Abstract:
A blender blade or mixer blade guard device includes a guard housing having a top portion and a sidewall and a plurality of openings disposed in the guard housing. Each of the opening is located on the guard housing proximal to either the top portion, an interface between the top portion and the sidewall, the sidewall or any combinations thereof.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure generally relates to methods and apparatuses for blending or mixing with a blending or mixing blade. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a blender blade or mixer blade guard device that directs flow of ingredients that are blended or mixed by the blending or mixing blade. 
         [0003]    2. Discussion of the Background Art 
         [0004]    One conventional assembly that dispenses and mixes beverages and uses a blender blade or mixer blade guard device is shown in  FIG. 1 , and is referred to by reference numeral  100 . Assembly  100  is shown and described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/633,790, filed Dec. 8, 2009, that is hereby incorporated by reference. 
         [0005]    Assembly  100  makes ice, dispenses flavors/ingredients and ice into a serving cup  15 , and then blends or mixes to form a beverage. One such beverage, for example, is a smoothie that preferably includes a flavor ingredient and ice mixed together. As shown in  FIG. 2 , assembly  100  has an onboard ice maker, ice storage and portion control module  300 , a flavor/ingredient dispensing module  1100 , and a blender/mixer/cleaning module  303 . Assembly  100  shows ice maker, ice storage and portion control module  300 , flavor/ingredient dispensing module  1100 , and blender/mixer/cleaning module  303  as one integrated assembly. 
         [0006]    Referring back to  FIG. 1 , assembly  100  has a housing that includes a lower wall  6 , an upper wall  7 , side walls  11  and  12 , and a top wall  13 . Cup holders  14  removably hold cups  15  therein. Cup  15  may be disposable or reusable single serving cups. If cup  15  is disposable, such as, for example, paper or plastic cups, the beverage dispensed and mixed within cup  15  may be served directly to a customer eliminating the step of pouring the beverage into a serving cup and eliminating labor needed to wash an additional container. Cup  15  may be any size, such as, for example, about 10 ounces to about 32 ounces. 
         [0007]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , upper wall  7  has been removed from assembly  100  for illustration purposes. Assembly  100  has two blender/mixer/cleaning modules  303 . 
         [0008]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , blender/mixer/cleaning modules  303  each has a mixer housing  205  and an interior volume  230 . Interior volume  230  may be enclosed by a door  235  that moves to a closed position when in blending, mixing or cleaning mode and an open position uncovering interior volume  230  when blender/mixer/cleaning module  303  is in a load or unload mode. Bottom wall  225  may have a drain aperture  227 . 
         [0009]    Mixer housing  205  is optionally supported on a support structure  237 . Support structure  237  has a motor support  239  that extends therefrom. Motor support  239  is connected to a motor  240 . Motor  240  may be a stepper motor  241   a  with a linear slide  241  that is connected to motor support  239 . Motor  240  is connected to a mixer  245 . Motor  240  may be connected to mixer  245  by a bracket  247  that is moved by motor  240 . Motor  240  moves spindle shaft  260  of mixer  245  in a reciprocal vertical movement through top wall  220  into or out of interior volume  230 . 
         [0010]    Mixer  245  has a spindle assembly  242  having a blender blade  255  that is wider than a spindle shaft  260 . Blender blade  255  has projections that facilitate mixing of liquid within the cup  15 . Spindle shaft  260  connects to a mixer motor  265  that spins blender blade  255  and spindle shaft  260 . 
         [0011]    Mixer  245  may be attached to linear slide  241  so that linear slide  241  moves mixer  245  vertically. A controller provides a mixing profile that ensures proper mixing of the beverage. Linear slide  241  is driven by the stepper motor  241   a  that provides precise control of movement of linear slide  241 . Controller may move blender blade  255  about 25% into the liquid within cup  15  before mixer  245  is energized to spin blender blade  255 . By moving blender blade  255  about 25% into the liquid within cup  15  before mixer  245  is energized to spin blender blade  255 , splatter from mixer  245  energizing before entering into the beverage is reduced and/or eliminated. After blender blade  255  is energized a customizable program indexes blender blade  255  down into cup  15 . Blender blade  255  may be energized with a customizable program that indexes blender blade  255  down into cup  15  to ensure that ice, for example, nugget ice, has a particle size that is reduced to beverage specifications defined by the user. Blender blade  255  dwells at a bottom of cup  215  for a predetermined amount of time. Blender blade  255  is raised and lowered for a predetermined period of time to provide complete blending of components of the beverage. After mixing is complete spindle assembly  242  returns to a home position. Stepper motor  240   a  and linear slide  240  may have a controller that counts a number of steps that motor travels allowing precise location of blender blade  255  leading to uniform beverages each time a beverage is dispensed and mixed from assembly  100 . Preferably, blender blade  255  is an emulsifying blade. 
