Abstract:
A device for mixing and frothing a liquid incorporates a container and a removable insert. The container has a bottom, a sidewall, and at least one opening. An upper portion of the insert projects outwards from the container. A lower portion of the insert has a shaft with a distal end located near the bottom of the container during operation. A motor is operable to rotate the shaft. A mixing blade is fixedly coupled with respect to the distal end of the shaft. A frothing assembly is movably coupled to the shaft, and incorporates a float and a frother. The float and frother remain near an upper surface of the liquid such that, regardless of the liquid level, the frother is position near the top surface to selectively froth the liquid therein.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/524,213 filed Aug. 16, 2011, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present disclosure generally is related to kitchen tools, and more particularly, to tools for mixing and frothing liquids. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    A wide variety of tools exist for mixing liquids and for frothing liquids, including but not limited to beverages such as chocolate milk or hot cocoa. A device that combines these functions has advantages. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In one embodiment, a device for simultaneously mixing and frothing a liquid incorporates a container and an insert. The container is adapated to hold a volume of the liquid. The container has a bottom, a sidewall, and at least one opening. The insert is removably received by the container during use. The insert has an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion of the insert projects outwards from the container during operation. The lower portion of the insert has a shaft with a distal end located near the bottom of the container during operation. A motor is operable to rotate the shaft during operation. A mixing blade is fixedly coupled with respect to the distal end of the shaft. A frothing assembly is movably coupled to the shaft. The frothing assembly incorporates a float and a frother. The float is adapted to maintain the float and the frother near an upper surface of the liquid during use such that, regardless of the liquid level in the container, the frother is position near the top surface to selectively froth the liquid therein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a container and insert adapted to mix and froth a liquid, according to one embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an elevation view of the insert of  FIG. 1  removed from the container. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an elevation view of the insert of  FIG. 2  with a portion of a housing removed to show elements inside the housing. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of the insert of  FIG. 3  with a portion of a cap removed to show elements inside the cap. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of the insert of  FIG. 4  with additional portions of the cap removed. 
           [0012]      FIGS. 6A-6C  are cross-sectional views of the container and insert of  FIG. 1 , viewed along Section  6 - 6 , collectively depicting the container containing three different levels of the liquid. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    The following detailed description is directed toward devices for mixing and frothing liquids, such as hot cocoa and other beverages and liquids. The following detailed description and corresponding figures are intended to provide an individual of ordinary skill in the art with enough information to enable that individual to make and use embodiments of the invention. Such an individual, however, having read this entire detailed description and reviewed the figures, will appreciate that modifications can be made to the illustrated and described embodiments, and/or elements removed therefrom, without deviating from the spirit of the invention. It is intended that all such modifications and deviations fall within the scope of the invention, to the extent they are within the scope of the associated claims. 
         [0014]    Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosed methods and structures. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates a mixing and frothing device  100  according to one particular embodiment. The device  100  generally incorporates a container  102  and an insert  104 . The illustrated container  102  is in the form of a pitcher  106  with an opening  108  at an upper end  110 . The opening  108  in the illustrated pitcher  106  is formed with a spout  112 . In this particular embodiment, the pitcher  106  is adapted for holding heated liquids; it is made using ceramic, although other materials could be used. The pitcher  106  also can be covered, at least partially, with a sleeve  114 , which can facilitate manipulation of the device  100  when it contains heated liquid. The illustrated insert  104  mates with the opening  108  in the pitcher  106 . An individual of ordinary skill in the art, having reviewed this entire disclosure, will immediately appreciate that various changes can be made to the container and pitcher without deviating from the spirit of the invention. 
         [0016]      FIG. 2  illustrates the insert  104  removed from the container  102 . The insert  104  has an operating end  116  and an opposing working end  118 . The operating end  116  of the insert  104  engages and projects outward from the opening  108  in the container  102  such that the user can contact the insert to operate the device  100 . The working end  118  of the insert projects into the container  102  to mix and froth a liquid therein during use. 
         [0017]    The operating end  116  of the illustrated insert  104  incorporates a housing  120  and a cap  122 . The housing  120  can be designed to prevent liquid in the container  102  from contacting components inside the operating end  116  of the insert  104 . The cap  122  mates with the housing  120  and covers and can protect the housing&#39;s internal components from elements outside the device  100 . A seal  124  between the housing  120  and the cap  122  can contact the opening  108  in the pitcher  106  and prevent liquid from escaping from the device during use. A button  126  or other actuator at the top of the cap  122  can be depressed or otherwise manipulated to operate the device  100 . The illustrated button  126  is covered with a layer of flexible and resilient material to allow the user to actuate the button without allowing liquid or other elements to enter the working end  116  of the device  100 . 
