Abstract:
A slush beverage maker is provided that is easy to assemble and disassemble, has few parts, and is easy to operate. The slush beverage maker has a mixing chamber for receiving ingredients to make a slush beverage. An auger is received within the mixing chamber to mix the ingredients. An ice drum is received within the auger in the mixing chamber. An ice blade is disposed in the ice drum to stir the ice mixture received by the ice drum when making a slush beverage. A hand crank is connected to both the auger and the ice blade to rotate both simultaneously. A blowby area in the mixing chamber outside the auger provides continuous flow of the slush beverage mixture, thereby avoiding freezing the auger within the mixture. Moreover, the ice blade speeds up the heat transfer between the slush beverage mixture and the ice mixture, thereby decreasing the time required to make a slush beverage.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a slush beverage maker. More particularly, the present invention relates to a slush beverage maker having a blade that rotates a salt and ice mixture to more quickly make a slush beverage. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a slush beverage maker having a blowby area that eliminates locking of the auger within a mixing chamber.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Slush beverage machines are typically utilized to produce frozen or semi-frozen beverages. Existing slush beverage makers are generally for commercial use, and, therefore, are complex, large and unattractive. Due to the complexity and large number of parts of the commercial slush beverage makers, they are high maintenance machines. Maintenance of commercial slush beverage makers generally includes daily disassembly of the slush beverage makers and lubrication of the parts, as well as requiring trained personnel to operate, maintain, assemble and disassemble the makers. The commercial slush beverage makers do not translate into an inexpensive and easy to use slush beverage makers for home use.  
           [0003]    Another problem with commercial slush beverage makers is that long periods of time are required to transform liquids into a frozen slush beverage, typically taking over two hours. Such a lengthy period of time is not acceptable or practical for preparing a slush beverage at home.  
           [0004]    Another problem with existing commercial slush beverage makers is that they use refrigeration to cool the liquid in order to make a slush beverage. Refrigeration is not cost effective nor practical for a home slush beverage maker.  
           [0005]    Another problem with existing commercial slush beverage makers is that the machines need to be substantially full of slush beverage in order to dispense properly. In commercial environments, slush beverage makers are easily kept substantially full of slush beverage as the makers are in constant use. However, keeping a slush beverage maker substantially full in the home environment is not practical.  
           [0006]    Thus, there is a continuing need to provide improved slush beverage makers.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The slush beverage maker of the present invention is compact, easy to assemble and disassemble, has few parts, and is simple to operate.  
           [0008]    The slush beverage maker operates by mixing/rotating a high Brix solution of sugar water around a drum filled with ice and salt. Thermal equilibration transfers the cold from the ice mixture in the drum to the sugar water outside the drum, thereby freezing the sugar water solution. Keeping the sugar water solution in motion throughout the thermal equilibration process creates a mixture having a slush consistency. The sugar water solution freezes and sticks to the ice drum during the process. The rotating auger scrapes the ice crystals off the drum and keeps the ice crystals in motion. The rotating auger also provides the downward force to dispense the frozen slush beverage from the container.  
           [0009]    The slush beverage maker has a mixing chamber for receiving the ingredients to make the slush beverage. An auger is received within the mixing chamber to mix the ingredients. An ice drum is received within the auger in the mixing chamber. An ice blade is disposed in the ice drum to stir the ice mixture received by the ice drum when making a slush beverage. A hand crank is connected to both the auger and the ice blade to rotate both simultaneously. A blowby area in the mixing chamber outside the auger allows continuous flow of the slush beverage mixture. The helical shaped auger provides downward flow to the slush beverage mixture. The blowby area provides a path for the slush beverage to flow back up the mixing chamber. Moreover, the ice blade within the ice chamber agitates the ice/salt mixture in order to speed up the heat transfer between the slush beverage mixture and the ice mixture, thereby decreasing the time required to make a slush beverage to less than five minutes.  