         [0012]    Blender blade  255  is surrounded by a blender blade or mixer blade guard device  289 . Blender blade  255  rotates inside of blender blade or mixer blade guard device  289  when mixer  245  is energized. 
         [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , spindle shaft  260  is positioned in a spindle shaft housing  292  so that spindle shaft  260  rotates inside of spindle shaft housing  292 . Blender blade or mixer blade guard device  289  has a top wall  294  connected to spindle shaft housing  292 . Blender blade or mixer blade guard device  289  has a sidewall  296  that extends from top wall  294 . Sidewall  296  has gaps  297  formed by two sidewall protrusions  298  on opposite sides of each of gaps  297 . 
         [0014]    Referring to  FIGS. 5-7 , blender blade  255  has a connector portion  255   a  that connects to spindle shaft  260  and three blade portions  255   b ,  255   c  and  255   d . Three blade portions  255   b ,  255   c  and  255   d  have blade portion  255   b  that is bent toward spindle shaft  260 , blade portion  255   c  bent away from spindle shaft  260  and blade portion  255   d  that is straight or unbent. Blender blade  255  is positioned inside of blender blade or mixer blade guard device  289  so that sidewall protrusions  298  extend beyond blender blade  255 . 
         [0015]    During mixing and blending, gaps  297  and sidewall protrusions  298  of blender blade or mixer blade guard device  289  allow high velocity particles to impact side walls of cup  15 . These high velocities project a slurry mix containing liquids and undissolved ice shards against inner sides of cup  15  whose material may be thin and brittle and susceptible to occasional cracking with the added stresses of impact and pressure from the liquid and solid slurry mix. 
         [0016]      FIG. 8  shows a diagram illustrating a top view of a primary flow  700 , illustrated by arrows, of a fluid or a solid and fluid mixture in cup  15  being mixed by blade  255  positioned in blender blade or mixer blade guard device  289 . Primary flow  700  is in a continuous circular flow inward toward a center of cup  15 . 
         [0017]      FIG. 9  is a diagram illustrating a top side perspective view of secondary flows, illustrated by arrows, of the fluid or the solid and fluid mixture in cup  15  being mixed by blade  255  positioned in blender blade or mixer blade guard device  289 . As shown in a circle  805 , secondary flows of the fluid or the solid and fluid mixture impact the side of cup  15 . 
         [0018]    Accordingly, there is a need for a blender blade or mixer blade guard device that reduces outward pressure and reduces a velocity of fluid and solid particles being blended or mixed that normally collide with the interior walls of cup  15 . 
         [0019]    The present disclosure also provides many additional advantages, which shall become apparent as described below. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0020]    A blender blade or mixer blade guard device is provided that includes a guard housing having a top portion and a sidewall and a plurality of openings disposed in the guard housing. Each of the opening is located on the guard housing proximal to either the top portion, an interface between the top portion and the sidewall, the sidewall or any combinations thereof. 
         [0021]    Further objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will be understood by reference to the following drawings, detailed description and appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a system that dispenses and mixes beverages according to the prior art; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a partial front cross-sectional view of the integrated ice maker bin and portion control assembly, dispensing nozzle and pair of oppositely disposed mixer/cleaning modules according to the prior art; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is a right side view of the blender/mixer/cleaning module of  FIG. 2  with a serving cup disposed therein, the blending blade in the retracted position and the door in the closed position according to the prior art; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is a top side perspective view of a spindle assembly connected to a motor having a blender blade or mixer blade guard device of the prior art. 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is a bottom side perspective view of the spindle assembly connected to the motor having the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged partial bottom side perspective view of the spindle assembly having the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged partial side cross-sectional view of the spindle assembly having the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 8  is a diagram illustrating a top view of a primary flow of fluid or a solid and fluid mixture in a cup being mixed by the spindle assembly connected to the motor having the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 9  is a diagram illustrating a top side perspective view of secondary flows of the fluid or the solid and fluid mixture in the cup being mixed by the spindle assembly connected to the motor having the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0031]      FIG. 10  is a top side perspective view of a blender blade or mixer blade guard device according to the present disclosure. 
