Beverage maker having a detachably connectable mixing container

Abstract

A frozen beverage maker is described, comprising a housing, a mixing container for mixing beverage products, and a flexible seal. The housing includes an upper housing portion and a lever movable relative to the upper housing portion between a coupled position and a non-coupled position. The flexible seal is located between the upper housing portion and the mixing container. The lever couples the mixing container to the upper housing portion when in the coupled position and separates the mixing container from the upper housing portion when in the non-coupled position. When the lever is in the coupled position, the mixing container is sealed to the upper housing portion by the flexible seal.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a beverage maker, and more specifically, to a frozen beverage maker comprising a detachably coupled mixing container configured to be easily installed and removed from the frozen beverage maker with minimal user effort. Background Technology

[0002] A frozen drink maker, which may also be referred to as a semi-frozen beverage maker or a crushed-ice drink maker, typically comprises a transparent tank or mixing container in which a beverage product is received and cooled, and typically converts the beverage product from a pure liquid (or a combination of liquid and ice parts) into a frozen or semi-frozen product, such as, for example, granita, slush drink, smoothie, ice cream, or other frozen or semi-frozen product, which is then discharged. The cooled product is typically discharged through a tap, spigot, or dispenser located near the front and bottom of the container. Accordingly, the term "frozen drink maker" as used herein is not limited to a device that produces only beverages or frozen beverages, but includes a device that cools a received beverage product to produce a cooled product in any of the various frozen and semi-frozen forms. Beverage products typically consist of a mixture of water or milk, syrup, flavoring powder, or other additives that impart the desired taste and color to the beverage.

[0003] Some conventional frozen beverage makers include a mixing system within a mixing vessel having a mixing blade or auger that is rotated by a motor via a drive shaft and a drive assembly. Some conventional frozen beverage makers include a refrigeration system having a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator (i.e., a chiller) for receiving refrigerant from said compressor, wherein the evaporator is located adjacent to or within the mixing vessel to cool the beverage product during processing.

[0004] Some existing frozen beverage makers include a controller that controls the operation of the frozen beverage maker related to the production of beverage products, including the temperature of the frozen food product during processing. means of solving the problem

[0005] The present application addresses defects associated with conventional frozen beverage makers, such as reducing the force required to install and remove a mixing container from a device in various embodiments. A unique lever is described that provides a useful mechanical advantage, allowing a user to easily and securely attach the mixing container to the upper housing of the frozen beverage maker with only one hand if desired. The lever is configured to move relative to the upper housing between a non-engaged position and an engaged position. When the lever is in the engaged position, the mixing container is sealed against the upper housing by a flexible seal. The flexible seal may include a face seal that contacts a vertically aligned surface of the upper housing with a vertically aligned side of the mixing container. The flexible seal may include a container seal portion configured to create a watertight seal between the mixing container and the upper housing, and an evaporator seal portion configured to seal an evaporator within the mixing container. When the lever is moved to the non-engaged position, the lever separates the mixing container from the upper housing. The lever may include a cam function portion that provides significant compression. The present application describes an exemplary system, method, and apparatus that enables a mixing container to be easily installed and removed from a frozen beverage maker in a more adaptive and user-friendly manner.

[0006] In some embodiments, a frozen beverage maker is described. The frozen beverage maker comprises a housing, a mixing container for mixing beverage products, and a flexible seal. The housing comprises an upper housing portion and a lever movable relative to the upper housing portion between a coupled position and a non-coupled position. The flexible seal is positioned between the upper housing portion and the mixing container. The lever couples the mixing container to the upper housing portion when in the coupled position and separates the mixing container from the upper housing portion when in the non-coupled position. When the lever is in the coupled position, the mixing container is sealed to the upper housing portion by the flexible seal.

[0007] In selected embodiments, the mixing container has a substantially cylindrical shape having a base with an opening formed therein, and when the lever is in the engaged position, the opening is sealed by the flexible seal. In these and other embodiments, the opening is substantially circular. The opening may be positioned to face horizontally when the lever is in the engaged position. The flexible seal may include a face seal that contacts a vertically aligned surface of the upper housing portion with a vertically aligned side of the mixing container. In selected embodiments, the lever includes a handle that allows a user to move the lever between the engaged position and the unengaged position. In these and other embodiments, the handle is located closer to the upper housing portion in the engaged position than in the unengaged position. In some of these embodiments, when moving between the engaged and unengaged positions, the handle moves less than 90° relative to the upper housing portion. In selected embodiments, the movement of the handle to move the lever to the engaged position acts a cam within the upper housing portion, and the cam engages with a corresponding engagement portion on the mixing container to secure the mixing container to the upper housing portion. In these and other embodiments, the cam also includes a release function for applying a release force to the mixing container when the lever is moved from a coupled position to a non-coupled position. In a selected embodiment, the frozen beverage maker also includes a drive motor and an interlock switch located within the upper housing and configured to be activated when the mixing container is coupled to the housing to allow operation of the drive motor. In various embodiments, the lever is rotatably coupled to the upper housing.

[0008] In some embodiments, a method for producing a frozen beverage using a frozen beverage making device is described. The frozen beverage making device comprises a housing, a mixing vessel, and a flexible seal. The housing comprises an upper housing portion and a lever movable relative to the upper housing portion between a coupled position and a non-coupled position. The mixing vessel is arranged to be coupled to the upper housing portion. The flexible seal is positioned between the upper housing portion and the mixing vessel. The lever comprises a handle movable to position the lever in a coupled position and / or a non-coupled position. When the lever is in the coupled position, the mixing vessel is sealed to the upper housing portion by the flexible seal. The method comprises coupling the mixing vessel onto the upper housing portion by moving the handle relative to the upper housing portion to position the lever in the coupled position, operating the frozen beverage making device to produce a frozen beverage, and separating the mixing vessel from the upper housing portion by moving the handle relative to the upper housing portion to position the lever in the non-coupled position.

[0009] In one embodiment, coupling the mixing container onto the upper housing portion involves moving the handle toward the upper housing portion. In these and other embodiments, separating the mixing container from the upper housing portion involves moving the handle away from the upper housing portion and / or toward the front of the housing. In one embodiment, moving the handle relative to the upper housing portion to position the lever in the coupling position is performed with only one hand. In these and other embodiments, moving the handle relative to the upper housing portion to position the lever in the non-coupled position is performed with only one hand.

[0010] In another embodiment, a frozen beverage maker is described comprising a housing, a mixing vessel for mixing beverage products, and a flexible seal. The housing comprises an upper housing portion and a coupling mechanism movable with respect to the upper housing portion between a coupled position and a non-coupled position. The flexible seal is positioned between the upper housing portion and the mixing vessel. The coupling mechanism couples the mixing vessel to the upper housing portion when in the coupled position and separates the mixing vessel from the upper housing portion when in the coupled position. When the coupling mechanism is in the coupled position, the mixing vessel is sealed to the upper portion of the housing by the flexible seal.

[0011] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the systems, methods, and apparatus described herein may, without limitation, be applied to other types of food products, such as the manufacture and / or processing of ice cream, frozen yogurt, other creams, etc. While this disclosure describes examples of beverage makers for processing various frozen and / or semi-frozen beverage products, the systems, apparatus, and methods described herein are not limited to these beverage products and may process and / or manufacture other types of beverage products, such as chilled beverage products and / or cold beverage products. As used herein, the terms “mix,” “mixed,” or “mixing” are not limited to combining multiple ingredients together, but also include mixing beverage products or liquids having a single ingredient or without added ingredients. For example, a beverage product may consist solely of water that is mixed by a dasher during processing, that is, as the dasher rotates, portions of the water are stirred and / or mixed with one another. This allows the entire water and / or liquid in the mixing container to have a more uniform temperature by, for example, mixing parts of water and / or liquid having different temperatures together.

[0012] The advantages of these and other structures will become apparent upon reading the detailed description below and examining the related drawings. The foregoing general description and the detailed description below are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the embodiments of the present disclosure as claimed. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0013] The present disclosure will be more fully understood by referring to the detailed description combined with the drawings below, wherein: FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a frozen beverage making machine according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 illustrates various internal components within the housing and mixing container of a frozen beverage maker of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 3 shows a front view of a frozen beverage making machine of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an example of a control system of a frozen beverage making machine of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 5a illustrates a side view of a frozen beverage maker of FIG. 1 in which a mixing container is in a coupled position with respect to an upper housing portion, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 5b illustrates a side view of a frozen beverage maker illustrated in FIG. 5a, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, in which some features of the housing and lever are shown in partial cross-section; FIG. 6 illustrates a detailed view of a lever having a cam for coupling a mixing container to the housing of a frozen beverage maker according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 7a illustrates a rear view of a mixing container according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 7b illustrates a rear perspective view of a mixing container according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of a flexible seal according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 9 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a flexible seal according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 10 illustrates a flowchart of a method for using a disclosed frozen beverage maker according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIGS. 11a and 11b illustrate perspective views of a condensate collection tray of a frozen beverage maker of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 11c illustrates the collection tray of FIG. 11a and FIG. 11b inserted into the frozen beverage maker of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 11d illustrates a frozen beverage maker of FIG. 1 with the collection tray removed, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method for removing the collection trays of FIG. 11a and FIG. 11b from the frozen beverage maker of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 13a illustrates an isometric view of a frozen beverage maker having a mixing container having at least one internal baffle according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 13b shows a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of the frozen beverage maker illustrated in FIG. 13a; FIG. 13c shows a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of the frozen beverage maker illustrated in FIG. 13a; FIG. 14a illustrates a rear isometric view of a mixing container for a frozen beverage maker having three internal baffles according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 14b shows a rear view of the mixing container illustrated in FIG. 14a; FIG. 14c illustrates a forward isometric view of the mixing vessel shown in FIG. 14a; FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of a user interface according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 16 is a graph of a basic temperature setting and a fine-tuned temperature setting according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 17 is an enlarged view of another user interface according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 18 is a graph of temperature values ​​associated with the target temperature of an automatic recipe and manual temperature adjustment; FIG. 19 is a graph of the drive motor current and temperature over time when a beverage product is processed by the frozen beverage maker of FIG. 1; FIG. 20 is a flowchart of a process for manufacturing a cooled beverage product by using a food type for initial or basic temperature and / or texture control and then using user input to subsequently fine-tune the temperature and / or texture of the beverage product; FIG. 21 is a flowchart of a process for automatically detecting when the drive motor current is too high or the viscosity of the beverage product is too high, and in response, adjusting the temperature of the beverage product to reduce the drive motor current and / or increasing the temperature of the beverage product to reduce the viscosity of the beverage product; FIG. 22a illustrates one embodiment of a dual-purpose cooling fan within the housing of a beverage maker; FIG. 22b illustrates another embodiment of a dual-purpose cooling fan within the housing of a beverage maker; FIG. 22c shows a perspective view of the dual-purpose cooling fan of FIG. 22b; FIG. 23 is a flowchart of a process for operating a dual-purpose fan; FIG. 24a illustrates a perspective view of an inlet sample for a frozen beverage maker according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 24b shows a front view of the inlet shown in FIG. 24a; FIG. 24c shows a left perspective view of the inlet shown in FIG. 24a; FIG. 25 illustrates a perspective view of a cover sample for an inlet according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 26 illustrates a perspective view of an inlet sample according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 27a illustrates a perspective view of an inlet sample according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 27b shows an isometric view of the inlet prototype of FIG. 27a; FIG. 27c illustrates a side view of the inlet prototype of FIG. 27b; FIG. 27d shows a photograph of an inlet prototype illustrated in FIG. 27b attached to a mixing container according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 28 illustrates an exemplary method using an inlet according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIGS. 29a to 29d illustrate a dispensing assembly for dispensing a beverage product from a frozen beverage maker according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; FIGS. 30a and 30b illustrate a dispensing assembly for dispensing a beverage product from a frozen beverage maker according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; and FIGS. 31a and 31b illustrate a shroud for covering a dispensing assembly of FIGS. 29a to 29d and FIGS. 30a to 30b according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0014] In the following description, even if the illustrated embodiments differ, similar components have the same reference numerals. To illustrate the embodiments clearly and concisely, the drawings may not necessarily reflect an appropriate scale, and certain structures may be depicted in a somewhat schematic form. The present disclosure may describe and / or illustrate a structure in one embodiment and may describe and / or illustrate it in combination with or instead of the structure of one or more other embodiments and / or other embodiments in the same or similar manner.

[0015] In this specification and claims, for the purpose of describing and defining the disclosure, the terms “about” and “substantially” indicate the degree of uncertainty inherent in any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other expression. The terms “about” and “substantially” also indicate the degree to which a quantitative expression may differ from a specified standard without causing a change in the fundamental function of the object at issue. Open-ended terms such as “comprise,” “include,” and / or their respective plural forms include the enumerated parts and may include additional unenumerated parts, and terms such as “and / or” include one or more of the enumerated parts and combinations of the enumerated parts. The use of terms such as “upper,” “lower,” “above,” “below,” etc., is merely to aid in the clarification of the disclosure and does not limit the structure, positioning, and / or operation of the disclosure in any way.

