Cooling stick for a blender and method of using same

A cooling stick for a blender includes a cylindrical member designed to fit tightly through a circular aperture extending through the blender lid. The member has a lower portion and an upper portion with a surrounding rim of a diameter larger than the circular aperture. The lower portion has a lower end sized and shaped to avoid contact with the blender blade assembly. The cylindrical member has an interior chamber, an opening extending from an exterior of the member to the chamber and means for sealing the opening. A cooling fluid is located within the interior chamber. The fluid is cooled or frozen when the cooling stick is located in a cooling environment. When the chilled cooling stick is mounted to the lid of the blender, the cooling stick will cool contents of the blender when the blender is operated. The cooling stick also cools the blender contents after operation.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of mixing and blending devices, and more specifically to a device and method for cooling the contents of a blender without diluting the contents thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Blenders are used to make a variety of food and drink items. It is often desirable to control the temperature of the items to be blended. The mixing action of the blender blades produces friction between the ingredients, the blades and the blender container. The result is raising the temperature of the mixture. This is a particular problem when making cold drinks or soups. In order to cool the ingredients during blending, ice is often added to the mixture. This has several drawbacks. First, it results in the mixture having a “crushed ice” texture or consistency. Second, the blended ice will melt after a short period of time, diluting the mixture. Ideally, the contents of the blender should be cooled during and after blending without diluting the ingredients in the blender container. In this scenario, the contents of the blender can then be stored or refrigerated if not used initially, without damage from dilution due

U.S. patent application No. 2006/0171248, issued to Chou illustrates a blender that has a freezing preservation function. The blender has a container that is removably connected with the housing. The container has a dual wall with a sealed cavity formed between the inner and outer wall. A freezing medium is filled into the cavity. In use the freezing medium is available for freezing juice and keeping it fresh for a longer time.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,023,587, issued to Robbins describes a chemical cooling stick for beverages. A cooling stick has an outer envelope which contains a crystalline freezing compound and an inner envelope which contains a fluid which cooperates with the crystalline cooling chemical so that when the inner container is broken and the chemicals admix they provide a reduced temperature. The outer envelope is attached to a stirring stick.

U.S. Pat. No. D531,445, issued to Bodum is directed to an ornamental design for a jug that has a small container attached to the underside of the lid and suspended down into the jug. The jug has dual walls apparently for insulation to maintain the hot or cold temperature of the contents. It is apparent that the inner container would be for adding a thermal medium or also providing heating or cooling features.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,361, issued to Moothart et al. discloses a beverage cooling and dispensing device that has two separate chambers that are mutually exclusive of each other with the inner chamber adapted to be filled with ice for cooling a beverage that is contained in the outer container. The upper portion is closed off by a common two-in-one combination lid. A tap faucet is provided for controlled release of the beverage.

It is an objective of the present invention to provide a device and method for cooling the ingredients in a blender during and subsequent to blending. It is a further objective to provide such cooling without diluting the contents of the blender. It is a still further objective of the invention to provide a means for sealing the top of the blender both during and subsequent to blending. It is yet a further objective to provide a device that is easily cleaned and sanitized after use. Finally, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a device that is durable, inexpensive and simple to use.

While some of the objectives of the present invention are disclosed in the prior art, none of the inventions found include all of the requirements identified.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses all of the deficiencies of prior art cooling means for blender inventions and satisfies all of the objectives described above.

(1) A cooling stick for a blender providing the desired features may be constructed from the following components. The blender includes a base housing a vertically oriented drive motor, an open topped vessel adapted to removably mount to the base. A rotating blade assembly is mounted to a lower end of the vessel. The blade assembly is driven by the drive motor. A lid is adapted to seal an upper end of the vessel. The lid has a circular aperture extending through it. The cooling stick includes a cylindrical member. The member has an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion has a surrounding rim of a diameter larger than the circular aperture. The lower portion has an upper end sized and shaped to fit frictionally within the circular aperture and a lower end sized and shaped to avoid contact with the blade assembly. The cylindrical member has an interior chamber, an opening extending from an exterior of the member to the chamber and means for sealing the opening. A cooling fluid is provided. The fluid is located within the interior chamber and adapted to be cooled or frozen when the cooling stick is located in a cooling environment. When the cooling stick is located in a cooling environment until chilled, the cooling stick is then mounted to the lid of the blender and the cooling stick will cool contents of the blender.