           [0010]    By having few parts, the slush beverage maker of the present invention is easy to assemble and disassemble. Moreover, very little maintenance is required to keep the slush beverage maker in operating condition. Operating the slush beverage maker merely requires adding ingredients to the mixing chamber and to the ice drum, turning the crank to rotate both the auger and the ice blade simultaneously, and opening a valve to dispense the produced slush beverage once the sugar water solution has reached a desired consistency.  
           [0011]    Other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses preferred embodiments of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    Referring now to the drawings that form a part of the original disclosure:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is an exploded front elevational view of the slush beverage maker according to a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the slush beverage maker of FIG. 1;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the slush beverage maker of FIG. 1;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a top view of the slush beverage maker of FIG. 1 showing the blowby area;  
         [0017]    m FIG. 5 is a cross sectional elevational view along line  5 - 5  of FIG. 4 showing the blowby area;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a cross sectional elevational view along line  6 - 6  of FIG. 4 showing the blowby area;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the slush beverage maker according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the slush beverage maker of FIG. 2. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]    As shown in FIGS.  1 - 6 , a slush beverage maker  11  according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes a mixing chamber  21 , an auger  31 , an ice drum  41 , an ice blade  51 , a crank assembly  12  and a valve assembly  61 . The slush beverage maker provided by the present invention is compact, has few parts, and quickly and easily makes a slush beverage.  
         [0022]    The slush beverage maker  11  has a base  20  and a stand  19 , as shown in FIG. 1, that support the mixing chamber  21  and ice drum  41 . Stand  19  may be connected to base  20  in any suitable manner. Alternatively, the stand  19  and base  20  may be made as a single unit.  
         [0023]    A valve assembly  61  is connected to the stand  19  to dispense the slush beverage from the mixing chamber  21 . The valve assembly  61  includes a valve  62 , a connector  63  and a handle  64 . The connector  63  joins the handle  64  to the valve  62 . Moving the handle  64  opens the valve assembly, thereby dispensing the slush beverage from the mixing chamber  21  when crank assembly  12  is being rotated.  
         [0024]    The mixing chamber  21 , as shown in FIGS.  1 - 6 , is a container that receives the sugar, water and other ingredients to make a sugar water solution. The mixing chamber  21  is connected to the stand  19  in any suitable manner, such as by gluing or ultrasonic welding. An opening  28  in base  25  of the mixing chamber  21  is aligned with the valve  62  of the valve assembly  61 . The mixing chamber  21  has a wall  22  extending substantially perpendicularly from base  25  to define a mixing area  26 . Wall  22  has an inner surface  23  and an outer surface  24 . Cover  27  snaps onto wall  22  to enclose the mixing chamber  21 . A blowby area  29  is formed in wall  22 . The blowby area  29  extends longitudinally from base  25  to a distal end of wall  22 . The blowby area  29  is outside the auger area  84  (FIGS. 5 and 6) covered by the rotation of the auger  31 , so that a flow path is created beyond the outer edges  39  of the auger blade  32 . Preferably, the mixing chamber  21  is substantially cylindrical. Preferably, the mixing chamber  21  and cover  27  are made of plastic.  
         [0025]    The ice drum  41 , as shown in FIGS.  1 - 6 , is a container that receives ice and salt to form an ice mixture. The ice drum  41  is received within the housing chamber  21 . The ice drum has a wall  43  that extends substantially perpendicularly from base  46  to define an ice mixture receiving area  42 . Ice drum wall  43  has an inner surface  44  and an outer surface  45 . A recess  47  in the base  46  of the ice drum receives an ice blade  51 . A lid  49  covers the ice drum  41 . An opening  48  enables ice blade  51  to pass through the lid  49 . Preferably, the ice drum  41  is substantially cylindrical. Preferably, ice drum  41  is made of metal to better facilitate heat transfer through the ice drum.  