[0016] In various embodiments, the present application addresses the defects associated with conventional commercial slush machines. Unfortunately, the architecture of conventional commercial slush machines typically requires a significant amount of force to seat a container on a large radial seal, which makes it difficult for the user to install and remove the container from the device. In many conventional commercial slush machines, the container is installed by engaging a catch to hold the container, which requires significant user effort and involves deforming the plastic to properly position the container. Therefore, there is a need for a more user-friendly architecture for installing and removing containers from a frozen beverage maker, such as a lever that can be used to attach and detach the container to and from the housing of the frozen beverage maker with minimal force and / or using only one hand.

[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a frozen beverage maker (100) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The frozen beverage maker (100) includes a housing (102) and a mixing container (104). The housing (102) may include a user interface (112) for receiving user input for controlling the frozen beverage maker (100) or for outputting or displaying information. The user interface (112) may include one or more buttons, dials, switches, touchscreens, indicators, LEDs, etc. The user interface (112) may display status information, for example, including the temperature of the beverage product in the mixing container (104), an indicator of the recipe and / or program currently being executed, and a timer associated with the progress of the recipe and / or program in progress or currently being executed. The user interface (112) may provide a display and / or warning to the user, for example, when the recipe is completed or when the user is expected to perform an action associated with processing the beverage product. The user interface (112) may include, without limitation, selectable menus of beverage types (e.g., recipes) and / or programs for different types of beverage products such as granita, smoothie, margarita, daiquiri, piña colada, slushy, cocktail, frappé, juice, dairy, milkshake, cold drink, semi-frozen drink, frozen drink, etc.

[0018] The housing (102) may include a panel (e.g., a removable panel) (114) along the side of the housing (102). The panel (114) may include a plurality of openings to facilitate airflow to help cool components within the housing (102). The housing (102) may include an upper housing portion (122) arranged to be coupled to the rear end of the mixing container (104) when the mixing container (104) is attached to the housing (102). The mixing container (104) may include a transparent wall, or a portion thereof, so that an observer can view the beverage product within the mixing container (104) during processing. The mixing container (104) may include a pour-in opening (106) in which the mixing container (104) can receive materials for processing the beverage product within the mixing container (104). FIG. 1 illustrates a pour-in opening (106) in a closed configuration in which a cover seals the opening (106). The above cover may be detachable or movable to open or close the opening (106). The inlet (106) may include a grate to prevent a user from reaching into the mixing container (104) when the inlet (106) is open, i.e., when the cover is not installed. The mixing container (104) may include a dispenser assembly (108) having a user operation handle (120), a spout (not shown), and a spout shroud and / or cover (116). The dispenser assembly (108) allows a user to open a spout connected to the wall of the mixing container (104) by pulling the handle (120) down, thereby allowing a processed (e.g., cooled) beverage product to be discharged from the mixing container (104). The user can close the discharge port by pushing the handle (120) back to an upright position (shown in FIG. 1), thereby stopping the discharge of the processed beverage product.

[0019] A frozen beverage maker (100) may include a coupling mechanism that enables a secure coupling of a mixing container (104) to a housing (102) including an upper housing portion (122). In one embodiment, the coupling mechanism is a lever (110) that is rotatably coupled to the upper housing portion (122). FIG. 1 illustrates a lever (110) in a coupling, locking, and / or closing position in which the mixing container (104) is coupled (e.g., attached, latch coupled, and / or locked) to the housing (102) and the upper housing portion (122). In the coupling position, the lever (110) ensures that a watertight seal exists to prevent leakage of the beverage product from the mixing container (104). The lever (110) may be placed in the coupling position by rotating the lever (110) clockwise until the handle is placed on or near the upper surface of the upper housing portion (122) after sliding the mixing container (104) against the upper housing portion (122). The mixing container (104) can be released and / or separated from the housing (102) and the upper housing portion (122) by pulling / pulling or rotating the lever (110) counterclockwise toward the front of the mixing container (104) (in view of FIG. 1), which causes the lever (110) to release the mixing container (104). Once released and / or separated, the mixing container (104) can be slid forward (away from the upper housing portion (122)) so as to be completely detached and / or removed from the housing (102).

[0020] A flexible seal (exemplified in FIG. 8) may be positioned between the mixing container (104) and the upper housing portion (122). The flexible seal may include a surface seal portion and / or a radial seal portion. If present, the surface seal portion may provide an improved seal based on the compression provided by the lever (110) pushing the mixing container (104) laterally against the wall of the upper housing portion (122). The mixing container (104) may have a substantially cylindrical shape having a base with an opening formed inside, and when the lever (110) is in the coupling position, the opening is sealed by the flexible seal. An interlock switch may be implemented in the upper housing portion (122) that is activated when the mixing container (104) is coupled to the upper housing portion (122) and prevents the activation of the drive motor (208) unless the container (104) is coupled to the upper housing portion (122). This ensures that the user is not exposed to the moving dasher (204). The frozen beverage maker (100) may also include a drip tray (118) positioned below the dispenser assembly (108) and arranged to collect any beverage product that is not properly dispensed from the mixing container (104), for example, into the user cup. The drip tray (118) may be detachable from the operating position shown in FIG. 1. For example, the water tray (118) may be mounted and / or stored on the side panel of the housing (102), as exemplified as the water tray (304) in FIG. 3.

[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates a drawing (200) showing various internal components within the housing (102) and mixing vessel (104) of the frozen beverage maker (100) of FIG. 1. The frozen beverage maker (100) includes a cylindrical evaporator (202) surrounded by an auger and / or a dasher (204). The dasher (204) may include one or more mixing blades and / or protrusions extending spirally around the evaporator and / or chiller (202). The dasher (204) may be driven to rotate by a central drive shaft (not shown) within the mixing vessel (104). The drive shaft may be surrounded by the evaporator (202). However, in various embodiments, the evaporator (202) does not rotate. The drive shaft may be coupled to a drive motor (208) via a gear assembly (210). In one embodiment, the drive motor (208) is an AC motor, but other types of motors, such as DC motors, may be used without limitation. The drive motor (208) may include a motor fan (212) arranged to provide air cooling to the motor (208). FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment in which the drive motor (208) is not aligned coaxially with the drive shaft used to rotate the dasher (204), but in other embodiments, the motor (208) may be aligned coaxially with the drive shaft. During the processing of the beverage product, the motor (208) drives the continuous rotation of the dasher (204) and thereby may be operated continuously at one or more speeds to provide continuous mixing of the beverage product within the mixing container (104). In one embodiment, the rotation of the dasher (204) causes the spirally arranged blades to push the beverage product being cooled forward in the mixing container (104). During processing, portions of the beverage product may freeze on the surface of the evaporator as a result of being cooled by the evaporator. In one embodiment, the blade of the rotating dasher (204) scrapes off frozen portions of the beverage product from the surface of the evaporator while pushing toward the front of the mixing container (104) while mixing the beverage product being cooled.

[0022] A frozen beverage maker (100) may include a refrigeration circuit and / or system for cooling a beverage product or controlling the temperature of a beverage product within a mixing container (104). The refrigeration circuit may include a compressor (214), an evaporator (202), a condenser (216), a condenser fan (218), a bypass valve, and a conduit that carries refrigerant in a closed loop between the refrigeration circuit components to facilitate cooling and / or temperature control of the beverage product within the mixing container (104). The operation of the refrigeration circuit may be controlled by a controller, such as a controller (402), as further described in the specification later in relation to FIG. 4. The frozen beverage maker (100) may also include a condensate collection tray (220) arranged to collect any liquid condensate caused by cooling from the evaporator (202). FIG. 2 illustrates the tray (220) in an insertion position. The tray (220) can be inserted into a slot within the housing (102) or removed from the slot, thereby enabling the collection of condensed liquid when inserted into the slot, and then enabling efficient removal to empty the tray (220) and subsequent re-insertion into the slot for collecting liquid.

[0023] FIG. 3 illustrates a front view (300) of the frozen beverage maker (100) of FIG. 1. The frozen beverage maker (100) may include a user interface (112) on the front surface of the housing (102). In other embodiments, the user interface (112) may be located on the side, top, or rear of the housing (102). The frozen beverage maker may include a mount (302) (illustrated as a drip tray (304) in FIG. 3) on the side of the housing (102) to which a drip tray (118) can be mounted when not in use, such as during transport of the frozen beverage maker (100). The frozen beverage maker (100) may include a power interface arranged to receive AC power from a power outlet (not shown). In one embodiment, the frozen beverage maker (100) may include one or more batteries housed within the housing (102) and arranged to provide power to various components of the frozen beverage maker (100). The frozen beverage maker (100) may also include a PCBA (printed circuit board assembly) (222) within the housing (102). As described in relation to FIG. 4, the PCBA (222) may include a control system (400) arranged to automatically control a specific operation of the frozen beverage maker (100).

[0024] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary control system (400) of a frozen beverage maker (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The control system (400) may include a microcontroller, a processor, a System-on-Chip (SoC), a client device and / or a physical computing device, and may include hardware and / or virtual processor(s). In one embodiment, the control system (400) and the elements shown in FIG. 4 are each associated with physical hardware, but in one embodiment, one or more or all of the elements may be implemented using an emulator or a virtual machine. In either case, the electronic control system (400) may be implemented on physical hardware, as in the frozen beverage maker (100).

[0025] As also illustrated in FIG. 4, the control system (400) may include a user interface (212 and / or 112) having, for example, a keyboard, a keypad, one or more buttons, a dial, a touchpad, or a sensor reader (e.g., a biometric scanner) and one or more output devices such as a display, a speaker for audio, an LED indicator and / or a lighting indicator. The control system (400) may also include a communication interface (410), such as a network communication unit, which may include wired communication components and / or wireless communication components that can be communicably coupled to the controller and / or processor (402). The network communication unit may use any of various proprietary or standardized network protocols, such as Ethernet and TCP / IP, among many protocols, to perform communication between the processor (402) and other devices, networks, or systems. The network communication unit may also include one or more transceivers using Ethernet, Power Line Communication (PLC), Wi-Fi, cellular and / or other communication methods. For example, the control system (400) may transmit one or more communications related to the status of the frozen beverage maker (100) to the user's mobile device, for example, to send a warning to the mobile device when a recipe is completed / completed or when the beverage product is ready to be dispensed, or to indicate that the beverage product in the mixing container is low or depleted.

[0026] The control system (400) may include a processing element such as a controller and / or processor (402) comprising one or more hardware processors, wherein each hardware processor may have a single or multiple processor cores. In one embodiment, the processor (402) includes at least one shared cache that stores data (e.g., computing instructions) used by one or more other components of the processor (402). For example, the shared cache may be local cache data stored in memory for faster access by components of the processing element constituting the processor (402). Examples of processors include, but are not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU) and / or a microprocessor. The controller and / or processor (402) may, without limitation, utilize a computer architecture based on the Intel® 8051 architecture, Motorola® 68HCX, Intel® 80X86, etc. The processor (402) may, without limitation, include an 8-bit, 12-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit, or 64-bit architecture. Although not illustrated in FIG. 4, the processing element constituting the processor (402) may also include one or more other types of hardware processing components, such as a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and / or a digital signal processor (DSP).

[0027] FIG. 4 also illustrates that memory (404) may be operably and communically coupled to a controller (402). Memory (404) may be a non-transient medium configured to store various types of data. For example, memory (404) may include one or more storage devices (408) including non-volatile storage devices and / or volatile memory. Volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM), may be any suitable non-transient storage device. Non-volatile storage devices (408) may include one or more disk drives, optical drives, solid-state drives (SSDs), tape drives, flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), and / or any other type of memory designed to retain data for a period of time following a power loss or shutdown operation. In a specific configuration, non-volatile storage devices (408) may be used to store overflow data when the allocated RAM is not large enough to hold all working data. The non-volatile storage device (408) may also be used to store a program that is loaded into RAM when such a program is selected for execution. The data storage and / or storage device (408) may be arranged to store a plurality of beverage product processing sequences, i.e., a plurality of beverage product manufacturing and / or processing instruction programs associated with a recipe.The beverage product manufacturing and / or processing command program may include a controller and / or processor (402) for: starting or stopping one or more motors and / or compressors (414) (e.g., motor (208) and / or compressor (214)) to control the temperature of the beverage product being processed in the mixing container (104), operating one or more motors (414) (e.g., motor (208) and / or compressor (214)) for a specific period during a specific beverage product processing sequence, operating the motor (208) at a specific speed for a specific period of a recipe, and issuing one or more cue commands to a user interface (412 and / or 112) to elicit a response, action and / or input from the user.

