Micro puree machine with angled bowl

A micro puree machine has a drive motor positioned within a lower portion of a housing extending along a vertical axis. A mixing shaft positioned within an upper portion of the housing extends at a non-parallel angle relative to the vertical axis. The bowl of ingredients is installed to an angled surface of the upper portion of the housing along the mixing shaft axis, allowing for easier viewing of the bowl installation.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a food processing device and, more particularly, to a micro puree machine for making frozen foods and drinks.

BACKGROUND

Home use machines that are intended to make ice creams, gelatos, frozen yogurts, sorbets and the like are known in the art. Typically, a user adds a series of non-frozen ingredients to a beaker. The ingredients are then churned by a paddle while a refrigeration mechanism simultaneously freezes the ingredients. These devices have known shortcomings including, but not limited to, the amount of time and effort required by the user to complete the ice cream making process. Machines of this nature are impractical for preparing most non-dessert food products.

An alternative type of machine known to make a frozen food product is a micro-puree machine. Typically, machines of this nature spin and plunge a blade into a pre-frozen ingredient or combination of ingredients. While able to make frozen desserts like ice creams, gelatos, frozen yogurts, sorbets and the like, micro puree style machines can also prepare non-dessert types of foods such as non-dessert purees and mousses. In addition, consumers can prepare either an entire batch of ingredients or a pre-desired number of servings.

Some current micro puree machines require the user to install the bowl holding the pre-frozen ingredients on the housing of the machine in a manner that causes the upper housing of the machine to partially block the user's view of the bowl. This makes it more difficult for the user to assemble the bowl to the housing for processing the ingredients.

Furthermore, some micro puree machines have a supporting base that supports a bowl holding the frozen ingredients. In some cases, the bowl has a lid to which a blade can be attached, and then the bowl can be secured to the base, and the base can be raised until the blade engages with a blade shaft included within the housing. In some cases, a first bowl holds the frozen ingredients, and the first bowl is inserted into a second bowl that is secured to the base and has the lid to which the blade is attached. Thus, in some known micro puree systems, multiple bowls are used, and the process for making a frozen food product includes: inserting a first bowl including ingredients into a second bowl; attaching a blade to a lid of the second bowl, attaching the lid to the second bowl; securing the second bowl on a supporting base; and raising the based until the blade engages a blade shaft of the housing.

SUMMARY

It may be desirable to have a micro puree system for which only a single bowl is required, for which it is easier to assemble such bowl to a housing of the micro puree system than known systems, and for which fewer steps are required to use such bowl to produce a frozen food product than in known systems.

The disclosure describes a micro puree machine that allows a user to install the bowl of ingredients at an angle relative to a vertical axis of the machine. A drive motor positioned within a lower portion of a housing extends along the vertical axis, while a mixing shaft positioned within an upper portion of the housing extends at a non-parallel angle relative to the vertical axis. The bowl of ingredients is installed to an angled surface on the upper portion of the housing along the mixing shaft axis, advantageously allowing for easier viewing of the bowl installation.

Embodiments of the micro puree machine of this disclosure may include one or more of the following, in any suitable combination.

In embodiments, a micro puree machine of this disclosure includes a housing having a lower portion and an upper portion. A drive motor is positioned within the lower portion of housing. The drive motor extends along a first axis. A mixing shaft operatively coupled to the drive motor is positioned within the upper portion of the housing. The mixing shaft extends along a second axis. A bowl is rotatably assemblable to a coupling on the upper portion of the housing such that the bowl extends along the second axis. The second axis extends in a non-parallel direction relative to the first axis.

In further embodiments, an outer surface of the bowl has at least one projection for engaging an indentation on an inner surface of the coupling when the bowl is rotated relative to the coupling. In embodiments, the coupling defines at least one notch engageable with the at least one projection for aligning the bowl in a predetermined orientation relative to the indentation. In embodiments, the coupling further includes a backing member extending toward a base of the micro puree machine. In embodiments, the second axis extends at about a 45 degree angle to about a 55 degree angle relative to the first axis. In embodiments, the micro puree machine further includes a blade coupleable to the mixing shaft for rotation about the second axis. In embodiments, the micro puree machine includes a lid coupleable to the bowl. The lid is configured to receive the blade therein. In embodiments, the upper portion of the housing includes an angled surface, and the coupling is located on the angled surface. In embodiments, the second axis extends perpendicular to the angled surface. In embodiments, the upper portion of the housing includes a position motor for moving the mixing shaft axially along the second axis.