         [0026]    A lower end  54  of an ice blade  51  receives bearing  57  and bushing  59  that enable rotation of the blade relative to the ice drum  41 . Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7, a bearing assembly  157  may be permanently fixed to the ice blade  151 . The bearing  57  and bushing  59  are received by the recess  47  in the base  46  of the ice drum  41 . The ice blade  51  has a post  53  and a plurality of substantially flat blades  55  extending laterally outward from the post. Upper end  56  of the post  53  is a flat blade received by a second slot  75  in engagement disc  71 . Preferably, the ice blade  51  is made of metal.  
         [0027]    Auger  31  is positioned within the mixing chamber  21  between inner surface  23  of wall  22  and outer surface  45  of wall  43  of ice drum  41 . As shown in FIG. 1, the auger  31  is a single blade  32  having a helical shape. A first end  37  of the auger blade  32  is connected to rim  36 . The second end  38  of auger blade  32  is connected to wiper  33 . Posts  34  extend longitudinally along outer edges of the auger blade to provide rigidity to the auger  31 . A plurality of tabs  35  extend longitudinally upward from the auger rim  36 . The tabs  35  are received by first slots  73  in engagement disc  71 .  
         [0028]    Engagement disc  71  has a plurality of first slots  73  for receiving tabs  35  on the auger rim  36 . A second slot  77  receives the flat blade portion  56  of ice blade  51 . A hub  77  is rigidly connected to an upper surface  79  of engagement disc  71 . Preferably, the hub  77  is hexagonal.  
         [0029]    Mixing top  81  fits inside mixing chamber  21 . An outer surface  85  of wall  83  of mixing top  81  mates with the inner surface  23  of wall  22  of mixing chamber  21 .  
         [0030]    Lid  27  covers the slush beverage maker  11 . An opening  30  in the lid  27  receives a first end  15  of crank arm  13  of crank assembly  12 . A second end  16  of crank arm  13  receives a knob  14 . First end  15  of crank arm  13  mates with hub  77  of engagement disc  71 . Preferably, first end  15  of crank arm is hexagonal for mating with a hexagonal engagement disc hub.  
         [0031]    The second embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, is functionally equivalent to the first embodiment, but has slight structural differences. Reference numbers are identical where no difference exists between parts of the first and second embodiment. The ice blade  151  has the bearing and bushing assembly  157  permanently attached to the ice blade. Upper portion  153  of the ice blade  151  is rectangular to connect to the rectangular opening  175  of the engagement disc  171 . The auger  131  has slots  135  for receiving tabs  173  of the engagement disc  171 . Lid  127  connects to mixing chamber  121 . Blowby paddle  165  has two mounting posts  167  that mate with mounting slots  166  of chamber  121 . Blowby paddle  165  rotates around mounting posts  167  by pressing down on handle  168 . Locking member  117  locks upper end  153  of ice blade  151  to the crank assembly  112 . As shown in FIG. 7, any suitable configuration of blade  155  is acceptable in order to adequately stir the ice and salt mixture in the ice container.  
         [0032]    Assembly and Operation  
         [0033]    A fully assembled slush beverage maker according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The mixing chamber  21  is preferably permanently attached to the base  20  and stand  19 . The valve assembly  61  is attached to the stand  19 .  
         [0034]    The ice blade  51  with the bearing  57  and bushing  59  is inserted into the ice drum  41 . Ice cubes and salt are added to the ice drum  41  to make an ice mixture. Ice drum lid  49  is then placed on the ice drum  41 .  
         [0035]    The auger  31  is inserted in the mixing chamber  21 . The ice drum assembly is then inserted into the mixing chamber  21  inside the auger  31 . The ice drum  41  connects to base  19  to prevent rotation of the ice drum. Water, sugar and other ingredients are added to the mixing chamber  21  to make a sugar water solution. Alternatively soda, root beer or any other sugar containing commercial beverage may be used. The engagement disc  71  is then connected to both the auger  31  and the ice blade  51 . Slots  73  in the engagement disc  71  receive tabs  35  on the auger  31  to connect the auger to the engagement disc so that the auger rotates with the engagement disc. The upper end  56  of the ice blade  51  is connected to the engagement disc hub  77  so that the ice blade rotates with the engagement disc. The mixing top  81  is then inserted within the mixing chamber  21 . The lid  27  snaps to wall  22  of the mixing chamber  21 .  
