This is screwed onto the bottom of the generally cylindrical bottle body  74 . Once the solution of formula and water have been mixed and added to the container  34 , it can be removed from the appliance  10  for use, and a nipple  80  attached to it. Together, these form the bottle assembly  72 .  
         [0023]     The embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  also includes a quantity selector, for the purpose of allowing the user to designate the quantities of formula to be made. For instance, if the user turns the setting to 4 on the unit-setting dial, quantities of liquid and dry ingredients appropriate for 4 ounces of formula would be prepared. Although the device is shown with the capability for making 8 ounces, obviously other capacities can be designed into the device for 10, 20, or 30 ounces. Also shown is an indicator light  82 , which signals when the liquid in the chamber  50  has reached the selected temperature.  
         [0024]     The chamber  50  in which liquid  40  is contained, can take a number of configurations.  FIG. 3  shows one possible configuration. In this configuration the chamber  50  includes an upper unit  98  and a lower unit  100 . The upper unit  98  includes a handle  102 , and is preferably made of insulated plastic. It may contain an inner container  104 , which is stainless steal. It also includes a first valve  106 . The liquid  40  in the upper container  98  would preferably be heated to the selected temperature. A temperature sensor  108  would protect the temperature in the upper container  98 . When activated by the unit setting dial, a measured amount of water from the upper chamber  98 . In this embodiment, the lower unit  100  has a tapered structure which tapers to a second valve  108 . A level sensor  110  is present in the lower section  100 , and would shut off the flow of liquid at the first valve  106  when a selected amount of liquid is present in the lower unit  100 . When activated, the second valve  108  would release that measured amount of liquid into the container  34 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  shows a view of the container  34  on the base plate  66  of the mixing appliance  10 .  FIG. 4  shows the bottle assembly  72 , the mixing motor  86  below the base plate  66 , and a momentary switch  112 , which activates the mixing motor  86  when contacted with the base of the bottle assembly  72 .  FIG. 4  shows a water dispenser nozzle  114  and a powder-dispensing nozzle  116 , both of which direct their ingredients into the bottle assembly  72 .  
         [0026]     Dry ingredients can be measured and dispensed in a number of different manners and  FIG. 5  shows one possible distinctive structure. This dispensing structure includes a measuring disc  118 , in which are defined cavities  120 . The volume of the cavities, and their position on the rotating disc  188 , determines the volume of dry ingredient that is mixed and passed along to the bottle assembly  72 . Shown is a measuring disc  118  with three cavities  120 , which are located 120 degrees from each other. The measuring disc  118  would be given by a step motor, not shown, which would cause the disc to rotate 120 degrees. This could be driven by gears, which are configured to accommodate the 120-degree rotation of the disc.  
         [0027]      FIG. 6  shows another feature that may be utilized on an embodiment of the mixing invention. This feature is a bottle-washing unit  122 . Bottle washing unit  122  includes spray nozzles  124 . This configuration shows bottle washing positions  126  and nipple washing positions  128 . Nipple washing positions  128  are activated by a switch  130 , and this area is covered by a lid  132 . The lid  132  prevents spray from the spray nozzles  124  from escaping from the nipple washing area. The bottle washing positions  126  enable a bottle assembly to be screwed on upside down and sprayed from below in order to clean the interior of the bottle body. The bottle washing positions  126  include water drains for draining away the water used for cleaning the interior of the bottles. A temperature-sensing unit  134  is also present, which may be switched on and off. Also shown, are a water in fixture  136  and a water out fixture  138 . Both the water in  136  and water out  138  connections are connected to a plumbing system. One preferred embodiment of the bottle-washing unit would include the bottle-washing unit  122  to be attached to a part of the mixing appliance  10 . It would also be possible to have a separate unit, which is utilized in conjunction with the mixing unit  10 , perform a mixing and cleaning system.  
         [0028]     While there is shown and described the present preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that this invention is not limited thereto but may be variously embodied to practice within the scope of the following claims. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.