Protein blender cup

Present invention creatively makes convenient for any person using beverage to blend powder with liquid uniformly without use of shaking motion or battery and thereby preventing from spilling and running out batteries. Invention of unique reverse planetary gears system and side arm stirrer with window paddle has made possible convert torque of finger to multiple rotation of stirrer in order achieve efficient uniform blending. Moreover, this invention takes full advantage of removable snap mechanism to assemble and disassemble protein blender cup which is very necessary for washing every single parts to achieve highest sanitization. In short, this invention helps consumer to have protein blender cup which doesn't require shaking or battery and can be completely sanitized without any struggle.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a liquid storage receptacle. More specifically, the present invention is a cup with an integrated blender system that is manually operated to blend contents within the cup. The present invention is quickly and conveniently disassembled for cleaning after using through snap mechanism.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Nutritional supplements are commonly utilized by people before, during, and after strenuous workouts. Nutritional supplements such, as whey protein, are commonly found in the form of powdered products, which are mixed with liquids to create nutritional beverages. Without proper, stirring, the powder tends to clump together and float in chunks within the liquid. Blender cups that are presently available on the market generally require batteries or manual shaking of the contents, There are several drawbacks to the currently available products. Battery-operated electronic blender cups are expensive and it is often quite difficult to replace the batteries. Blender cups that require manual shaking are subject to the contents within the cups leaking or spilling. The present invention seeks to address the inherent issues found in current prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the object of the present invention to improve upon the current prior art. The present invention is a cup with an integrated blender system that is manually operated to stir contents within the cup. The lid of the blender cup features an oval handle fused to a freely rotating ring gear that is held in between top and bottom cap through snap mechanism.

Rotating ring gear projects teeth inside. The oval turn handle is manually operated to rotate the ring gear which rotates planetary gears and thereby sun gear which are suspended on bottom cap through shafts and central housing respectively. Stirrer is snapped into the sun gear. The interaction between the gear systems generates a compound ratio for the stirrer so rotation of ring gears by one time will result in multiple rotation of stirrer and there by stirring content within cup evenly. The stirrer has multiple side arms and a square window shaped paddle at bottom. The stirrer is removable from the cup and may be, replaced by alternative devices such as a frother, ribbon shaped stirrer or stirrer with sharp steel blades. The present invention is designed in a manner such that the blender cup may be quickly disassembled for cleaning or swapping individual components of the cup by taking advantage of removable snap mechanism.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a cup that contains an integrated blender system within the cup. In its preferred embodiment, the present invention comprises a lid101, cup body1and stirrer2. The lid101holds blending mechanism which comprise of snap shaft cap8, top cap7, bottom cap3, a ring gear6with fused oval handle103on outer surface, two planetary gears4and one sun gear5. The present invention may be quickly disassembled into its individual components for cleaning or swapping of the components.

The diameter of the first end105of the cup body1is larger than that of the second end107of the cup body1. Top end105of cup body1has threading109which corresponds to threading107of lip111of bottom cap3of the lid101. Cup body1can be easily screwed into the lid101. Moreover, this threading is designed in such a way that it can provide better protection from leaking while blending. The tapered cylindrical extrusion of material is hollow with the first end of the cup body1open to the exterior and the second end of the cup body1closed. At the bottom of cup body1there is a small circular depression113(FIG. 3) which provided housing for bottom end115of stirrer2. This housing113is designed to keep stirrer2in the center while rotating.

The lid101comprises of five main parts snap shaft cap8, top cap7, spout cap9, bottom cap3with, gears4and5and freely moving ring gear6with fused oval handle103at outer surface.

Snap Shaft cap8(FIG. 5) is made of two dome shaped cap117and119which is fused through a plastic cane121. The main purpose of this snap shaft cap8is to lid snap mechanism generally referenced as127) and prevent powder or liquid to pour into shafts123and125of bottom cap3. The dome117and119present at each end of snap shaft cap8fills the space left over by snap shaft123and125of bottom cap3. The Snap shaft cap8is essentially another snap mechanism127that provides more support to snap mechanism between top cap7and bottom cap3.