         [0036]    First end of crank arm is then connected to the engagement disc hub  77  to completely assemble the slush beverage maker as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.  
         [0037]    The slush beverage maker  11  operates by mixing and rotating the slush mixture in the housing chamber  21  that surrounds the ice drum  41  containing the ice mixture. Thermal equilibration transfers the cold from the ice mixture in the ice drum  41  to the sugar water solution outside the drum, thereby freezing the sugar water solution. Keeping the sugar water solution in motion throughout the thermal equilibration process produces a slush mixture from the sugar water solution. The sugar water solution freezes and sticks to the ice drum during the process. The rotating auger  31  scrapes the ice crystals off the outer surface  45  of the ice drum  41  and keeps the ice crystals in motion. The rotating auger  31  also provides the downward force to dispense the slush beverage from the mixing chamber  21 . Wiper  33  on the auger  31  sweeps slush beverage along the bottom  25  of the mixing chamber  21 , preventing slush mixture from freezing or sticking to the bottom of the mixing chamber.  
         [0038]    Ice and salt are added to the ice drum  41  to make an ice mixture. The salt reduces the freezing point of water thus making the water (melted ice) colder. Making the water in the ice drum  41  colder accelerates the thermal equilibration process and speeds up the process of making the slush beverage. Rotating the hand crank assembly  12  spins both the ice blade  51  and the auger  31  simultaneously. Rotating the ice blade  51  within the ice drum  41  dramatically accelerates the equilibration process.  
         [0039]    Rotating the auger  31  causes downward flow of the slush beverage. In order to provide continuous flow of the slush beverage, a blowby area  29  is provided in the mixing chamber  21  that allows slush beverage material to bypass the auger blades  32  when the blades are turning. The blowby area  29  is located in mixing chamber  21  outside the auger area  84  formed by the rotation of the auger  31 , as shown in FIGS.  2 - 6 , and runs vertically the full length of the mixing chamber. The blowby area  29  releases pressure that builds up at the bottom of the chamber as the slush beverage starts to freeze. This pressure release keeps the auger moving freely through the slush beverage mixture throughout the freezing process.  
         [0040]    The auger  31  fits with very tight tolerances between the ice drum  41  and the inside wall  23  of the mixing chamber  21 . The auger  31 , which is essentially a screw, forces the slush beverage to the bottom of the mixing chamber. The blowby area  29  allows a pathway for the slush beverage mixture to flow from the bottom  25  of the mixing chamber  21  to the top of the mixing chamber in response to the movement of slush material being forced to the bottom of the chamber by the auger  31 . The blowby area  29  provides this pathway for the slush beverage mixture, whether liquid or frozen, that is being driven down by the auger  31  that would have no outlet except to backflow around the outside and inside of the auger. Since the tolerances are very tight, the backflow would be very small, thereby reducing the function of the auger to a mixer.  
         [0041]    Opening the valve assembly  61  opens opening  28  in the bottom of the mixing chamber  21  allowing slush beverage to be dispensed from the slush beverage maker  11  when crank assembly  12  is being turned.  
         [0042]    The second embodiment operates in substantially the same way as the first embodiment with the exception of the addition of the blowby paddle  165 . During operation of the slush beverage maker, the blowby paddle handle  168  is depressed to rotate the paddle  165  around the posts  167  in slots  166 . The rotation of the paddle  165  pushes slush beverage material in the blowby area  129  onto the auger  131 . This function is particularly useful when the operator wants to dispense the entire slush beverage from the container mixing chamber  121 .  
         [0043]    While advantageous embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.