In embodiments, a method of assembling a bowl to a micro puree machine of this disclosure includes rotating the bowl relative to a coupling on an upper portion of a housing of the micro puree machine. The micro puree machine further includes a lower portion of the housing. A drive motor is positioned within the lower portion and extends along a first axis. A mixing shaft operatively couples to the drive motor and is positioned within the upper portion of the housing. The mixing shaft extends along a second axis. The second axis extends in a non-parallel direction relative to the first axis. Rotating the bowl relative to the coupling locks the bowl to the coupling such that the bowl extends along the second axis. The method of assembling a bowl to a micro puree machine may include: positioning a drive motor within a lower portion of a housing of the micro puree machine; extending the drive motor along a first axis; coupling a mixing shaft to the drive motor; positioning the mixing shaft within the upper portion of the housing; extending the mixing shaft along a second axis; and rotating the bowl relative to a coupling on an upper portion of a housing, where rotating the bowl relative to the coupling locks the bowl to the coupling such that the bowl extends along the second axis and where the second axis extends in a non-parallel direction relative to the first axis.

In further embodiments, the method further includes engaging a projection on an outer surface of the bowl with a corresponding indentation on an inner surface of the coupling when the bowl is rotated relative to the coupling. In embodiments, the coupling defines at least one notch engageable with the projection for aligning the bowl in a predetermined orientation relative to the indentation. In embodiments, the coupling further includes a backing member extending toward a base of the micro puree machine. In embodiments, the second axis extends at about a 45 degree angle to about a 55 degree angle relative to the first axis. In embodiments, the lower portion of the housing extends between the upper portion and a base of the housing. In embodiments, the method further includes coupling a blade to the mixing shaft for rotation about the second axis. In embodiments, the method further includes coupling a lid to the bowl. The lid is configured to receive the blade therein. In embodiments, the upper portion of the housing includes an angled surface, and the coupling is located on the angled surface. In embodiments, the second axis extends perpendicular to the angled surface.

A reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings will make apparent the advantages of these and other structures. Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description serve as an explanation only and do not restrict aspects of the disclosure as claimed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, like components have the same reference numerals, regardless of different illustrated embodiments. To illustrate embodiments clearly and concisely, the drawings may not necessarily reflect appropriate scale and may have certain structures shown in somewhat schematic form. The disclosure may describe and/or illustrate structures in one embodiment, and in the same way or in a similar way in one or more other embodiments, and/or combined with or instead of the structures of the other embodiments.

In the specification and claims, for the purposes of describing and defining the invention, the terms “about” and “substantially” represent the inherent degree of uncertainty attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. The terms “about” and “substantially” moreover represent the degree by which a quantitative representation may vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter at issue. Open-ended terms, such as “comprise,” “include,” and/or plural forms of each, include the listed parts and can include additional parts not listed, while terms such as “and/or” include one or more of the listed parts and combinations of the listed parts. Use of the terms “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below” and the like helps only in the clear description of the disclosure and does not limit the structure, positioning and/or operation of the feed chute assembly in any manner.

FIG.1shows an isometric view of a micro puree machine10according to an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure. The micro puree machine10may include a base100and an upper housing140. A middle housing120may extend between the base100and the upper housing140. The upper housing140may include an interface142for receiving user inputs to control the micro puree machine10and/or display information. The micro puree machine10may also include a removable bowl350and lid400(FIG.2). The bowl350may contain one or more pre-frozen ingredients for processing. A user may couple the bowl350to a coupling500on an angled surface144of the upper housing140by rotating the bowl350relative to the coupling500, as further described below. In embodiments, the bowl350may include features354on the bottom surface of the bowl350to aid in the fixing of frozen ingredients within the bowl350. The features354may prevent such frozen ingredients from rotational movement within the bowl350during use. In embodiments, the bowl350can be manufactured from a disposable material to enhance the convenience of using the micro puree machine10. Further, the bowl350can be sold as a stand-alone item and can also be prefilled with ingredients to be processed during use of the micro puree machine10.