           [0032]      FIG. 11  is a bottom side perspective view of the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0033]      FIG. 12  is a top view of the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0034]      FIG. 13  is a side view of the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0035]      FIG. 14  is a bottom view of the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0036]      FIG. 15  is a top side perspective view of the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0037]      FIG. 16  is a bottom side perspective view of the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0038]      FIG. 17  is a top side perspective view of a spindle assembly connected to a motor having the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0039]      FIG. 18  is a partial top side perspective view of the spindle assembly having the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0040]      FIG. 19  is a bottom side perspective view of the spindle assembly connected to the motor having the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0041]      FIG. 20  is a bottom side perspective view of the spindle assembly having the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 10  with a portion cut away. 
           [0042]      FIG. 21  is an enlarged partial bottom side perspective view of the spindle assembly having the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0043]      FIG. 22  is an enlarged partial side cross-sectional view of the spindle assembly having the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0044]      FIG. 23  is a partial side view of the spindle assembly having the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 10  having the spindle assembly and the blender blade or mixer blade guard device that are transparent. 
           [0045]      FIG. 24  is an enlarged partial top cross-sectional view of the spindle assembly having the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0046]      FIG. 25  is a bottom view of the spindle assembly having the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0047]      FIG. 26  is a diagram illustrating a top view of a primary flow of a fluid or a solid and fluid mixture in a cup being mixed by the spindle assembly connected to the motor having the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0048]      FIG. 27  is a diagram illustrating a top side perspective view of secondary flows of the fluid or the solid and fluid mixture in the cup being mixed by the spindle assembly connected to the motor having the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0049]      FIG. 28  is a diagram of a side view of the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 10  illustrating flow of the fluid or the solid and fluid mixture being mixed by the blade in the blender blade or mixer blade guard device. 
           [0050]      FIG. 29  is a top view of another embodiment of a blender blade or mixer blade guard device according to the present disclosure. 
           [0051]      FIG. 30  is a side view of the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 29 . 
           [0052]      FIG. 31  is a bottom view of the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 29 . 
           [0053]      FIG. 32  is a top side perspective view of the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 29 . 
           [0054]      FIG. 33  is a bottom side perspective view of the blender blade or mixer blade guard device of  FIG. 29 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0055]    Referring to the drawings and in particular to  FIG. 10 , an exemplary embodiment of a blender blade or mixer blade guard device according to the present disclosure is shown and is generally referred to by reference numeral  600  (“guard device  600 ”). Guard device  600  has a guard wall  605  with an exterior surface  606 . Guard wall  605  has a top wall  610  and a sidewall  615  connected to top wall  610 . Sidewall  615  is connected to top wall  610  at an intersection  620 . Intersection  620  may be a bend in guard wall  605 . Sidewall  615  extends away from top wall  610 , for example, forming an angle of 65.55 degrees. Openings  625  are through guard wall  605 . Openings  625  are at a position through intersection  620 , top wall  610  and sidewall  615 . Top wall  610  has a connection aperture  630 . Variable shaped orifices are possible for openings  625 , and elongated ovals/kidney bean shapes are depicted. Preferably, openings  625  do not have sharp edges. Top wall  610  is connected to a connection wall  635  that surrounds connection aperture  630 . 
         [0056]    Referring to  FIG. 11 , guard wall  605  has an interior surface  607 . Guard wall  605  increases in thickness from a position on top wall  610  to connection aperture  630  forming a curved portion  640  of interior surface  607 . 
         [0057]    Referring to  FIGS. 12-16 , sidewall  615  increases in size from top wall  610  to an end  645  of sidewall  615 . End  645  surrounds a bottom opening  646  of guard  600 . Sidewall  615  increases in size at a first rate from top wall  610  to a first distance D 1  and sidewall  615  increases in size at a second rate from first distance D 1  to end  645 . Second rate is greater than the first rate forming a flared portion  647  from first distance D 1  to end  645 . 
         [0058]    Referring to  FIGS. 17 and 18 , guard device  600  may be used with blender/mixer/cleaning modules  303  of  FIGS. 1-3 . However, guard device  600  may be used with any blender or mixer blade. Referring to  FIG. 17 , guard device  600  is connected to spindle shaft housing  292  of blender/mixer/cleaning modules  303 . Guard device  600  is connected to spindle shaft housing  292  at connection wall  635 . 
         [0059]    Referring to  FIGS. 19-23 , guard device  600  is connected to spindle shaft housing  292  so that blender blade  255  is surrounded by guard wall  605  and so that guard wall  605  extends beyond blender blade  255 . 