[0028] Those skilled in the art recognize that a software program can be developed, encoded, and compiled in various computing languages ​​for various software platforms and / or operating systems, and subsequently loaded and executed by a processor (402). In one embodiment, the compilation process of the software program may convert program code written in a programming language into another computer language so that the processor (402) can execute the programming code. For example, the compilation process of the software program may generate an executable program that provides encoded instructions (e.g., machine code instructions) for the processor (402) to perform specific, non-general, or specialized computing functions.

[0029] After the compilation process, the encoded instruction may be loaded into the processor (402) as a computer-executable instruction or process step from the storage device (408), from memory (404), and / or embedded within the processor (402) (e.g., via a cache or onboard ROM). The processor (402) may be configured to execute the stored instruction or process step to perform the instruction or process step for converting the electronic control system (400) into an unconventional, special, specially programmed machine or device. The stored data, for example, data stored by the data store and / or storage device (408), may be accessed by the processor (402) during the execution of the computer-executable instruction or process step to direct one or more components within the control system (400) and / or other components or devices outside the system (400). For example, recipes may be arranged in lookup tables and / or databases within a data store (408) and may be accessed by a processor (402) when executing a specific recipe selected by a user through a user interface (412 and / or 112).

[0030] The user interface (412 and / or 112) may include a display, a position input device (such as a mouse, touchpad, touchscreen, etc.), a keyboard, a keypad, one or more buttons, one or more dials, a microphone, a speaker, or other forms of user input and output devices. The user interface components may be communicably coupled to the processor (402). If the user interface output device is a display or includes a display, the display may be implemented in various ways, including by a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a light-emitting diode (LED) display such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) or an OLED display.

[0031] The sensor (406) may include one or more sensors for detecting and / or monitoring the state of the beverage product in the mixing container (104), the state associated with the components of the frozen beverage maker (100), and / or the state of the refrigerant in the refrigeration system. The state may include, without limitation, rotation of the device or component (e.g., motor), rotational speed and / or movement, speed of such movement, frequency of such movement, direction of such movement, motor current, motor voltage, motor power, motor torque, temperature, pressure, fluid level in the container (104), the position of the device or component (e.g., whether the inlet (106) is open or closed), and / or the presence of the device or component (e.g., whether a shroud (116) is installed). The type of sensor may include, for example, an electrical measuring chip, a Hall sensor, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, an optical sensor, a current sensor, a torque sensor, a voltage sensor, a camera, other types of sensors, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A frozen beverage maker (100) may include one or more temperature sensors located at various locations within the mixing container (104), such as, for example, a lower front area or nearby therein within the mixing container (104), an upper front area or nearby therein within the mixing container (104), an upper rear area or nearby therein within the container (104), one or more coils of an evaporator (202) and / or within the housing (102).

[0032] The sensor (406) may also include one or more safety and / or interlock switches that prevent or enable the operation of a specific component, e.g., a motor, when certain conditions are met (e.g., enabling the activation of the motor (208 and / or 414) when a lid or cover for the opening (106) is attached or closed and / or when a sufficient level of beverage product is present in the container (104). Those skilled in the art recognize that the electronic control system (400) may include other components well known in the art, such as a power supply and / or an analog-to-digital converter, which are not explicitly shown in FIG. 4.

[0033] In one embodiment, the control system (400) and / or processor (402) comprises an SoC having a plurality of hardware components, which include: a multiprocessor SoC (MPSoC) having a microcontroller, a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP) core and / or one or more processor cores; a memory block including a selection of read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), and flash memory; a timing source including an oscillator and a phase-locked loop; a peripheral device including a counter-timer, a real-time timer, and a power-on reset generator; an external interface including industry standards such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB), FireWire, Ethernet, Universal Synchronous / Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter (USART), and Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI); an analog interface including an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC); and a voltage regulator and power management circuit, but not limited thereto.

[0034] An SoC includes all of the hardware described above, as well as microcontrollers, microprocessors and / or DSP cores, peripherals, and software that controls the interfaces. Most SoCs are developed from pre-validated hardware blocks for hardware elements (e.g., referred to as modules or components representing IP cores or IP blocks) and software drivers that control their operation. The list of hardware elements above is not exhaustive. An SoC may include a protocol stack that drives industry-standard interfaces, such as the Universal Serial Bus (USB).

[0035] Once the overall architecture of an SoC is defined, individual hardware elements can be described using an abstraction language called RTL, which stands for Register-Transfer Level. RTL is used to define circuit behavior. Hardware elements are connected together using the same RTL language to create the overall SoC design. In digital circuit design, RTL is a design abstraction that models synchronous digital circuits in terms of the flow of digital signals (data) between hardware registers and the logical operations performed on those signals. RTL abstraction is used in Hardware Description Languages ​​(HDLs), such as Verilog and VHDL, to generate high-level representations of the circuit, from which lower-level representations and ultimately actual wiring can be derived. Designing at the RTL level is a common practice in modern digital design. Verilog is an HDL standardized by IEEE 1364 and used to model electronic systems. Verilog is most commonly used for the design and verification of digital circuits at the RTL abstraction level. Verilog can also be used for the verification of analog and mixed-signal circuits, as well as for the design of genetic circuits. In one embodiment, various components of the control system (400) are implemented on a PCB, such as a PCB (222).

[0036] In operation of a specific embodiment, the user fills the mixing container (104) with ingredients associated with a beverage product through the inlet (106). The user selects the type of beverage product to be processed through the user interface (112), for example, the user selects a recipe for "Margarita". In one embodiment, the user selects the product type and / or recipe before filling the mixing container (104), and the user interface (112) provides one or more indications or cues (visible and / or audible) instructing the user to add ingredients to the mixing container (104). The mixing container (104) may include one or more filling state sensors that detect when a sufficient amount or level of ingredients and / or fluid is present in the mixing container (104). The one or more filling state sensors may provide a signal to the processor (402) indicating whether the container (104) is sufficiently filled or not filled. The processor (402) can prevent the operation of the frozen beverage maker (100) (e.g., prevent the activation of the motor (208) and / or other components) if the filling state sensor(s) (406) indicate that the container (104) is not sufficiently filled. A cover sensor may be associated with the opening (106), and said cover sensor transmits an open and / or closed signal to the processor (402) indicating whether the opening (106) is open or closed. The processor (402) can prevent the operation of the frozen beverage maker (100) if the cover sensor indicates that the opening (106) is open and / or is not closed. Depending on the detected state, the user interface (112) may provide an indication of the state, for example, that the container (104) is sufficiently filled or is not sufficiently filled and / or is not filled, or that the opening (106) is not closed, so that the user can take appropriate action(s).

[0037] Once the mixing container (104) is filled with ingredients, the user may provide input, for example, a button press, to start processing the beverage product based on the selected recipe. Processing may include the activation of a motor (208) to drive the rotation of a dasher (204) and / or blade (206) to perform mixing of the ingredients of the beverage product. Processing may also include the activation of a refrigeration system, including the activation of a compressor (214) and a condenser fan (218). The compressor (214) facilitates the flow of refrigerant through one or more coils of an evaporator (202) and through a condenser (216) to provide cooling and / or temperature control of the beverage product within the mixing container (104). A processor (402) may control the operation of various components such as the motor (208) and the compressor (214). To control the temperature to a specific setting associated with the recipe, the processor (402) can start and / or stop the flow of refrigerant through the coil(s) of the evaporator (202), thereby enabling / starting and / or deactivating / stopping the compressor (214) to start or stop cooling the beverage product in the mixing container (104).

[0038] By cooling a beverage product to a specific temperature, slush and / or ice particles may form within the beverage product. Typically, the amount and / or texture of the particles in the beverage product corresponds to the temperature of the beverage product, that is, the colder the temperature, the greater the amount of particles (and / or the larger the particle size) or the more slushy the beverage product becomes. The user interface (112) may allow the user to fine-tune and / or adjust preset temperatures associated with the recipe so that the user can adjust the temperature and / or texture of the beverage product to a more desirable temperature and / or texture.

[0039] The processor (402) may perform processing of the beverage product for a set period of time in one or more steps and / or until the desired temperature and / or texture is determined. The processor (402) may receive one or more temperature signals from one or more temperature sensors (408) in the mixing container (104) to determine the temperature of the beverage product. The processor (402) may determine the temperature of the beverage product by determining the average temperature among the temperatures detected by the multiple temperature sensors (408). The processor (402) may determine the temperature of the beverage product based on the temperature detected by one sensor (408) in the mixing container (104) and / or based on the temperature of the refrigerant detected by the refrigerant temperature sensor (408). Once the steps and / or sequence of the recipe are determined to be completed by the processor (402), the processor (402) may provide a visual and / or auditory indication through the user interface (116) that the recipe is complete and ready for discharge. In response, the user may place a cup or container under the dispenser assembly (108) and pull the handle (120) downward in a rotary motion toward the user to open the discharge port located on the lower front wall of the mixing container (104), thereby discharging the beverage product into the cup or container. Once filled, the user may push the handle (120) upward in a rotary motion away from the user to return it to the upright position shown in FIG. 2 to close the discharge port. In an embodiment where the handle (120) spring-deflects to the closed position, the user may release the grip on the handle (120), thereby allowing the spring force to move the handle (120) upward in a rotary motion away from the user to return it to the upright and closed position.

[0040] As previously mentioned, the frozen beverage maker (100) includes an upper housing portion (122) arranged to engage with the rear end of the mixing container (104) when the mixing container (104) is attached to the housing (102). The frozen beverage maker (100) also includes a lever (110) that allows the mixing container (104) to be engaged (e.g., locked, attached, and / or fixed) with the housing (102) (i.e., the upper housing portion (122)). The lever (110) also allows the mixing container (104) to be unlocked and detached from the housing (102) (i.e., the upper housing portion (122)). Features of the lever (110) are illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B. FIGS. 5A illustrates a side view of the frozen beverage maker (100) in which the mixing container (104) is in a engaged position with respect to the upper housing portion (122). FIG. 5b illustrates a side view of the frozen beverage maker (100) illustrated in FIG. 5a, in which some features of the housing (102) and the lever (110) are shown in partial cross-section.

[0041] As illustrated in FIGS. 5a and 5b, the lever (110) includes a handle (111) that can be grasped by a user and moved relative to the upper housing portion (122). The handle (111) can be moved to the position illustrated in FIGS. 5a and 5b to attach the mixing container (104) to the place on the frozen beverage maker (100), and can be moved away from the upper housing portion (122) and / or toward the front of the housing (102) to detach the mixing container (104) from the frozen beverage maker (100). When the handle (111) is moved relative to the upper housing portion (122), it acts a cam (113), and the cam engages with a corresponding coupling portion on the mixing container (104) to attach or detach the mixing container (104) relative to the upper housing portion (122). In one embodiment, the handle (111) moves less than 90° relative to the upper housing portion (122) when moving between the coupled position and the non-coupled position.

[0042] FIG. 6 illustrates a detailed view of a handle (111) having two cams (113a, 113b) located on opposing sides. The handle (111) may include one, two, three, four, or more cams (113), if desired. As the handle (111) moves, the cams (113, 113b) rotate relative to the upper housing portion (122). FIG. 7a illustrates a rear view of a mixing container (104). The mixing container (104) includes protrusions (115a, 115b) on opposing outer sides near the rear lower portion of the mixing container (104). The protrusions (115a, 115b) are shaped and positioned to engage with the cams (113a, 113b) on the handle (111). In particular, the cams (113a and 113b) have channels and / or cam paths (109a and 109b) through which the protrusions (115a and 115) respectively slide and pass. As the cams (113a and 113b) rotate toward the rear of the housing (102), the protrusions (115a and 115b) slide along the cam paths (109a and 109b) and are pulled toward the upper housing portion (122) and the rear of the housing (102), which causes the mixing container (104) to be pressed against the upper housing portion (122) to form a watertight seal with the housing (102). When the cam (113a, 113b) is rotated toward the front of the frozen beverage maker (100), the protrusion (115a, 115b) is pushed away from the upper housing part (122), which causes the mixing container (104) to be separated from contact with the upper housing part (122).

[0043] The cam (113) may be an over-center cam as shown in FIG. 5b and FIG. 6, or the cam (113) may have an alternative geometry. In the disclosed frozen beverage maker (100), the cam (113) holds the mixing container (104) on the housing (102) when the lever (110) is in the coupled position. As previously discussed, the mixing container (104) may have a shape that is entirely cylindrical or approximately cylindrical and may include an opening (117) (shown in FIG. 7b) at its rear end that is coupled to the upper housing portion (122). As shown in FIG. 7b, the opening may be located on the rear panel (119) of the mixing container (104). The opening (117) may be positioned to face horizontally when the mixing container (104) is in the coupled position on the upper housing portion (122).

