Patent ID: 8459043

Claim:
An apparatus for producing frozen beverages, the apparatus comprising: a control unit comprising a user interface, the user interface allowing a user to input a request for a frozen beverage, the request being indicative of a desired flavor of the frozen beverage and a desired consistency of the frozen beverage, the desired consistency of the frozen beverage being one of a plurality of consistencies of frozen beverages producible by the apparatus; a dispensing system, responsive to signals from the control unit, for dispensing ingredients of the frozen beverage, the dispensing system comprising: an ice supply unit configured to supply ice for producing multiple frozen beverages; an ice fragmentation unit configured to fragment ice from the ice supply unit and dispense fragmented ice; a flavoring ingredient dispensing unit configured to store a plurality of supplies of flavoring ingredients, the flavoring ingredient dispensing unit being configured to dispense at least one flavoring ingredient from the supplies of flavoring ingredients in accordance with the desired flavor of the frozen beverage; and a milk product dispensing unit configured to store a supply of milk product, the milk product dispensing unit being configured to either dispense an amount of milk product from the supply of milk product or not dispense milk product from the supply of milk product in accordance with the desired consistency of the frozen beverage; and a mixing unit, responsive to at least one signal from the control unit, for mixing the ingredients of the frozen beverage.