Patent Publication Number: US-7717613-B1

Title: Portable blender with swiveling base

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Not Applicable 
   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
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   REFERENCE TO APPENDIX 
   Not Applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to the field of blenders, more specifically, a blender that has a mounting base designed for use with a vehicle, and of which is electrically powered by a cigarette lighter outlet. 
   B. Discussion of the Prior Art 
   As a preliminary note, it should be stated that there is an ample amount of prior art that deals with blenders. As will be discussed immediately below, no prior art discloses a portable blender that has a mounting base designed for use with a vehicle. 
   The Navedo et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,959,562) discloses a portable frozen drink machine having an AC power adapter or a car lighter adapter. However, the machine does not secure itself to a mounting base that is designed for use with a vehicle. 
   The Schuecher Patent Application Publication (U.S. Pub. No. 2008/0018303) discloses a cordless power supply to be used to power an electric blender that includes a vehicle accessory power plug adapter. However, the power supply does not involve a portable blender that has a mounting base designed for use with a moving vehicle. 
   The Parlor, Sr. Patent Application Publication (U.S. Pub. No. 2002/0089894) discloses a device for storing, mixing, and dispensing liquids including a lighter outlet connection. However, the device does not provide portable blending capabilities and mount upon a support that is designed for use with a moving vehicle. 
   The Forrester Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,318) discloses a portable beverage dispenser having heating and cooling means and a cigarette lighter plug for connection in a vehicle cigarette lighter socket. However, the beverage dispenser does not include portable blending capabilities and mount upon a support base that is suited for use with a vehicle. 
   The Balderson Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,079) discloses a coffee making appliance having a base with a cigarette lighter plug adapter and a recess for mounting a coffee pot. However, the base of the coffee maker does not rotate as the vehicle turns but simply is mounted to a surface inside of the vehicle. 
   The Nakato et al. Patent Application Publication (U.S. Pub. No. 2007/0119867) discloses a chilled drink preparation control device. However, the chilled preparation drink device does not have a base designed for use with a vehicle, and of which has a cigarette lighter plug. 
   The Herbert Patent Application Publication (U.S. Pub. No. 2006/0193200) discloses a device for providing a visual indication of the amount of liquid or other materials in a blender cup. However, the blender cup does not include a base that is suited for use in a vehicle, and of which is powered by a cigarette lighter socket of said vehicle. 
   The Wulf et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,821) discloses a blender base including a shell of plastic construction that has food processor capabilities. However, the blender base does not have a mount suited for use with a vehicle wherein the base pivots. 
   The Noles Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,570) discloses a coffee brewing device for use in a vehicle wherein the base has a power cord with a cigarette lighter adapter. However, the coffee brewing device does not blend the contents contained therein, nor does the base pivot so as to steady the contents contained therein when the vehicle is moving. 
   While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe a portable blender that provides for the advantages of the portable blender. In this regard, the portable blender departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention is an improved portable blender for use in a vehicle that has a self-righting base capable of pivoting in order to balance out the contents contained in the blender while the vehicle is moving. The base also has a power cord with a cigarette lighter adapter. 
   An object of the invention is to provide a blender that does not spill while inside of a moving vehicle. 
   A further object of the invention is to provide a base for a portable blender that secures itself to the interior of a vehicle. 
   A further object of the invention is to power the portable blender via a power cord having a cigarette lighter adapter. 
   These together with additional objects, features and advantages of the portable blender will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the portable blender when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
   In this respect, before explaining the current embodiments of the portable blender in detail, it is to be understood that the portable blender is not limited in its applications to the details of construction and arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustration. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept of this disclosure may be readily utilized as a basis for the design of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the portable blender. It is therefore important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the portable blender. It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for purposes of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention: 
     In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a front, isometric view of the portable blender by itself; 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded, isometric view of the blender base, the blade, the seal, and the blender container; 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of the portable blender swiveling along a single axis within the swiveling base; 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of the blender with the electrical cord by itself; 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a bottom view of the blender base; 
       FIG. 6  illustrates the invention in use; 
       FIG. 7  further illustrates a side view of the various components of the invention; and 
       FIG. 8  illustrates an isometric view of the various components of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
   Detailed reference will now be made to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in  FIGS. 1-8 . A portable blender  10  (hereinafter invention) includes a portable blender  11  and a swiveling means  21 . 
   The portable blender  11  includes a blender plate  12 , blender base  13 , electrical cord  13 A, blade  14 , seal  15 , blender container  16 , blender container handle  16 A, and lid  17 . 
   Located on the blender base  13  are a plurality of controls  13 B, and a plurality of rubber feet  13 C. The blender plate  12  has a plurality of grooves  12 A that correlate with the rubber feet  13 C of the blender base  13 . However, it shall be noted that the invention does not require the use of the rubber feet  13 C nor the blender plate  12 . The inclusion of the blender plate  12  and the rubber feet  13 C insures adaptability of the invention  10  in that the swiveling means  21  and the blender plate  12  may be removed, and the portable blender simply rest inside of a vehicle  50 , as depicted in  FIG. 6 . 
   The inclusion of the rubber feet  13 C insures more overall stability of the invention  10 . It shall be noted that other stabilizing means may be used and comprise nylon hook and loop strips, or adhesive. It should be noted that the rubber feet  13 C may be made of a material further comprising plastic, metal, or wood. 
   The electrical cord  13 A has a cigarette outlet  13 D located on an end of the electrical cord  13 A. However, it shall be noted that the portable blender  11  may be powered by alternative powering means comprising a plurality of batteries, or a solar cell array. 
   The swiveling means  21  includes a first swiveling bowl  22 , a second swiveling bowl  23 , and a swiveling base  24 . The first swiveling bowl  22  includes a recess  22 A along a top surface, which further supports the blender plate  12  and the blender base  13 . The first swiveling bowl  22  has along a bottom surface an obviously domed-shape bottom. About the middle of the outer domed-shaped surface of the first swiveling bowl  22 , is a first axial groove  22 B. 
   The second swiveling bowl  23  has a domed-shaped cavity  23 A located along a top surface of the second swiveling bowl  23 . The second swiveling bowl  23  also has a swiveling bar  23 B mounted within the cavity  23 A via mounting screws  23 C. The swiveling bar  23 B interacts with the first axial groove  22 B to enable the first swiveling base  22  to rotate in a first axis within the second swiveling bowl  23 . 
   The second swiveling bowl  23  also includes a generally domed-shaped bottom surface having a second axial groove  23 D. 
   The swiveling base  24  includes a bowl-shaped cavity  24 A, swiveling bar  24 B, screws  24 C to mount the swiveling bar  24 B within the cavity  24 A. The second axial groove  23 D rests upon the swiveling bar  24 B and enables the second swiveling base  23  to rotate in a second axis within the swiveling base  24 . 
   It shall be further noted that the swiveling base  21  may in the alternative have a single rotational axis involving a first swiveling bowl and a swiveling base. 
   It shall be noted that the orientation of the first rotational axis shall be perpendicular with respect to the second rotational axis. Thus, the swiveling means  21  enables the portable blender  11  to horizontally rotate 360 degrees about the swiveling means  21 . It is being asserted that the inclusion of the swiveling means  21  enables the invention  10  to be more spill-proof than a typical blender would be in a moving vehicle. 
   With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationship for the various components of the invention  10 , to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and the manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the invention  10 . 
   It shall be noted that those skilled in the art will readily recognize numerous adaptations and modifications which can be made to the various embodiments of the present invention which will result in an improved invention, yet all of which will fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims. Accordingly, the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.