(2) In a variant of the invention, the interior chamber extends from the lower portion of the cylindrical member to the upper portion, terminating at the opening. The opening has a thread and the opening is removably sealed with a cap that has a mating thread.

(3) In another variant, a fill line is provided. The fill line indicates a suggested limit for the addition of the cooling fluid to the interior chamber.

(4) In still another variant, the upper portion of the cylindrical member has a top end and a bottom end. The top end terminates in a threaded plug. The bottom end includes an upper segment of the interior chamber. The chamber has a proximate end terminating in a mating threaded portion.

(5) In yet another variant, the cooling stick includes an expansion plug. The expansion plug is adapted to relieve pressure within the interior chamber should the chamber be overfilled with cooling fluid and located in a cooling environment sufficiently cold to cause the cooling fluid to freeze.

(6) In a further variant of the invention, the lower portion of the cylindrical member tapers from an upper end toward a lower end, thereby extending depth to which the cylindrical member extends into the vessel.

(7) In still a further variant, the lower portion of the cylindrical member is fluted, thereby increasing surface area contact with contents of the blender.

(8) In yet a further variant, the lower portion of the cylindrical member is tapered and fluted.

(9) In another variant of the invention, the upper portion of the cylindrical member includes a handle for control of the member when inserting the member into the aperture in the lid.

(10) In still another variant, the cooling fluid is permanently sealed within the interior chamber.

(11) In yet another variant, the fluted portions of the cylindrical member are notched, thereby increasing surface area contact with contents of the blender.

(12) In a further variant, a lower end of the lower portion of the cylindrical member is sized and shaped to fit within the blade assembly when mounted to the lid.

(13) In yet a further variant, the cooling fluid is a brine solution.

(14) In still a further variant, the cooling fluid has a coefficient of expansion less than or equal to 4%.

(15) In another variant of the invention, the cooling fluid has a coefficient of expansion ranging from 2% to 6%.

(16) In a final variant of the invention, a method of cooling the contents of a blender vessel is described. The blender includes a base housing a vertically oriented drive motor and an open topped vessel adapted to removably mount to the base. A rotating blade assembly is mounted to a lower end of the vessel. The blade assembly is driven by the drive motor. A lid is adapted to seal an upper end of the vessel. The lid has a circular aperture extending through the lid. The method includes the steps of1—providing a cooling stick. The cooling stick includes a cylindrical member. The member has an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion has a surrounding rim of a diameter larger than the circular aperture. The lower portion has an upper end sized and shaped to fit frictionally within the circular aperture and a lower end sized and shaped to avoid contact with the blade assembly. The cylindrical member has an interior chamber, an opening extending from an exterior of the member to the chamber and means for sealing the opening.2—providing a cooling fluid.3—placing a predetermined quantity of the fluid within the interior chamber.4—locating the cooling stick in a cooling environment until chilled.5—filling the blender vessel with contents for blending.6—introducing the cooling stick into the vessel through the circular aperture.7—operating the drive motor.

When the cooling fluid is introduced into the cooling stick, the stick is located in a cooling environment until chilled, the cooling stick is then mounted to the lid of the blender, the cooling stick will cool contents of the blender.

An appreciation of the other aims and objectives of the present invention and an understanding of it may be achieved by referring to the accompanying drawings and the detailed description of a preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(1)FIGS. 1-13illustrate a cooling stick for a blender10providing the desired features that may be constructed from the following components. As illustrated inFIG. 1, the blender14includes a base18housing a vertically oriented drive motor22, an open topped vessel26adapted to removably mount to the base18. A rotating blade assembly30is mounted to a lower end34of the vessel26. The blade assembly30is driven by the drive motor22. A lid38is adapted to seal an upper end42of the vessel26. The lid38has a circular aperture46extending through it. The cooling stick10includes a cylindrical member50. The member50has an upper portion54and a lower portion58. The upper portion54has a surrounding rim62of a diameter larger than the circular aperture46. The lower portion58has an upper end66sized and shaped to fit frictionally within the circular aperture46and a lower end70sized and shaped to avoid contact with the blade assembly30. As illustrated inFIGS. 5,8and9, the cylindrical member50has an interior chamber74, an opening78extending from an exterior82of the member50to the chamber74and means86for sealing the opening78. A cooling fluid90is provided. The fluid90is located within the interior chamber74and adapted to be cooled or frozen when the cooling stick10is located in a cooling environment (not shown). When the cooling stick10is located in a cooling environment until chilled, the cooling stick10is then mounted to the lid38of the blender14and the cooling stick10will cool contents (not shown) of the blender14.