[0044] To move the lever (110) to the coupling position, the handle (111) is moved toward the upper housing portion (122). When the mixing container (104) is in the coupling position on the upper housing portion (122), the lever (110) works in cooperation with the flexible seal (121) to seal the opening (117). FIG. 8 illustrates a flexible seal (121) configured according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The flexible seal (121) may be formed from any elastomeric material such as natural or synthetic rubber, silicone, neoprene, chloroprene, polyisoprene, polybutadiene, or a combination thereof. The flexible seal (121) may be independent of the housing (102). If desired, the flexible seal (121) may be attached to the upper housing portion (122). The flexible seal (121) may be a single member comprising a surface seal portion (123) and / or a radial seal portion (125) as illustrated in FIG. 8. However, in other embodiments, the surface seal portion (123) and the radial seal portion (125) may be implemented as separate flexible seals (121).

[0045] The surface seal portion (123) has an annular shape having a main dimension that is vertically aligned to form a seal that is vertically aligned between the horizontal plane of the upper housing portion (122) and the horizontal edge of the mixing container (104). When in a combined position, the surface seal portion (125) contacts the vertically aligned surface of the upper housing portion (122) with the vertically aligned side of the mixing container (104). The radial seal portion (125) includes a plurality of flexible annular ribs as shown in FIG. 8. The radial seal portion (125) forms a radial seal with respect to the horizontal axis of the container (104) to seal the inner (i.e., cylindrical) surface of the container (104). The flexible seal (121) may include at least one of the radial seal portion (125) and the surface seal portion (123).

[0046] Conventional frozen beverage makers do not include both a face seal and a radial seal for a mixing container. If present, the face seal portion (123) of the flexible seal (121) can provide an improved seal based on the compression provided by the handle (111) pushing the mixing container (104) laterally against the wall of the upper housing portion (122). The cam (113) also allows a high force to be easily achieved and maintained on the face seal portion (123). Since the face seal portion (123) functions as the main seal in one embodiment, the size of the radial seal portion (125) can be reduced, thereby lowering the resistance to seating the mixing container and improving ease of use.

[0047] In one embodiment, the flexible seal (121) may function as a seal for a container (104) and / or an evaporator (202). For example, FIG. 9 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary flexible seal (121) having a container seal portion (127) and an evaporator seal portion (129). The container seal portion (127) of the flexible seal (121) creates a watertight seal between the mixing container (104) and the upper housing portion (122). The evaporator seal portion (129) of the flexible seal (121) seals the evaporator (202) within the mixing container (104).

[0048] To move the lever (110) from the coupled position to the non-coupled position, the handle (111) is moved away from the upper housing portion (122) and / or toward the front of the housing (102), which causes the mixing container (104) to slide forward (away from the upper housing portion (122)) so that it is completely detached and / or removed from the housing (102). If desired, the cam (113) may include a release function portion for applying a release force to the mixing container (104) so ​​that the mixing container (104) is removed by passing through the radial seal portion (125).

[0049] In another embodiment, a method of using a frozen beverage maker (100) as disclosed herein is described. FIG. 10 illustrates a method (800) for making a frozen beverage using a frozen beverage maker. The frozen beverage maker comprises an upper housing portion, a housing having a lever configured to move relative to the upper housing portion between a coupled position and a non-coupled position, and a mixing container arranged to be coupled to the upper housing portion. The lever includes a handle movable to position the lever to a coupled position and / or a non-coupled position. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the method (800) comprises coupling the mixing container onto the upper housing portion by moving the handle relative to the upper housing portion to position the lever to a coupled position (Block 802). When in the coupled position, at least one of a surface seal and a radial seal is formed between the mixing container and the upper housing portion. The method (800) also comprises operating the frozen beverage maker to make a frozen beverage (Block 804). The method (800) further includes separating the mixing container from the upper housing by moving the handle relative to the upper housing to position the lever in a non-coupled position (block 806).

[0050] In one embodiment, coupling the mixing container onto the upper housing portion comprises moving the handle toward the upper housing portion. In these and other embodiments, separating the mixing container from the upper housing portion comprises moving the handle away from the upper housing portion and / or toward the front of the housing. Moving the handle relative to the upper housing portion to position the lever in the coupling position can be performed by a user with only one hand. In these and other embodiments, moving the handle relative to the upper housing portion to position the lever in the non-coupling position can be performed by a user with only one hand. In a selected embodiment, moving the handle relative to the upper housing portion to position the lever from the coupling position to the non-coupling position requires moving the handle less than 90° relative to the upper housing portion.

[0051] FIGS. 11a and FIGS. 11b illustrate a perspective view of a collection tray (220) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The collection tray (220) may generally include a collection section (502) and a handle (504) that can be used to insert the tray (220) into the housing (102) and to remove the tray (220) from the housing (102). The collection section (502) may include three walls (502a, b, c) extending generally upward from the evaporator-facing surface (506). Together with the handle (504), the walls (502a, b, c) and the surface (506) may define a chamber (508) for collecting liquids including condensate falling from the evaporator (202), spills, and water poured into the housing (102) to clean the interior of the housing (102). The shape of the collection section (502), including the evaporator-facing surface (506), may correspond to the outer shape of the evaporator (202). For example, the shape of the evaporator-facing surface (506) may be semi-cylindrical to correspond to the cylindrical shape of the evaporator (202), as shown in FIG. 11a. However, the present disclosure considers other suitable shapes, such as a rectangle of the collection section (502). The chamber (508) may have a liquid volume capacity of about 16 ounces. However, the present disclosure considers a liquid volume capacity greater or less than 16 ounces. As shown in FIG. 11b, the bottom surface of the handle (504) may define one or more ribs (514) to add structural integrity between the user-facing surface (510) of the handle (504) and the body of the tray (220). The tray (220) may be made of a dishwasher-safe material for easy cleaning.

[0052] FIG. 11c illustrates a collection tray (220) inserted into the housing (102) of a frozen beverage maker (100) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. For convenience of illustration, the housing (102) is shown with the mixing container (104) and the attached dispenser assembly (108) removed. When fully inserted, the user-facing surface (510) of the handle (504) may be positioned at the same height as the user interface (112) of the housing (102). At the insertion position, the tray (220) may be spaced vertically from the bottom surface (103) of the housing (102). Once the liquid is collected in the chamber (508), the user may remove the tray (220) to dispose of the collected liquid and to clean the tray (220).

[0053] FIG. 11d illustrates a housing (102) with the collection tray (220) removed, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 11d, the housing (102) may include an upper surface (520) for supporting the collection tray (220) when the tray (220) is inserted into the housing (102). The shape of the upper surface (520) may be semi-cylindrical to correspond to the semi-cylindrical shape of the evaporator-facing surface (506). The housing (102) may also include one or more rails (522) defining one or more slots (512) between the rails (522) and the upper surface (520). The rails (522) may help guide a user to insert the tray (220) into the slots (512) when installing the tray (220) into the housing (102).

[0054] In one embodiment, to remove the collection tray (220) (e.g., to empty / empty or wash the tray (220)), the user must first remove the mixing container (104) and the attached dispenser (108) (Fig. 1). Then, the user can remove the collection tray (220) by pulling the collection tray (220) toward the user. This movement may cause the collection tray (220) to slide along the slot (512) until it is completely disengaged from the housing (102). Conversely, to insert the collection tray (220) into the housing (102), the user can insert the tray (220) into the housing (102) by inserting the collection part (502) into the slot (512) below the evaporator (202) such that the evaporator-facing surface (506) faces the evaporator (202) (Fig. 2). In one embodiment, after the collection tray (220) is inserted into the housing (102), a mixing container (104) having an attached dispenser (108) can be inserted onto the housing (102) and secured and sealed to the housing (102). FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method of removing the collection tray (220) from the housing (102) as described above. FIG. 12 includes removing the mixing container (104) and the attached dispenser (108) from the housing (102) (block 1202), pulling the tray (220) toward the user so that the tray slides through the slot (512) (block 1204), and completely disengaging the tray (220) from the slot (512) of the housing (102) (block 1206).

[0055] FIGS. 13a through 13c illustrate an exemplary frozen beverage maker (100) having a mixing container (104) coupled to a housing (102) (specifically, an upper housing portion (122)) and a dispenser assembly (108) according to one embodiment. The mixing container (104) has curved side walls defining a substantially cylindrical chamber inside. In a selected embodiment, the mixing container (104) is shaped as an ovoid or approximately ovoid (i.e., a cylinder with an elliptical cross-section), or an elliptic cylinder (i.e., a cylinder with an elliptical cross-section), or an approximately elliptical cylinder. When coupled to the housing (102), the front of the mixing container (104) contacts the dispenser assembly (108) and the rear of the mixing container (104) contacts the upper housing portion (122). Within the mixing vessel (104), the front surface of the chamber may have a substantially elliptical shape or a substantially circular shape. The rear of the chamber of the mixing vessel (104) may include an opening configured to form a seal with the upper housing portion (122). The opening at the rear of the mixing vessel (104) may have a substantially circular shape or a substantially elliptical shape. The mixing vessel (104) is sized to accommodate a dasher (204) rotating about a central axis (shown as the central axis “A” in FIG. 13c). FIG. 13b illustrates the possible rotational direction (“R”) of the dasher (204). The mixing vessel (104) may be shaped such that the distance from the central axis (A) of the dasher (204) to the top of the vessel chamber is less than 6 inches, less than 8 inches, less than 10 inches, less than 12 inches, less than 14 inches, or less than 16 inches.

[0056] FIGS. 14a through 14c illustrate an example of a mixing vessel (104) having at least one internal baffle configured to control a slush flow within the mixing vessel (104). As illustrated in FIGS. 13a, 13b and FIGS. 14a through 14b, the mixing vessel (104) includes a side baffle (105) that extends laterally along the side wall (150) of the vessel chamber. In one embodiment, the side baffle (105) extends from the front (or near there) of the vessel chamber to the rear (or near there) of the vessel chamber. In one embodiment, the side baffle (105) extends along the chamber side wall in a direction parallel to the central axis (A) of the dasher (204). In one embodiment, the side baffle (105) is located on the left side of the chamber side wall (when viewed from the front) (e.g., in an embodiment where the dasher rotates clockwise). FIGS. 14a and FIGS. 14c illustrate the clockwise rotation (R) of the dasher when viewed from the front. In one embodiment, the side baffle (105) may be positioned slightly above the center axis (A) of the dasher (204).

[0057] The side baffle (105) may include a curved surface (151) that corresponds to the path of the dasher (204) as illustrated in FIG. 14a and FIG. 14b. For example, when viewed along the central axis (A) of the dasher, the side baffle (105) may protrude inward relative to an elliptical (e.g. elliptical) cross section of the chamber side wall (150), where the curved surface (151) of the side baffle (105) starts at a lower end of the side baffle (105) that is vertical or substantially vertical, and the curved surface (151) may gradually slope inward until it reaches an inflection point (153). After reaching the inflection point (153), the curved surface (151) may be inclined more steeply vertically until it reaches the top of the side baffle (105), after which the curved surface (151) of the side baffle (105) returns to a curvature corresponding to the elliptical cross-section of the chamber sidewall (150). The radial direction of the curved surface (151) from the bottom of the side baffle (105) to the inflection point (153) is generally aligned with the radial movement of the dasher (204), and thus with the radial movement of the contents of the container chamber (104). The cross-sectional geometry of the side baffle (105) described above directs the contents of the container away from the top of the container chamber (i.e., to a lower radial trajectory than when the side baffle (105) is not present, such as the right side of the container chamber as shown in FIG. 13b). If the side baffle (105) is not present, the contents of the container chamber can flow unimpeded along the side wall (150) to the upper inner surface of the container chamber, which would allow these contents to be excluded from the mixture and / or escape from the mixing container (104). Thus, the side baffle (105) reduces the amount of frozen material that might otherwise form on the upper inner surface of the mixing container (104) as the contents are rotated upward.

[0058] As illustrated in FIGS. 13b, 13c and FIGS. 14a through 14c, the mixing container (104) may include a front baffle (107). If present, the front baffle (107) may be located in the front upper portion of the container chamber (103) (exemplified in FIG. 13b). In one embodiment, the front baffle (107) extends along the front surface of the container chamber between the right wall and the left wall of the container chamber. The rotation of the dasher (204) pushes the contents of the container toward the front of the container chamber, where, if left unattended, the contents may accumulate near the upper front and potentially create frozen lumps that are harmful to the mixing process. As seen in the cross-section of FIG. 13c, the front baffle (107) may form an angle (e.g., 100° - 150°, 100° - 125°, or 105° - 120°) with respect to the front face of the container chamber, which redirects the container contents pushed into the upper front of the mixing container (104) toward the rear of the container chamber. In one embodiment, the front baffle (107) may include a curved surface extending upward from the front face of the container chamber toward the top of the container chamber. In some of these embodiments, the angle formed by the front baffle (107) with respect to the front face of the container chamber varies from a lower angle (e.g., 5° - 20°) in the section of the front baffle (107) near the front face of the container chamber to a higher angle (e.g., 75° - 90°) in the section of the front baffle near the top of the container chamber.