FIG.2shows the micro puree machine10ofFIG.1with the bowl350and the lid400disassembled from the upper housing140according to some embodiments. As shown inFIG.2, an inner surface502of the coupling500may comprise locating and locking elements for positioning and connecting the bowl350to the coupling500. For example, the inner surface502of the coupling500may comprise one or more corresponding indentations504sized to receive at least one projection352on an outer surface of the bowl350. In embodiments, the at least one projection352may be four projections352spaced 90 degrees apart about an outer surface of the bowl350. However, the disclosure contemplates more or fewer than four projections352. The user may rotate the bowl350relative to the coupling500such that the projections352are rotated into the indentations504, locking the bowl350and the coupling500together.

FIG.3illustrates a detailed view of the coupling500according to some embodiments. As shown inFIG.3, the coupling500may additionally include a notch506adjacent one of the indentations504to help the user align a projection352on the bowl350to the indentation504. This helps the user present the bowl350to the coupling500in the correct installation orientation. Embodiments of the coupling500may further include a backing member508extending toward the base100to help the user align the bowl350concentrically with the indentations504when installing the bowl350on the upper housing140.

FIG.4illustrates a transmission assembly200of the micro puree machine10according to some embodiments of this disclosure. In embodiments, the transmission assembly200may generally include a mixing shaft252, a position motor260, and drive motor assembly240. The mixing shaft252may extend through the upper housing140along a mixing shaft axis A that is perpendicular to the angled surface144of the upper housing140(FIG.1). The position motor260may be disposed in the upper housing140and operatively coupled to the mixing shaft252to move the mixing shaft252along the mixing shaft axis A. The drive motor assembly240may be disposed in the middle housing120and include a drive motor housing242and a drive motor244. The drive motor244may extend through the middle housing120along a vertical axis V. The drive motor assembly240may also include a first gear234for engaging a second gear236of the mixing shaft252to rotate the mixing shaft252about the mixing shaft axis A. The drive motor assembly240may further include a fan245attached to the drive motor244.

In embodiments, the mixing shaft axis A may extend in a non-parallel direction relative to the vertical axis V. For example, the mixing shaft axis A may extend about a 45 degree to about a 55 degree angle relative to the vertical axis V. Furthermore, the mixing shaft axis A may extend perpendicular to the angled surface144such that the bowl350may be installed to the upper housing140along the mixing shaft axis. A. When the bowl350is assembled to the upper housing140, a blade300inserted into the lid400may be attachable to the mixing shaft252. Thus, actuation of the position motor260and the drive motor244, either manually via the interface142, may cause both rotation of the mixing shaft252and the blade300about the mixing the shaft axis A and positioning of the mixing shaft252and the blade300along the mixing shaft axis A to engage with ingredients inside the bowl350. Advantageously, as shown inFIG.5A, the angle of installation may allow for easier viewing by the user to assemble the bowl350to the micro puree machine10compared to devices where the bowl is installed on the vertical axis V (FIG.5B).

FIG.6shows a process600for assembling a bowl to a micro puree machine. Process600includes: positioning a drive motor within a lower portion of a housing of the micro puree machine (Step602); extending the drive motor along a first axis (Step604); coupling a mixing shaft to the drive motor (Step606); positioning the mixing shaft within the upper portion of the housing (Step608); extending the mixing shaft along a second axis (Step610); and rotating the bowl relative to a coupling on an upper portion of a housing, where rotating the bowl relative to the coupling locks the bowl to the coupling such that the bowl extends along the second axis and where the second axis extends in a non-parallel direction relative to the first axis (Step612). Such a bowl assembly process, where the mixing shaft is extended in a non-parallel direction with respect to the drive motor, facilitates more efficient, reliable, and convenient handling and/or assembly of the bowl to the housing by a user because the bowl may be more easily aligned and rotated by a user to engage with the coupling on the upper housing. Further, in contrast to some known micro puree systems, embodiments of the bowl assembly process described herein use only a single bowl that holds the ingredients and is assembled to the housing. What's more, such a process does not include securing a bowl to a supporting base or raising the base to assemble the bowl to the housing, as required in some known micro puree systems.

While the disclosure particularly shows and describes preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and details may exist without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application as defined by the appended claims. The scope of this present application intends to cover such variations. As such, the foregoing description of embodiments of the present application does not intend to limit the full scope conveyed by the appended claims.