Top cap7(FIG. 6) is very carefully designed dome which snaps onto shafts123and125of bottom cap3and sits on ring gear6without providing much resistance. Top cap7has three opening, two circular openings129and131correspond to shafts123and125of bottom cap3and one oval opening133on the side which provides spout135to go through. In the center137of the interior side139of the top cap7has circular housing141(FIG. 3) which provides housing for the top end143of sun gear5. Top cap7outer surface has a collar with two walls145and147facing opposite site to hold spout cap9. One end149of spout cap9(FIG. 7) is designed in such a way that it snaps in between two walls145and147on the surface of top cap7which is supported by collars on the side. This provides free movement to spout cap9. On another end151of spout cap9has circular dome155same size as spout opening153. This dome155snaps into spout opening153and prevents liquid from leaking. In order to provide more protection from leaking dome155is also covered with protective circular ring157which sits on outer surface of spout opening153while dome155snapped in spout opening153.

The lid101also comprise of ring gear6(FIG. 8) fused with oval handle103. This ring gear8has teeth159projected inwards and remains engaged with teeth161of planetary gears4of bottom cap3. Oval handle is fused to outer surface in such way that it provides maximum torque to planet gears4. Oval handle103has enough space163as it can be operated by hand or index finger. Bottom cap3(FIG. 9) has two snap shafts123and125and central housing165for sun gear5. Shafts123and125are designed in a way that they snap in and out comfortably to top cap7without providing much resistance to ring gear6in the middle. Planetary gears4(FIG. 10) comprise tapered cylindrical extrusion of material with a plurality of ridges forming gear teeth161along the outer surface of the gear4and cylindrical shaft167at bottom. The planetary gears4are designed in a manner such that they rotate freely on solid snap shafts123and125and remain engaged with sun gear5and ring gear6.

Sun gear5(FIG. 11) comprises a tapered cylindrical extrusion of material with a plurality of ridges forming gear teeth169along the outer surface of the sun gear5, cylindrical shaft171at bottom and lesser diameter cylindrical shaft143on top. Top shaft143of sun gear5remains in position while freely rotating on base of bottom cap3of housing141using circular housing141(FIG. 3) of a top cap7. Sun gear shaft171is, hollow and has a square housing173which is designed to attach to a top end175of stirrer2. Thereby when stirrer2is attached to sun gear5through square housing173, it converts 1 rotation of outer ring gear6to five rotation of stirrer2through compound ratio.

The present invention further comprises a stirrer device2(FIG. 12). In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Stirrer device2consist of three pairs of side arms177parallel to each other fused on a central shaft179and window shaped paddle181at bottom. The side arms177create a vortex and mix liquid with powder while window paddle181at bottom scoops up the powder in upward direction without allowing powder to form lump. This way the powder is distributed thoroughly and at same time lumps are broken and blended smoothly. The stirrer device2is held in place within the cup body1by snapping in one end175in sun gear5and another end115resting in bottom housing113of cup body1. Overall, this uniquely designed stirrer2scoops up the powder from bottom and mixes powder in a strong liquid vortex. However, the present invention is not limited with respect to shape and size of the stirrer device2and alternative embodiments of the present invention may feature varying designs.

Before using the present invention, nutritional supplements are placed into the cup body1along with the base liquid to be consumed. Stirrer2is attached or screwed into sun gear5of the lid101, placing the stirrer2in contacts with sun gear5. The lid101is then screwed onto the cup body1, Rotating ring gear6by oval handle103using finger rotates the ring gear6and causes the planet gears4to rotate sun gear5. As sun gear5is far smaller it rotates faster than ring gears6and planet gears4. The rotation of the ring gear6causes the planet gears4to rotate and thereby causing rotation of sun gear5and stirrer device2. As the stirrer device2rotates, the contents within the cup body1are stirred and mixed together. The user may continue rotating ring gear6until he or she is satisfied with the nutritional beverage. To remove or replace the stirrer device2, a user is only required to unscrew the lid.

In case of assembly, planetary gears4are placed over shafts123and125, and sun gear5placed in central housing165of bottom cap3. Ring gear6is placed on the top of bottom cap3, and top cap7is simply snapped on bottom cap3. The domes117and119of snap shaft cap8are pressed onto top end181and183of snap shafts123and125. Once the lid101is ready, stirrer2is simply snapped in and the lid101is screwed onto cup body1.

In order to do major cleaning of blender cup, the lid101is required to be unscrewed and stirrer2needs to snap out. Snap shaft cap8needs to be pulled out using leverage through plastic cane121which exposes top end181and183of snap shafts123and125of bottom cap3. As pressure is applied to snap shafts123and125, fingers may be used to pull up oval handle103, which would detach top cap7from bottom cap3. Once disassembled, the consumer can simply throw parts into dishwasher for cleaning or can use brush to clean if require. Total assembly or disassembly requires less than a minute.

An alternative embodiment of the present invention features a frother device in place of the stirrer device2. The frother device is operated in the same manner as that of the blender device.