[0059] The front baffle (107) is configured to keep the contents away from the upper surface of the container chamber to avoid accumulation and overflow at the top of the mixing container (104). Thus, the front baffle (107) reduces the amount of frozen material that could otherwise form on the upper front inner surface of the mixing container (104) as a result of the action of the dasher (204).

[0060] As illustrated in FIG. 13c and FIG. 14a through 14c, the mixing container (104) may include a corner baffle (190). The corner baffle (190) may be located on the front upper side of the container chamber. The corner baffle (190) joins or connects the side baffle (105) and the front baffle (107). Thus, when the side baffle (105), the front baffle (107), and the corner baffle (190) are present respectively, the corner baffle (190) physically joins the side baffle (105) to the front baffle (107). As illustrated in FIG. 14a through 14b, the side baffle (105) and the front baffle (107) are orthogonal to each other, and if these baffles end at sharp corners without the corner baffle (190), slush may not be properly induced. Connecting the side baffle (105) and the front baffle (107) with a corner baffle (190) allows the slush to easily flow out from the corner between the side baffle (105) and the front baffle (107).

[0061] The corner baffle (190) has a curved surface (155) extending from the side baffle (105) to the front baffle (107). The curved surface (155) may be convex, as shown in FIG. 14a. Along its length, the corner baffle (190) extends into the container chamber by a relatively constant distance. In other words, the depth of the corner baffle (190) may be relatively constant along the length of the corner baffle (190). The side of the container chamber where the corner baffle (190) is located (e.g., left or right) may be selected based on the direction in which the dasher (204) rotates within the mixing container (104). In particular, the corner baffle (190) may be positioned so that it faces the corner baffle (190) while the dasher (204) moves upward within the container chamber. For example, in a selected embodiment, when the dasher is arranged to rotate clockwise, the corner baffle (190) is positioned at the upper left front of the container chamber. This positioning allows the slush to be advantageously pushed downward toward the dasher (204) when it comes into contact with the corner baffle (190) as it moves upward with the dasher (204), thereby reducing the accumulation of slush on the side walls and top of the mixing container (104).

[0062] In one embodiment, it should be understood that the disclosed mixing vessel (104) includes one, two, three, or more internal baffles located within the vessel chamber. In other words, the mixing vessel (104) may include side baffles (105), front baffles (107), and / or corner baffles (190). The side baffles (105), front baffles (107), and / or corner baffles (190) can reduce slush accumulation on the side walls and top of the vessel chamber, which is important for commercial frozen beverage makers as well as for home frozen beverage makers that have significantly less headspace than commercial units.

[0063] FIG. 15 is an enlarged view (1500) of a user interface such as a user interface (112). According to the enlarged view (1500), the user interface (112) may include a power button (1502), a beverage type display panel (1504), a manual temperature adjustment and / or temperature offset indicator (1506), a manual temperature adjustment interface (1508), a beverage type selection dial (1510), and a cooling button (1512). The user can turn the frozen beverage maker (100) on or off using the power button (1502). The user can select a beverage type to process the type of beverage product by turning the dial (1510) until the selected beverage type is displayed through the panel (1504). The user can select, for example, a slushy, cocktail, frappé, juice, or dairy / milkshake beverage type. The dial (1510) may also include a push button function that allows the user to press the dial (1510) to start or stop processing of the beverage type. The manual temperature adjustment interface (1508) may include left and right buttons that allow the user to adjust the temperature within a temperature offset band, such as the temperature offset band (1602) of FIG. 16 for a milkshake recipe. The user may select the cooling button (1512) to initiate a cooling program and / or recipe, thereby allowing the beverage maker (100) and / or controller (402) to maintain the beverage product in the mixing container (104) at a cool temperature without forming a frozen or semi-frozen beverage product. In one embodiment, the same cool temperature is maintained for any beverage type. For example, the controller (402) may receive a signal indicating the selection of the cooling button (1512), lower the temperature to a predefined temperature (e.g., within a range) where no beverage type should freeze, and maintain it at or near that temperature.In another embodiment, the controller (402) receives a signal indicating the selection of the cooling button (1512) and the selection of a beverage type from the beverage type selection dial (1510), lowers the temperature to a predefined temperature (e.g., within a range) defined for that specific beverage type (e.g., specified by a beverage object in memory) where that specific beverage type should not be frozen, and can maintain it at or near that temperature.

[0064] FIG. 16 is a graph (1600) of a basic temperature setting and a fine-tuned temperature setting associated with the processing of a beverage product, wherein these temperature settings may be stored as temperature values ​​in memory as described elsewhere in this specification. For example, if a user selects a dairy and / or milkshake recipe and starts a frozen beverage processing sequence and / or recipe using the dial (1510), the controller (402) will control the process of the dairy / milkshake recipe to adjust the temperature of the beverage product to a basic temperature setting (1604) of -4°C in the graph (1600). The user may fine-tune or adjust the basic target temperature of the beverage type by setting a temperature offset using the manual temperature adjustment interface (1508) before, while, or after reaching the basic temperature setting (1604). The user may lower the recipe target temperature to approximately -5.2°C in increments of approximately 0.4°C by pressing the left arrow button. As the temperature decreases, the viscosity and / or amount of frozen beverage particles increase. Accordingly, the manual temperature adjustment indicator (1506) may include a "thickness" label. However, other labels such as "temperature offset" or "temperature adjustment" may be used.

[0065] The user can press the right arrow button to increase the recipe target temperature by approximately -2.8°C in increments of approximately 0.4°C. As the temperature increases, the viscosity and / or amount of frozen beverage particles decrease. The manual temperature adjustment indicator (1506) may include one or more light indicators that light up in a configuration corresponding to the selected temperature offset. For example, the manual temperature adjustment indicator (1506) may have a central light indicator indicating that a 0°C offset has been selected (i.e., no offset). The offset indicator (1506) may include light indicators corresponding to each increment of the selected offset above or below the default setting (e.g., the 0°C offset point). FIG. 16 also illustrates temperature offsets and / or manual adjustment bands associated with various types of beverage products such as Milkshake, Frappuccino, Cocktail, Light, and Traditional. Each temperature band may include a center, base, and / or target beverage type temperature and user-selectable fine-tuning offset temperatures above and below the beverage type target temperature. In one embodiment, the temperature offset band associated with one recipe differs from the temperature offset band of another recipe, and as a result, the temperature offset increments differ between different recipes.

[0066] FIG. 17 is an enlarged view (1700) of another user interface according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. According to the enlarged view (1700), the user interface (112) may include a power button (1708), a beverage type selection / display panel (1702), a manual temperature adjustment and / or temperature offset indicator (1706), and a manual temperature adjustment dial (1704). The user can turn the beverage maker (100) on or off using the power button (1708). The user can select a beverage type to process a type of beverage product by pressing a button associated with a selected beverage type, for example, SLUSHI. The selection of a specific beverage type may be indicated by the illumination of a light indicator associated with the selected beverage type button. For example, FIG. 17 illustrates that the SLUSHI beverage type has been selected by the illumination of a white LED indicator next to the SLUSHI button. The user may select, for example, a slush drink, an alcoholic slush or cocktail, a frappé, a frozen juice, or a dairy / milkshake drink type. The manual temperature adjustment dial (1704) may be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise to set a temperature value and / or a target temperature setting within a universal range of beverage product temperature values. For example, the manual temperature adjustment indicator (1706) may include 10 temperature values ​​or settings corresponding to a target temperature as illustrated in FIG. 18.

[0067] FIG. 18 is a graph (1800) of temperature values ​​associated with the target temperature of an automatic recipe and manual temperature adjustment. The graph (1800) shows temperature values ​​1 through 10, where setting #1 is -1.3°C and setting #10 is -7.2°C. The 10 temperature settings of the graph (1800) correspond to 10 light indicators of the manual temperature adjustment indicator (1706). When in operation, if the user presses the corresponding button on the beverage type selection / display panel (1702) to select a beverage type, for example, MILKSHAKE, the indicator adjacent to the button lights up. Additionally, if the default or automatic temperature value associated with the milkshake is approximately -4.0°C and this corresponds to setting #7 of the graph (1800), 7 indicators (i.e., light bars) on the manual adjustment indicator (1706) will light up. The light bar may dim or blink periodically until the target temperature is reached and / or detected by the controller (402). The interface (112) may emit an audible sound, for example, a beep or a sequence of beeps, when the target temperature is reached. The dimming or blinking light may change to a brighter / brighter or constant light when the target temperature is reached. In one embodiment, once the target temperature is reached, the controller (402) will cycle the compressor (214) on and off to maintain the temperature of the beverage product within a target temperature range above and / or below the target temperature. For example, the range may be about 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, or 1.0°C above and below the beverage product target temperature. As long as the temperature is maintained within the target temperature range, the controller (402) will not initiate a warning (e.g., audible output) or a change in the state of any indicator of the indicator (1706).

[0068] If the user wishes to lower the target temperature of the milkshake to setting #10 of FIG. 18 or to increase the target viscosity, the user may turn the dial (1704) until all 10 light indicators are lit. If the user wishes to raise the target temperature to setting #3 of FIG. 18 or to decrease the target viscosity of the milkshake, the user may turn the dial (1704) until three indicator bars of the indicator (1706) are lit, as exemplified in FIG. 17. FIG. 17 illustrates an interface using the dial (1704) to manually adjust the temperature, but other types of interfaces, such as up / down buttons, a touchscreen, or a slider switch, may be used without limitation.

[0069] FIG. 18 also illustrates how each increment of temperature change between each of temperature settings #1 through #10 can be non-linear to account for appropriate changes in the viscosity of the cooled or frozen beverage product. As the temperature decreases, a larger temperature change is required to cause a substantial or proportional change in the amount of frozen beverage particles in the beverage product or in the viscosity of the beverage product. For example, the temperature increment (1802) (between settings #4 and #5) is about 0.6°C, whereas the temperature increment (1804) (between settings #8 and #9) in a lower temperature range is about -1.0°C. In other embodiments, the increment of temperature change between settings may be constant, resulting in a linear temperature range. FIG. 17 and FIG. 18 illustrate a range containing 10 temperature values ​​or settings, but any number of settings and / or temperature ranges may be implemented.

[0070] FIG. 19 is a graph (1900) of the driving motor (208) current and the beverage product temperature over time when the beverage product is processed by the frozen beverage maker (100) of FIG. 1. The graph (1900) illustrates the change in the driving motor current (1902) and the corresponding beverage product temperature (1904) over time while the beverage product is being made. The graph (1900) illustrates how the current (1902) applied to the driving motor (208) increases as the temperature (1904) decreases, which increases the viscosity of the beverage product, which causes an increase in the resistance of the beverage product to the rotation of the dasher (204), which ultimately requires increased motor power and / or current (1902) to drive the dasher (204) against the resistance. When the current (1902), or power, or torque reaches or exceeds a threshold or motor state limit value (1906), for example, about 40 watts and / or about 0.3 amperes, the controller (402) can disable the cooling circuit, i.e., stop the flow of coolant and / or refrigerant to the evaporator (202), so that the temperature (1904) can rise, thereby reducing the viscosity of the beverage product and reducing the current (1902) of the drive motor (208) below the motor state limit value (1906). The controller (402) can automatically adjust the temperature setting associated with a specific beverage type, which may have been fine-tuned by the user's manual temperature adjustment and / or temperature offset selection, to a new temperature setting corresponding to a second target temperature where the magnitude of the motor current (1902) is lower than the motor state limit value (1906). The second target temperature may be set higher than the initial and / or first target temperature (by a relatively small offset), for example, by 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.25, 1.5, or 2.0°C. In this way, the controller (402) prevents an overcurrent condition and possible damage to the drive motor (208).This also prevents excessive ice accumulation in the mixing container (104), thereby allowing the operation of the beverage maker (100) and the dasher (204) to continue, that is, preventing the drive motor (208) from stopping. Otherwise, the drive motor (208) would stop and the beverage maker (100) would get stuck, cutting off the slush output from the mixing container (104), and the user would have to defrost and / or unblock the mixing container (104) before normal operation resumed. Thus, this prevention of stopping allows the beverage maker (100) to provide some slush output. Additionally, excessive current or power conditions of the drive motor (208) caused by an object blocking the rotation of the dasher (204) can also be prevented. The controller (402) may perform other actions in addition to stopping the drive motor (208), such as shutting down the compressor (214). Graph (1900) also illustrates how the controller (402) can continuously and / or periodically monitor the temperature associated with the beverage product in the mixing container (104) through temperature sensor(s) (406) to enable continuous control of components such as the compressor (214) and other components of the frozen beverage maker (100) to enable automatic control of the temperature of the beverage product.

