The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 27, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 29, 1999
David J. Kolar, Streetsboro, OH (US);
Benjamin J. Dastoli, Brunswick, OH (US);
Brent A. Miller, Olmsted Township, OH (US);
David J. Barnard, North Olmsted, OH (US);
Richard D. Boozer, Wakeman, OH (US);
Vita-Mix Corporation, Cleveland, OH (US);
Abstract
A drink-blending machine (,) includes an ice-shaving unit (,) and a blender assembly (,). The ice-shaving unit (,) is adapted to transfer ice from a bin (,) to the pitcher (,) of the blender assembly (,). A weighing mechanism (,) includes a deflection beam (,), one end of which carries the pitcher (,). The deflection beam (,) includes a strain gauge (,) which provides a signal proportional to weight to a control circuitry box (,). In operation of the machine (,), a quantity of liquid is placed in the pitcher (,) and dependent upon the weight of ice or liquid-to-ice ratio predetermined by depressing a selected button (,), ice from the ice-shaving unit (,) is transferred to the pitcher (,) until the predetermined weight of ice is received by the pitcher (,).