         [0060]    Referring to  FIGS. 24-25 , blender blade  255  is positioned in guard device  600  so that blade portions  255   b ,  255   c  and  255   d  overlap openings  625 . Each of blade portions  255   b ,  255   c  and  255   d  has a leading edge  256  and a trailing edge  257 . Leading edge  256  is on an opposite side of trailing edge  257  on each of blade portions  255   b ,  255   c  and  255   d . Leading edge  256  is upstream of trailing edge  257  when blender blade  255  is rotated in a direction R. 
         [0061]    Referring to  FIGS. 26-27 , during operation of blender/mixer/cleaning modules  303 , spindle shaft  260  rotates blender blade  255  in guard device  600  that generates two main flows of a fluid or a solid and fluid mixture in a container, for example, cup  15 : a primary flow  900  as illustrated by arrows in  FIG. 26 , and secondary flows  1200  illustrated by arrows in  FIG. 27 . Primary flow  900  includes of three zones  905 ,  910  and  915 . Each of zones  905 ,  910  and  915  has a swirl flow pattern that meets in a center  920 . Secondary flows  1200  include of five zones  1205 ,  1210 ,  1215 ,  1220  and  1225  below a surface  1230 , inside cup  15 . A central vortex is formed down from a center  1230  and eddies perpendicular to the central vortex form in each of zones  1205 ,  1210 ,  1215  and  1220 . A flow fountains up into guard device  600  that is located at a position  1233  that is symmetrical to the vertical axis  1235  of cup  15 . A swirling flow forms in zone  1225  in guard device  600  which also has eddies perpendicular to vertical axis  1235 . 
         [0062]    Referring to  FIG. 28 , the present disclosure has found that position of openings  625  through guard wall  605  distinguishes guard device  600  from previous art, for example, blender blade or mixer blade guard device  289 . Openings  625  change a flow of the fluid or the solid and fluid mixture as follows: as leading edge  256  of each of blade portions  255   b ,  255   c  and  255   d  passes under openings  625 , the fluid or the solid and fluid mixture is drawn into guard device  600  through openings  625 , as shown by arrow M, and, as trailing edge  257  of each of blade portions  255   b ,  255   c  and  255   d  passes under openings  625 , the fluid or the solid and fluid mixture is drawn out through openings  625  out of guard device  600 , as shown by arrow N and as shown by portion  1240  in  FIG. 27 , this sequence reoccurs with each passage of blade portions  255   b ,  255   c  and  255   d . Referring to  FIGS. 27 and 28 , a majority of flow of the fluid or the solid and fluid mixture enters guard device  600  through bottom opening  646 , as shown by the arrows in  FIG. 27  and as shown by arrow O in  FIG. 28 , and exits out of guard device  600  through openings  625  generating a flow path of a majority of the mass flow rate. It has been found by the present disclosure that guard device  600  generates greater top to bottom circulation over the prior art, for example, blender blade or mixer blade guard device  289 . 
         [0063]    Guard device  600  eliminates high arching gaps  297  in blender blade or mixer blade guard device  289  therefore also eliminating excessive side forces on cup  15  that increases mixing time by forcing the fluid or the solid and fluid mixture to the bottom of the cup. 
         [0064]    Guard device  600  shields the inside walls of any container that is used to hold solids and fluids to be mixed or blended, for example, cup  15 , from direct impacts from any solids that are impacted or flowed by rotation of blender blade  255 . Guard device  600  encloses blender blade  255  to reduce possible contact of blender blade  255  to a user of a blender or mixer that includes guard  600 . 
         [0065]    This allows fluid circulation through openings  625  of guard device  600  and reduces outward pressure over blender blade or mixer blade guard device  289 . Fluid circulation through openings  625  of guard device  600  reduces a velocity of fluid and solid particles being blended or mixed that normally collide with the interior walls of cup  15 , so that cracking of the wall of cup  15  is reduced or eliminated. Cup  15  is, for example, made of a polypropylene material. 
         [0066]    Guard device  600  creates mixing and/or blending with a blender and/or mixing blade that reduces a time needed to mix and/or blend over use of blender blade or mixer blade guard device  289 . 
         [0067]    Referring to  FIGS. 29-33 , another embodiment of a blender blade or mixer blade guard device according to the present disclosure is shown and is generally referred to by reference numeral  600   a  (“guard device  600   a ”). Guard device  600   a  is similar to guard device  600 , however, openings  625  are through top wall  610 , sidewall  615  increases in size at a single rate from top wall  610  to end  645 , and top wall  610  is not connected to connection wall  635  that surrounds connection aperture  630 . 
         [0068]    While we have shown and described several embodiments in accordance with our invention, it is to be clearly understood that the same may be susceptible to numerous changes apparent to one skilled in the art. Therefore, we do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described but intend to show all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the appended claims.