[0071] FIG. 20 is a flowchart of a process (2000) for preparing a cooled beverage product by using a recipe for initial or basic temperature and / or texture control and then using user input to fine-tune the temperature and / or texture of the beverage product. In a particular embodiment, the process (2000) comprises: receiving the beverage product into a mixing vessel (104) (step 2002); mixing the beverage product within the mixing vessel (104) using a mixer and / or dasher (204) driven by a drive motor (208) (step 2004); cooling the beverage product within the mixing vessel (104) using a cooling circuit, such as a refrigeration circuit including an evaporator (202) (step 2006); detecting the temperature associated with the beverage product through a temperature sensor(s) (406) and outputting a temperature signal (step 2008); The method comprises storing a beverage object representing a beverage type in memory (408), wherein the beverage object specifies a first temperature value and / or setting corresponding to a first target temperature (step 2010); receiving a temperature signal in a controller (402) (step 2012); controlling a temperature associated with a beverage product by the controller (402) by controlling a cooling circuit based on the received temperature signal, the first temperature value and / or manual temperature adjustment, for example, by activating or deactivating a compressor (214) to initiate or stop the flow of refrigerant through an evaporator (202) (step 2014); and receiving user input for adjusting the manual temperature adjustment (step 2016). The user input may indicate a desired viscosity corresponding to the manual temperature adjustment. In one embodiment, the manual adjustment may be customized by beverage type. In a specific embodiment, the manual adjustment is universal for all beverage types.In one embodiment, manual adjustment is for a smaller adjustment interval and / or a smaller range specific to the beverage type (e.g., corresponding to FIG. 16), and in another embodiment, it is for a larger adjustment interval and / or a larger range not specific to the beverage type, i.e., across a number (e.g., all) of beverage types, thereby allowing the user to have a greater degree of freedom in adjusting viscosity and / or temperature.

[0072] FIG. 21 is a flowchart of a process (2100) for automatically detecting when the drive motor current is too high or the viscosity of the beverage product is too high, and in response, adjusting the temperature of the beverage product to reduce the drive motor current and / or increasing the temperature of the beverage product to reduce the viscosity of the beverage product. In a specific embodiment, the process (2100) comprises: receiving the beverage product in a mixing container (104) (step 2102); mixing the beverage product in the mixing container (104) using a mixer and / or dasher (204) driven by a drive motor (208) (step 2104); cooling the beverage product in the mixing container (104) using a cooling circuit such as an evaporator (202) (step 2106); measuring the temperature associated with the beverage product through a temperature sensor(s) (406) and outputting a temperature signal (step 2108); The method includes measuring the motor state associated with the drive motor (208) and outputting a motor state signal through the motor state detection sensor(s) (406) (step 2110); storing a first temperature value corresponding to a first target temperature and storing a motor state limit value in the memory (408) (step 2112); receiving the temperature signal and the motor state signal in the controller (402) (step 2114); and controlling the temperature associated with the beverage product by controlling the cooling circuit based on at least the received temperature signal, the received motor state signal, the first temperature setting and the motor state limit value, for example, by activating or deactivating the compressor (214) to start or stop the refrigerant flow through the evaporator (202) (step 2116).

[0073] In one embodiment, the controller (402) may stop and / or disable the drive motor (208) to stop the rotation of the dasher (204) when the motor status signal exceeds a motor knockdown threshold, i.e., when the motor current or power is too high / high or high enough to damage the drive motor (208), which may be caused by excessive ice accumulation in the mixing container (104). Excessive ice accumulation may be caused, for example, by filling the mixing container with water only or a liquid consisting mainly of water. Shutting down the drive motor (208) may also prevent damage to the dasher (204) caused by excessive hard ice accumulation. In addition to disabling the drive motor (208), or alternatively, the controller (402) may perform other actions, such as issuing a warning to the user to add more ingredients, such as sugar or alcohol, to the beverage product, or issuing a warning to the user to turn off the beverage maker (100), via the user interface (112). A separate motor shutdown threshold for the motor (208) may be set higher than the motor knockdown threshold limit. In this way, the controller (104) may attempt to raise the temperature within the mixing vessel (104) when the motor knockdown threshold limit is reached, but may shut down and / or stop the drive motor (208) only when the motor shutdown threshold is reached to prevent damage to the drive motor (208). The controller (104) may take action based on determining whether the motor knockdown threshold limit or the motor shutdown limit has been reached or exceeded for a certain period, e.g., 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, or 5 seconds or longer. By observing the motor current and / or power for a certain period, false positives and / or incorrect readings of the current and / or power may be eliminated.

[0074] FIG. 22a illustrates a dual-purpose cooling fan (2202) within the housing of a beverage maker (2200) comprising a refrigeration system having a condenser (2208) and a compressor (2210). The beverage maker (2200) also includes a drive motor (2204) configured to drive the rotation of a dasher (2212) during the processing of beverage products. The dual-purpose cooling fan (2202) draws airflow through the condenser (2208) and directs the airflow toward the drive motor (2204) through an air channel (2206). The airflow passes over and adjacent to the condenser coil while passing through the condenser (2208) to cool the refrigerant passing through the condenser (2208) within the closed-loop refrigeration system. The airflow also passes along the surface and / or surfaces of the drive motor (2204) to perform cooling of the drive motor (2204). FIG. 22a illustrates a configuration in which the drive motor (2204) and the condenser (2208) are positioned approximately perpendicular to the dual-purpose cooling fan (2202), but other configurations, arrangements, or orientations may be implemented so that the dual-purpose cooling fan (2202) provides cooling airflow to the condenser (2208) and the drive motor (2204).

[0075] In one embodiment, a beverage maker, such as a beverage maker (2200), includes a mixing container, such as a mixing container (104), arranged to receive a beverage product. The beverage maker (2200) includes a mixing component, such as a dasher (2212) or other type of mixing component, driven by a drive motor (2212), arranged to mix the beverage product within the mixing container (104). A refrigeration system is arranged to cool the beverage product within the mixing container (104) and includes a condenser, such as a condenser (2208). A cooling fan (2202), i.e., a dual-purpose cooling fan, is configured to cool the drive motor (2204) and the condenser (2208) simultaneously. The cooling fan (2202) may provide airflow through the condenser (2208) to cool the refrigerant flowing through the condenser (2208). The cooling fan (2202) may provide airflow along the surface of the drive motor (2204) to cool the drive motor (2204). The cooling fan (2202), the drive motor (2204), and the condenser (2208) can be positioned so that the air generated by the cooling fan (2202) passes sequentially through the condenser (2208) and along the surface of the drive motor (2204).

[0076] A first portion of the air generated by the cooling fan (2202) can cool the condenser (2208), and a second portion of the air generated by the cooling fan (2202) can cool the drive motor (2204). The condenser (2208) may include a plurality of coils that carry a coolant and / or refrigerant within a closed loop of a refrigeration circuit. When the cooling fan (2202) provides an airflow through the condenser (2208) to cool the refrigerant flowing through the condenser (2208), the airflow may travel adjacent to and / or around the plurality of coils. A cooling channel (2206) may extend between the cooling fan (2202) and the drive motor (2204), wherein the cooling channel (2206) provides a cooling airflow between the cooling fan (2202) and the drive motor (2204). The cooling channel (2206) may be formed at least partially by a duct and / or ducting. The above ducting may include plastic, metal, composite materials, etc. A cooling channel may extend between a cooling fan (2202) and a condenser (2208), wherein the cooling channel provides a cooling airflow between the cooling fan (2202) and the condenser (2208). The cooling channel may be formed at least partially by a duct. The cooling fans (2202 and 2222) may include centrifugal fans, cross-flow fans, tangential fans, volute fans, backward-curved fans, forward-curved fans, blower fans, squirrel-cage fans, and / or axial fans.

[0077] In one embodiment, a cooling fan, such as a cooling fan (2202), is configured to cool a drive motor, such as a drive motor (2204), and a condenser, such as a condenser (2208), within the housing of a beverage maker. The cooling fan (2202) may include an air inlet configured to receive airflow, an impeller configured to generate airflow; and an air outlet configured to output airflow through the condenser (2208) and along the surface of the drive motor (2204).

[0078] FIG. 22b illustrates another embodiment of a dual-purpose cooling fan (2222) within the housing of a beverage maker (2220), comprising a drive motor (2224), a dasher (2226), a compressor (2230), and a condenser (2228). The drive motor (2224) is coupled to the dasher to drive its rotation and also drives the rotation of the cooling fan (2222) through a gear (2236). The cooling fan (2222) includes an air outlet (2238) that directs airflow from the cooling fan (2222) through an air channel (2232), said air channel may include a ducting (2234) that directs airflow through the condenser (2228) to cool a refrigerant flowing through the condenser (2238).

[0079] FIG. 22c illustrates a perspective view (2240) of a dual-purpose cooling fan (2222) within the housing (2242) of a beverage maker (2220). The cooling fan (2222) may be a centrifugal fan and / or other types of fan as described herein. The cooling fan (2222) may include an impeller (2244) that draws airflow into the cooling fan (2222) through an inlet (2236) and then discharges the air downward through an outlet (2238) at approximately a right angle to the inlet (2236). The airflow exiting the outlet (2238) flows downward past the drive motor (2224), including following the surface of the drive motor (2224), and flows through the air channel (2232), which may include ducting (2234) that directs the airflow through the condenser (2228) (adjacent to and / or around the coil of the condenser (2228)) to perform cooling of the refrigerant passing through the coil.

[0080] FIG. 23 is a flowchart of a process (2300) for operating the dual-purpose cooling fans (2202 or 2222) of FIG. 22a and FIG. 22b, respectively. The process (2300) comprises: activating a drive motor (2204) (or drive motor (2224)) arranged to drive the rotation of a dasher (2212) (or dasher (2226)) within the mixing vessel of a beverage maker (step 2302); activating a compressor (2208) (or compressor (2230)) of the refrigeration circuit of a beverage maker (step 2304); By activating the cooling fan (2202) (or cooling fan (2222)) to simultaneously generate airflow through the condenser (2208) (or condenser (2228)) and along the surface of the drive motor (2204) (or drive motor (2224)) (step 2306), it is made easier to simultaneously cool the condenser (2208) (or condenser (2228)) and the drive motor (2204) (or drive motor (2224)) within the housing of the beverage maker using the cooling fan (2202 or 2222), respectively.

[0081] As previously mentioned, the frozen beverage maker (100) may include an inlet (106) in which a mixing container (104) can receive materials to be mixed to produce a beverage product. An exemplary inlet (106) for the frozen beverage maker (100) is illustrated in FIGS. 24a through 24c. The frozen beverage maker (100) includes a mixing container (104) having a substantially cylindrical chamber and a housing (102) having an upper housing portion (122). FIG. 24a illustrates a side perspective view of the inlet (106). FIG. 24b illustrates a front view of the inlet (106) of FIG. 24a, and FIG. 24c illustrates a perspective view of the inlet (106) of FIG. 24a from the left side of the mixing container (104) (as seen in the front view). The inlet (106) facilitates the addition of fluid, liquid, slush, or other materials to the mixing container (104) while the dasher (204) is active, as well as minimizes spillage and prevents finger insertion during use.

[0082] In one embodiment, the inlet (106) may include a cover (160) for sealing the inlet (106), as illustrated in FIG. 24a and FIG. 24c. A detailed perspective view of an exemplary cover (160) for the inlet (106) is shown in FIG. 25. If present, the cover (160) may be hinged to the upper section of the mixing container (104). The cover (160) may be movable between an open position where the inlet (106) is accessible to the user and a closed position where the inlet (106) is not accessible to the user. Although not illustrated in the attached drawings, the inlet (106) may also include a grate to restrict objects from entering the opening (162). If present, the grate may reduce the risk of solids larger than a certain size and / or having one or more specific shapes entering the mixing container (104), which may cause damage.

[0083] FIG. 26 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary inlet (106). The inlet (106) includes a surface (164) that is radially inclined with respect to the central axis of the dasher (204) (indicated as axis “A” in FIG. 24a). The inclined portion (164) reduces possible splashing when the container is filled. The inclined portion (164) also prevents slush contained within the mixing container (104) from being pushed out of the inlet (106). The surface (164) has an aperture (162). FIG. 26 illustrates only one aperture (162), but additional apertures may exist. The aperture (162) is in fluid communication with the inner chamber of the mixing container (104). In one embodiment, the aperture (162) extends laterally along the surface (164) in a direction parallel to the central axis “A” of the dasher (204). The opening (162) may be shaped as a slot as shown in FIG. 26 or may have other shapes. If shaped as a slot, the opening (162) may be longer or wider than shown in FIG. 24a through 24c and / or may have a different length-to-width ratio than shown. Additionally, the opening (162) as a slot or other long shape may have its major axis aligned parallel or perpendicular to the axis of the mixing container (104), or at any other angle with respect to the axis of the mixing container (104). The opening (162) may be sized to be sufficiently small (at least in width) so as not to allow the passage of a human finger, at least the entire length of a human finger, for example, in the form of a slot, thereby preventing a user from inserting one or more fingers into the mixing container (104).