(2) In a variant of the invention, as illustrated inFIGS. 4 and 5, the interior chamber74extends from the lower portion58of the cylindrical member50to the upper portion54, terminating at the opening78. The opening78has a thread102and the opening78is removably sealed with a cap106that has a mating thread110.

(3) In another variant, a fill line114is provided. The fill line114indicates a suggested limit for the addition of the cooling fluid90to the interior chamber74.

(4) In still another variant, as illustrated inFIG. 10, the upper portion54of the cylindrical member50has a top end118and a bottom end122. The top end118terminates in a threaded plug126. The bottom end122includes an upper segment126of the interior chamber74. The chamber74has a proximate end130terminating in a mating threaded portion134.

(5) In yet another variant, as illustrated inFIG. 6, the cooling stick10includes an expansion plug138. The expansion plug138is adapted to relieve pressure within the interior chamber74should the chamber74be overfilled with cooling fluid90and located in a cooling environment94sufficiently cold to cause the cooling fluid90to freeze.

(6) In a further variant of the invention, the lower portion58of the cylindrical member50is tapered142from an upper end146toward a lower end150, thereby extending depth to which the cylindrical member50extends into the vessel26.

(7) In still a further variant, as illustrated inFIGS. 8,9and9A, the lower portion58of the cylindrical member50is fluted154, thereby increasing surface area contact with contents158of the blender14.

(8) In yet a further variant, the lower portion58of the cylindrical member50is tapered142and fluted154.

(9) In another variant of the invention, as illustrated inFIGS. 1,2,4and6, the upper portion54of the cylindrical member50includes a handle162for control of the member50when inserting the member50into the aperture46in the lid38.

(10) In still another variant, as illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3, the cooling fluid90is permanently sealed within the interior chamber74.

(11) In yet another variant, as illustrated inFIGS. 12 and 13, the fluted portions154of the cylindrical member50are notched166, thereby increasing surface area contact with contents of the blender14.

(12) In a further variant, as illustrated inFIGS. 4 and 5, a lower end170of the lower portion58of the cylindrical member50is sized and shaped to fit within the blade assembly30when mounted to the lid38.

(13) In yet a further variant, the cooling fluid90is a brine solution.

(14) In still a further variant, the cooling fluid90has a coefficient of expansion less than or equal to 4%.

(15) In another variant of the invention, the cooling fluid90has a coefficient of expansion ranging from 2% to 6%.

(16) In a final variant of the invention, as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 5, a method of cooling the contents of a blender vessel26is described. The blender14includes a base18housing a vertically oriented drive motor22and an open topped vessel26adapted to removably mount to the base18. A rotating blade assembly30is mounted to a lower end34of the vessel26. The blade assembly30is driven by the drive motor22. A lid38is adapted to seal an upper end42of the vessel26. The lid38has a circular aperture46extending through the lid38. The method includes the steps of:1—providing a cooling stick10. The cooling stick10includes a cylindrical member50. The member50has an upper portion54and a lower portion58. The upper portion54has a surrounding rim62of a diameter larger than the circular aperture46. The lower portion58has an upper end66sized and shaped to fit frictionally within the circular aperture46and a lower end70sized and shaped to avoid contact with the blade assembly30. The cylindrical member50has an interior chamber74, an opening78extending from an exterior82of the member50to the chamber74and means86for sealing the opening78.2—providing a cooling fluid90.3—placing a predetermined quantity of the fluid90within the interior chamber74.4—locating the cooling stick10in a cooling environment94until chilled.5—filling the blender vessel26with contents158for blending.6—introducing the cooling stick10into the vessel26through the circular aperture46.7—operating the drive motor22.

When the cooling fluid90is introduced into the cooling stick10, the stick10is located in a cooling environment94until chilled, the cooling stick10is then mounted to the lid38of the blender14, the cooling stick10will cool contents of the blender14.

The cooling stick for a blender10and the method of using the stick to cool the contents of a blender vessel have been described with reference to particular embodiments. Other modifications and enhancements can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims that follow.