         [0018]    The working end  118  of the illustrated insert  104  incorporates a shaft  128 , a mixer  130 , a float  132 , and a frother  134 . The shaft  128  projects from the housing  120 , extending a distance selected to reach close to a bottom of the pitcher  106  or other container. As discussed below, the shaft  128  rotates with respect to the operating end  116  of the insert  104  to mix and froth a liquid in the container  120 . 
         [0019]    The mixer  130  is fixedly mounted to an end of the shaft  128  and rotates as a unit therewith to mix, stir or otherwise agitate the liquid in the container  102 . The illustrated mixer  130  has several angled blades  136  spaced radially around a perimeter of the mixer, angled to cause the liquid to move vertically (when the illustrated device  100  is resting on a horizontal counter) when the shaft  128  and mixer  130  rotates in the liquid. The mixer  130  can be permanently affixed to the shaft  128  or removably coupled thereto to be removed for cleaning, replacement, or otherwise. 
         [0020]      FIGS. 3-6  further illustrate some of the components of the insert  104 . In  FIG. 3  the housing  120  (and motor  138  therein) has been removed to allow viewing of the components therein. The shaft  128  engages the motor  138 , which is seated in the housing  120 , as best illustrated in  FIGS. 6A-6C . The motor  138  is electrically coupled to a power source  140 , such as the illustrated battery housing. A bushing  142  or other type of seal can prevent liquid from entering the housing  120 . The illustrated power source  140  is adapted to hold two batteries; however, an individual of ordinary skill in the art, having reviewed this entire disclosure, will immediately appreciate that other power sources could be used. 
         [0021]    The illustrated button  126  is incorporates an outer layer  144  of flexible material that allows users to depress the button  126  and can prevent liquid or other impurities from entering into the cap  122 . The flexible material of the outer layer  144  deforms when the button  126  is pushed, and return to its original shape when the button is released. 
         [0022]    In  FIG. 4  the outer layer  144  has been removed to allow for viewing of components inside the cap  122 . An inner layer  146  can be positioned beneath the outer layer  144  to move therewith, or in response thereto, during actuation. The illustrated inner layer  146  incorporates radially oriented lengths  148  of a resilient material, which can connect in the middle to form intersecting bridges across and above an open area inside the cap and above the power source  140 . The lengths  148  of resilient material cause the button  126  to spring back to its natural state when pressure is released. 
         [0023]    A projection  150  on a bottom surface of the inner layer  146 , located at a point of intersection of the lengths  148 , is oriented downward. When the button  126  is depressed, the outer layer  144  and inner layer  146  deflect downward, causing the projection  150  to move downward. As the projection  150  moves downward, it causes a contact  152  to close a circuit including the power source  140  (batteries not shown) and the motor  138 , driving the shaft  128 . The contact  152  can best be seen in  FIG. 5 , in which the inner layer  146  has been removed. As indicated above, when pressure is released from the button  126 , the resilient lengths  148  return the button returns to its natural state and the projection  150  moves away from the contact  152 , breaking the circuit and stopping the device  100 . An individual of ordinary skill in the art, having reviewed this entire disclosure, will immediately appreciate that different switch designs can be incorporated into the insert  104  without deviating from the spirit of the invention. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 6A through 6C  illustrate the device  100  in different conditions. In  FIG. 6A , the pitcher  106  contains a small volume of a liquid  154 ; in  FIG. 6B , the pitcher contains more liquid than in  FIG. 6A ; and in  FIG. 6C , the pitcher contains a high volume of liquid. As can be readily appreciated by comparing the three figures, as the liquid  154  level in the pitcher  106  rises, the float  132  remains at or near an upper surface of the liquid. The frother  134  is fixed with respect to the float  132  and, as such, also remains at or near the surface of the liquid  154 . The mixer  130 , however, can remain in a fixed location. As a result, the mixer  130  stirs and mixes the liquid  154 , while the frother  134  foams the top portion of the liquid, regardless of the liquid level in the pitcher  106 . An individual of ordinary skill in the art, having reviewed this disclosure in its entirety, will immediately appreciate that the size, shape and other features of the float  132  and frother  134  can be modified to cause the frother to rest just at, above or below the upper surface of the liquid, as desired for frothing purposes. Other modifications can be made to the design without deviating from the spirit of the invention. 
         [0025]    All of the above U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet, are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. 
         [0026]    From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.