[0084] The inlet (106) may optionally include one or more lips (166a, 166b) extending upward from the perimeter of the surface (164) to form a well leading to the opening (162), as illustrated in FIG. 26. One or more lips (166a, 166b) may reduce overflow when liquid is poured into the mixing container (104). If desired, the inlet (106) may also include a grate (not illustrated) covering at least a portion of the opening (162). For safety reasons, the user must not come into contact with the dasher (204) while the dasher (204) is rotating. The geometric structure of the inlet (106) (including the opening (162) described above) can prevent or restrain the user from reaching into the mixing container (104) even when the cover (160) is in an open position and / or the dasher (204) is rotating.

[0085] The inlet (106) may be located near the rear end of the upper part of the mixing container (104), opposite the dispenser assembly, as shown in FIGS. 24a through 24c. Positioning the inlet (106) near the rear of the mixing container (104) avoids interference with the slush circulation at the front of the frozen beverage maker (100), which can lead to waste and an uneven texture. When the inlet (106) is positioned at the rear of the mixing container (104), the front two-thirds of the container has a continuous and smooth internal shape that provides a good slush flow and minimizes the slush moving out of the top. By positioning the inlet (106) near the rear of the container (104), the opening (106) is positioned at a location where there is less possible accumulation of frozen and / or slush material, allowing for smoother pouring and reducing possible accumulation of ice and / or slush material at the opening (106) during processing.

[0086] The surface (164) of the inlet (106) is inclined to direct the incoming material into the mixing container (104) in the same direction of entry as the rotation direction of the dasher (204). This prevents the rotating frozen mixture from exiting the container (104) through the inlet (106). In one embodiment, when the dasher (204) is rotating clockwise as viewed from the front of the frozen beverage maker (100), the opening (106) is located on the right side of the container (104). The opening (162) may be positioned to extend laterally along the surface (164) in a direction parallel to the central axis (A) of the dasher (204), whereas in another embodiment, when the dasher (204) is rotating counterclockwise as viewed from the front of the frozen beverage maker (100), the opening (106) is located on the left side of the container (104).

[0087] FIGS. 27a through 27d illustrate an exemplary inlet (106) in which the surface (164) of the inlet is shaped to slope downward toward the rear of the mixing container. In some of these embodiments, one or more openings (162) may be located in the lower portion of the surface (164). Shaping the surface (164) to include a rear slope can increase the volumetric capacity of the inlet (106) and reduce spillage. In an embodiment in which the surface (164) of the inlet (106) is sloped with respect to the central axis (A) of the dasher (204), the surface (164) may be shaped such that the portion of the surface (164) closest to the front of the mixing container is located further from the central axis (A) of the dasher (204) than the portion of the surface (164) closest to the rear of the mixing container.

[0088] FIG. 28 illustrates an exemplary method (2800) using an inlet (106) for a frozen beverage maker. As illustrated in FIG. 28, the method (2800) includes optionally opening the cover of the frozen beverage maker to provide access to the inlet (Block 2802). The method (2800) also includes introducing one or more liquid materials into the mixing container of the frozen beverage maker through the inlet (Block 2804). The one or more liquid materials may be added to the mixing container while the container is actively mixing (e.g., while the dasher is rotating). The method (2800) further includes discharging a beverage product from the frozen beverage maker (Block 2806). If desired, the beverage product may be discharged while the dasher is rotating.

[0089] FIGS. 29a through 29d illustrate a dispensing assembly (2900) for dispensing a beverage product from a frozen beverage maker (100) according to an exemplary embodiment of the first disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 29a, the dispensing assembly (2900) may include a dispenser housing (2904) for receiving components of the dispensing assembly (2900). The housing (2904) may have a first portion (2904a) attached to the outer surface of the frozen beverage maker (100) adjacent to the discharge port (2902) and a second portion (2904b) spaced apart from the discharge port (2902) and extending outward from the outer surface. In one embodiment, the housing (2904) may have an inverted L shape. However, the present disclosure considers other suitable shapes of the housing (2904). The handle (120) of the frozen beverage maker (100) may have an upper part (120a) in the form of a user-operable lever (2906) and a lower part (120b) attached to a second part (2904b) of the housing (2904).

[0090] As illustrated in FIGS. 29b and 29c, the lever (2906) may be rotatable about a second portion (2904b) of the housing (2904) around a first pivot member (2908). In one embodiment, the first pivot member (2908) may be a rod or pin (2910) extending through the second portion (2904b) of the housing (2904) and the lower portion (120b) of the handle (120). However, the present disclosure considers other suitable types of pivot members (2908). A link member (2912) may be operably coupled to the lower portion (120b) of the handle (120). In one embodiment, the link member (2912) may be insertable into the lower portion (120b) of the handle (120). The link member (2912) may be rotatable about the lever (2906) around the second pivot member (2914). In one embodiment, the second pivot member (2914) may be a rod or pin (2916) extending through the link member (2912) and through the lower portion (120b) of the handle (120). However, the present disclosure considers other suitable types of pivot members (2916). The bracket member (2918) may be operably coupled to the link member (2912) and may be attached to the first portion (2904a) of the housing (2904). In one embodiment, the link member (2912) may be insertable into a portion of the bracket member (2918). The bracket member (2918) may be rotatable about the link member (2912) around the third pivot member (2920). In one embodiment, the third pivot member (2920) may be a rod or pin (2922) extending through the bracket member (2918) and the link member (2912). However, the present disclosure considers other suitable types of pivot members (2920). The bracket member (2918) may also be rotatable about the first part (2904a) of the housing (2904) around the fourth pivot member (2924).In one embodiment, the fourth pivot member (2924) may be a rod or pin (2926) extending through the first portion (2904a) of the housing (2904) and the bracket member (2918). However, the present disclosure considers other suitable types of pivot member (2924). A seal (2928) may be attached to the bracket member (2918). The seal (2928) may be configured to seal the dispensing port (2902) to prevent unintended discharge of the beverage product. In one embodiment, the seal (2928) may be a lip seal covering the dispensing port (2902). However, other suitable types of seal (2928) are considered by the present disclosure. For example, in one embodiment, the seal (2928) may be made of one or more relatively dense materials having a relatively high hardness (durometer) and may be or include a plug extending into the discharge port (2902) to seal the discharge port (2902). The discharge port (2902) may include a safety grid (2930) or other mechanism to prevent a user from unintentionally inserting their finger into the discharge port (2902) (Fig. 29d).

[0091] In one embodiment, to dispense a beverage product, operation of the lever (2906) by the user may cause the link member (2912) to move upward relative to the housing (2904). Since the bracket member (2918) is attached to both the link member (2912) and the housing (2904), a portion of the bracket member (2918) may move upward together with the link member (2912), while the remainder of the bracket member (2918) is forced to pivot around the fourth pivot member (2924). This may eventually cause the seal (2928) to move to an open position. When the seal (2928) moves to an open position, the seal (2928) may open the discharge port (2902) to dispense the beverage product. Advantageously, in the open position, the seal (2928) can be angled about 45-60 degrees with respect to the dispensing port (2902) to direct the beverage product downward toward the beverage cup. Release of the lever (2906) by the user causes the components to return to an unoperated position, allowing the seal (2928) to close the dispensing port (2902) again.

[0092] FIGS. 30a and FIGS. 30b illustrate a dispensing assembly (3000) for dispensing a beverage product from a frozen beverage maker (100) according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The dispensing assembly (3000) may be substantially similar to the dispensing assembly (2900). For example, as illustrated in FIG. 30a, the dispensing assembly (3000) may include a dispenser housing (3004) for receiving components of the dispensing assembly (3000). The housing (3004) may have a first portion (3004a) attached to the outer surface of the frozen beverage maker (100) adjacent to the discharge port (3002) and a second portion (3004b) spaced apart from the discharge port (3002) and extending outward from the outer surface. The handle (120) may have an upper portion (120a) in the form of a user-operable lever (3006) and a lower portion (120b) attached to a second portion (3004b) of the housing (3004). The lever (3006) may be rotatable about the second portion (3004b) of the housing (3004) around a first pivot member (3008). A link member (3012) may be operablely coupled to the lower portion (120b) of the handle (120). The link member (3012) may be rotatable about the lever (3006) around a second pivot member (3014).

[0093] As illustrated in FIG. 30b, the bracket member (3018) may be operably coupled to the link member (3012) and attached to the first part (3004a) of the housing (3004). In one embodiment, the bracket member (3018) may have an inverted L shape as illustrated. However, the present disclosure considers other suitable shapes of the bracket member (3018). The bracket member (3018) may be rotatable about the link member (3012) around the third pivot member (3020). The bracket member (3018) may also be rotatable about the first part (3004a) of the housing (3004) around the fourth pivot member (3024). A seal (3028) may be attached to the bracket member (3018). The seal (3028) may be configured to seal the discharge port (3002) in a closed position. In one embodiment, the seal (3028) may be a lip seal covering the discharge port (3002). However, in one embodiment, the seal (3028) may be made of one or more relatively dense materials having relatively high hardness and may be or include a plug extending into the discharge port (3002) to seal the discharge port (3002).

[0094] In order to dispense a beverage product, in one embodiment, operation of the lever (3006) by the user may cause the link member (3012) to move upward relative to the housing (3004). Since the bracket member (3018) is attached to both the link member (3012) and the housing (3004), a portion of the bracket member (3018) may move upward together with the link member (3012), while the remainder of the bracket member (3018) is forced to pivot around the fourth pivot member (3024). This may eventually cause the seal (3028) to move to an open position. When the seal (3028) moves to an open position, the seal (3028) may open the discharge port (3002) to dispense the beverage product. Advantageously, in the open position, the seal (3028) can be angled about 45-60 degrees with respect to the dispensing port (3002) to direct the beverage product downward toward the beverage cup. Release of the lever (3006) by the user causes the components to return to an unoperated position, allowing the seal (3028) to close the dispensing port (3002) again.

[0095] Advantageously, unlike other dispenser mechanisms, the dispensing assembly (2900, 3000) of the present disclosure does not rely on a lever action on the outer surface of the frozen beverage maker (100) to open the seal (2928, 3028). This can reduce wear on the components of the dispensing assembly (2900, 3000) and the outer surface of the frozen beverage maker (100). Additionally, because the seal (2928, 3028) moves both horizontally and vertically relative to the discharge port (2902, 3002) to release the seal of the discharge port (2902, 3002), the open position of the seal (2928, 3028) can provide less obstruction to the flow of the beverage product from the discharge port (2902, 3002).

[0096] FIGS. 31a and 31b illustrate in more detail a discharge cover or shroud (116) for covering a portion of a dispensing assembly (2900, 3000) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 31a, the shroud (116) may include a first panel section (3102a) and a second panel section (3102b) that extend substantially parallel to each other. A front section (3104) may extend between the panel sections (3102a, 3102b). In one embodiment, the panel sections (3102a, 3102b) may be substantially flat, while the front section (3104) may be curved as illustrated. In one embodiment, the front section (3104) may include an arched upper edge (3106) configured so as not to interfere with the operation of the handle (120). However, the present disclosure considers other suitable shapes of the upper edge (3106), such as the straight shape shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 31b, the panel sections (3102a, 3102b) may be configured to form a removable snap connection with the dispenser housing (2904, 3004). The length of the shroud (116) may be selected to cover components of the dispensing assembly (2900, 3000) other than the handle (120) to improve the aesthetic appearance of the frozen beverage maker (100). The shroud (116) may also help direct the beverage product downward toward the beverage cup. The shroud (116) may be made of a dishwasher-safe material for easy cleaning.

[0097] In one embodiment, at least the front section (3104) of the shroud (116) may be movable vertically with respect to the dispensing assembly (2900, 3000). For example, in one embodiment, the front section (3104) may be movable with respect to the first panel section (3102a) and the second panel section (3102b). In one embodiment, the front section (3104) may be hinged to the first and second panel sections (3102a, 3102b) or slide vertically with respect to the first and second panel sections (3102a, 3102b). Such movement may be useful for preventing the beverage from being discharged from the dispensing port (2902, 3002) in an excessively lateral trajectory when dispensing a non-frozen water-based beverage. This lateral trajectory may result in at least some of the beverage not being discharged into the receiving container located below the discharge port (2902, 3002).

