Patent ID: 8685477

Claim:
A method for preparing a single serving frozen beverage in a single serving disposable drink container in which said beverage is both blended and served, said method comprising: preparing a supply of ice flakes that comprise from about 81 percent ice or frozen water to about 89 percent ice or frozen water by weight with the remainder unfrozen water or preparing ice nuggets comprising from about 89 percent ice or frozen water to about 97 percent ice or frozen water by weight with the remaining unfrozen water, dispensing a predetermined quantity of said ice flakes or ice nuggets into said single serving disposable drink container, dispensing a predetermined quantity of flavorings into said single serving disposable drink container, blending said ice flakes or ice nuggets and said flavorings by a blender that comprises a blender blade and a blender shaft that is attached to a blender motor to selectively rotate the blender blade, and wherein the blender blade oscillates vertically relative to the single serving disposable drink container, thereby reducing the ice to a finely divided state forming a substantially uniform frozen slurry beverage of a predetermined consistency, wherein the blending step blends said ice flakes or said ice nuggets and said flavorings in said single serving disposable drink container whereby a ring around a top that would extend a height of said single serving drink container is avoided, and securing said single serving disposable drink container during the dispensing and/or blending steps, said single serving disposable drink container being received by a retainer recess and a support surface, said retainer recess receiving and supporting only a lower portion of said single serving disposable drink container.