[0098] It should be understood that the various embodiments described herein are not limited to producing frozen or semi-frozen beverages, but may be applied to producing cold or chilled beverage products that are colder than the received beverage product but are not frozen or semi-frozen. For example, in one embodiment, the same or similar mechanism and / or technique may be used as part of a cold beverage machine and / or a chilled beverage maker to produce, maintain, and dispense a cold beverage.

[0099] As discussed in relation to FIG. 4, operations and processes described herein associated with configuring or controlling a frozen beverage maker, such as a frozen beverage maker (100), may be performed by one or more programmable processors running one or more computer programs to control or perform all or part of the operations described herein. All or part of the frozen beverage maker (100) system and processes may be configured or controlled by special-purpose logic circuits, such as FPGAs and / or ASICs or embedded microprocessors, placed in the device hardware.

[0100] Non-transient machine-readable storage media suitable for implementing computer program instructions and data include, for example, semiconductor storage devices such as EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), and flash storage devices; magnetic disks such as built-in hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and all forms of non-volatile storage, including CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory) and DVD-ROM (Digital Multifunction Disc Read-Only Memory).

[0101] The elements of the different embodiments described may be combined to form other embodiments not specifically presented above. The elements may be excluded from the systems described above without adversely affecting their operation or the overall operation of the system. Additionally, various distinct elements may be combined into one or more individual elements to perform the functions described herein.

[0102] The present disclosure describes a removable collection tray that may be placed within a unit below a vessel / evaporator. The tray may be configured to collect condensation falling from the vessel or spills resulting from filling the vessel. The tray may also be used to collect water generated during washing between use. The tray of the present disclosure may be sized to collect up to 16 ounces of liquid. The tray may also be made of a dishwasher-safe material for easy cleaning.

[0103] The present application describes an exemplary system, method, and apparatus that provides a removable condensate tray under a container to reduce concerns about cleaning and increase ease of use.

[0104] In one embodiment, a removable collection tray for a frozen beverage maker includes a collection chamber and a handle for receiving liquid. The collection chamber is configured to be removablely inserted into a slot within the housing of the frozen beverage maker adjacent to the evaporator. In one embodiment, the collection chamber is spaced vertically from the bottom surface of the housing when inserted into the slot. In one embodiment, the collection chamber includes an evaporator-facing surface. The evaporator-facing surface has a shape corresponding to the outer surface of the evaporator. In one embodiment, the shape is semi-cylindrical. In one embodiment, the handle, the evaporator-facing surface, and three other side walls define the collection chamber. In one embodiment, the collection chamber has a liquid volume capacity of 16 ounces. In one embodiment, the removable collection tray is made of a dishwasher-safe material. In one embodiment, the user-facing surface of the handle is at the same height as the user interface of the housing when the collection chamber is fully inserted into the slot. In one embodiment, the bottom surface of the handle has one or more ribs to add structural integrity between the handle and the collection chamber. In one embodiment, the slot is defined between at least one rail and the upper surface of the housing.

[0105] In one embodiment, a method for removing a collection tray from a frozen beverage maker comprises removing a mixing container from the housing of the frozen beverage maker and, after removing the mixing container from the housing, removing a collection tray from the housing. In one embodiment, removing the mixing container from the housing comprises removing the mixing container and the attached dispenser from the housing. In one embodiment, removing the collection tray from the housing comprises pulling a handle toward the user. In one embodiment, pulling the handle toward the user comprises sliding the collection tray toward the user along a slot within the housing. In one embodiment, the method also comprises completely disengaging the collection tray from the slot within the housing.

[0106] The present application addresses defects associated with controlling slush flow within a mixing vessel of a frozen beverage maker in various embodiments. The present application describes exemplary systems, methods, and apparatuses that use one or more internal baffles located within a mixing vessel to induce slush flow for thorough mixing and to prevent clogging within the mixing vessel. The one or more internal baffles controlling the flow of contents within the mixing vessel can also reduce waste (e.g., waste caused by slush sticking to the vessel instead of being discharged through the outlet).

[0107] In a first embodiment, a mixing vessel for a frozen beverage maker is described, said mixing vessel having at least one internal baffle. The mixing vessel includes a curved side wall defining a substantially cylindrical container chamber inside. The container chamber includes a front, rear, right, left, and top. The mixing vessel also includes a corner baffle configured to control slush flow within the container chamber. The corner baffle is located on the right or left side of the front upper portion of the container chamber.

[0108] The mixing vessel may be configured to accommodate a dasher rotating within the vessel chamber around a central axis, and the corner baffle may be positioned to face the corner baffle while the dasher moves upward within the vessel chamber. In these and other embodiments, the corner baffle is located on the left side of the vessel chamber and the dasher is arranged to rotate clockwise. In a selected embodiment, the distance from the central axis of the dasher to the top of the vessel chamber is less than 16 inches.

[0109] The corner baffle may extend from the front into the container chamber by a relatively constant distance. In one embodiment, the mixing container also includes a side baffle extending laterally along the container chamber from the front to the rear. The side baffle may include a curved surface that protrudes inward relative to the cross-section of the container chamber when viewed along the central axis of the container chamber. In these and other embodiments, the side baffle is located on the left or right side of the container chamber. Both the side baffle and the corner baffle may be located on the left or right side of the container chamber. In one embodiment, the mixing container also includes a front baffle located at the front of the container chamber, extending across the top. In these and other embodiments, the front baffle forms an angle of 100°–150° relative to the front of the container chamber. In various embodiments where the front baffle is present, the mixing container also includes a side baffle extending laterally along the container chamber from the front to the rear, and the corner baffle has a curved surface extending from the side baffle to the front baffle. The above substantially cylindrical container chamber may have an elliptical cross-section.

[0110] In another embodiment, a mixing vessel for a frozen beverage maker is described, said mixing vessel having at least three internal baffles. said mixing vessel includes curved side walls defining a substantially cylindrical container chamber inside. said container chamber includes a front, rear, right, left, and top. said mixing vessel includes a corner baffle located on the right or left side at the front upper part of said container chamber. said mixing vessel also includes a side baffle extending laterally along said container chamber from the front to the rear. said mixing vessel further includes a front baffle located at the front of said container chamber extending across the top.

[0111] In one embodiment, the side baffle and the corner baffle are both located on the left or right side of the container chamber. In these and other embodiments, the mixing container is configured to accommodate a dasher rotating within the container chamber around a central axis. The corner baffle and the side baffle are positioned so as to face the corner baffle and the side baffle while the dasher moves upward within the container chamber. In these and other embodiments, the corner baffle and the side baffle are located on the left side of the container chamber, and the dasher is arranged to rotate clockwise. In a selected embodiment, the distance from the central axis of the dasher to the top of the container chamber is less than 16 inches. The corner baffle may extend from the front into the container chamber by a relatively constant distance.

[0112] In another embodiment, a frozen beverage maker is described. The frozen beverage maker comprises a mixing vessel, a housing, a dasher, and a dispenser assembly. The mixing vessel has curved side walls that define a container chamber at the front, rear, and inside. The housing has an upper housing portion that contacts the rear of the mixing vessel. The dasher is arranged to rotate within the mixing vessel around a central axis. The dispenser assembly is located at the front of the mixing vessel. The mixing vessel includes at least two internal baffles configured to control the slush flow within the container chamber.

[0113] In one embodiment, the mixing container comprises at least three internal baffles configured to control the slush flow within the container chamber. In some of these embodiments, the at least three internal baffles comprise: (1) a corner baffle located to the right or left at the front upper portion of the container chamber, (2) a side baffle extending laterally along the container chamber from the front to the rear, and (3) a front baffle located at the front of the container chamber extending across the top. In these and other embodiments, the dasher rotates clockwise, and the corner baffle and the side baffle are located to the left of the container chamber when viewed from the front of the frozen beverage maker.

[0114] The present application addresses defects associated with controlling the temperature of beverage products using recipes in a more adaptive and user-specific manner in various embodiments.

[0115] The present application describes an exemplary system, method, and apparatus that enables a beverage maker to automatically control the temperature of a beverage product based on a preset recipe target temperature stored in memory, and allows the user to further adjust the preset temperature through user input, thereby enabling the beverage maker to more flexibly achieve a desired temperature and / or texture tailored to the preferences of different users. The present application also describes an exemplary system, method, and apparatus that enables a beverage maker to automatically control the temperature of a beverage product based on a preset recipe target temperature stored in memory, and further monitors the status of a drive and / or dasher motor, such as current or power, and if the current or power is too high, increases the temperature of the beverage product to reduce the viscosity of the beverage product, and thereby reduces the current and / or power used by the drive and / or dasher motor to prevent damage to the drive motor.

[0116] In one embodiment, the beverage maker comprises a mixing vessel arranged to receive a beverage product and a dasher driven by a drive motor arranged to mix the beverage product within the mixing vessel. The beverage maker also comprises a cooling circuit and / or device arranged to cool the beverage product within the mixing vessel, a temperature sensor arranged to measure the temperature associated with the beverage product and output a temperature signal, and a memory arranged to store a beverage object representing a beverage type, wherein the beverage object specifies a first temperature value corresponding to a first target temperature. A controller communicating with the memory is arranged to control the temperature associated with the beverage product by: i) receiving a temperature signal, and ii) controlling the cooling circuit based on the received temperature signal, the first temperature value, and / or manual temperature adjustment and / or temperature offset. The beverage maker also comprises a user interface arranged to receive user input for adjusting the manual temperature adjustment.

[0117] The temperature associated with the beverage product may include the temperature of the beverage product, the temperature of the cooling element used to cool the beverage product, and / or the temperature of the refrigerant used to cool the beverage product. The controller may adjust the first target temperature by adding a manual temperature adjustment to the first target temperature. The manual temperature adjustment may include positive or negative temperature values. The manual temperature adjustment may include a range of temperatures equal to, higher than, or lower than the first target temperature. The manual temperature adjustment may be adjustable in increments of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 1, and / or 2°C or more.

[0118] In one embodiment, the memory includes a plurality of recipes, each of which includes a temperature value corresponding to a target temperature. The cooling circuit and / or device may include a refrigeration circuit including an evaporator. The evaporator may be part of a closed-loop refrigeration circuit and / or system including a condenser and a compressor. The controller may be configured to control the temperature associated with the beverage product by activating the compressor to circulate refrigerant through the evaporator to cool the beverage product, and by deactivating the compressor to stop the flow of refrigerant through the evaporator to stop cooling the beverage product. The controller may control the temperature associated with the beverage product by comparing a received temperature signal with a first temperature value adjusted based on manual temperature adjustment, and in response, activating or deactivating the cooling circuit to match the received temperature signal to the first temperature value adjusted by manual temperature adjustment, thereby adjusting the temperature associated with the beverage product to near the target temperature adjusted by manual temperature adjustment. In one embodiment, the cooling circuit includes a thermal energy cooling (TEC) system that implements, for example, the Peltier effect.

[0119] In another embodiment, a method for manufacturing a beverage product comprises: receiving the beverage product into a mixing container; mixing the beverage product within the mixing container using a dasher driven by a driving motor; cooling the beverage product within the mixing container using a cooling circuit; measuring the temperature associated with the beverage product through a temperature sensor and outputting a temperature signal; storing a beverage object representing a beverage type in memory, wherein the beverage object specifies a first temperature value corresponding to a first target temperature; receiving the temperature signal in a controller; controlling the temperature associated with the beverage product by controlling the cooling circuit based on the received temperature signal, the first temperature value, and manual temperature adjustment by the controller; and receiving user input for adjusting the manual temperature adjustment.

[0120] In a further embodiment, the beverage maker comprises a mixing vessel arranged to receive a beverage product and a dasher driven by a drive motor arranged to mix the beverage product within the mixing vessel. The beverage maker also comprises a cooling circuit arranged to cool the beverage product within the mixing vessel, a temperature sensor arranged to measure a temperature associated with the beverage product and output a temperature signal, a motor state detection sensor arranged to measure a motor state associated with the drive motor and output a motor state signal, and a memory arranged to store a first temperature value corresponding to a first target temperature and to store a motor state limit value. A controller communicating with the memory is arranged to control the temperature associated with the beverage product by: i) receiving a temperature signal, ii) receiving a motor state signal, and ii) controlling the cooling circuit based on at least the received temperature signal, the received motor state signal, the first temperature value, and the motor state limit value.

[0121] In one embodiment, the controller disables the cooling circuit when the magnitude of the received motor state signal (e.g., current or power level) is equal to or greater than the motor state threshold value. The controller may determine a second temperature value corresponding to a second target temperature where the magnitude of the received motor state signal is lower than the motor state threshold value. The controller may control the temperature associated with the beverage product by controlling the cooling circuit based on the second temperature value. In one embodiment, the controller disables the cooling circuit until the temperature associated with the beverage product is nearly equal to the second target temperature.

[0122] The motor status may include current, power, torque, rotational speed, rotational acceleration, noise, and / or thermal output. The motor status detection sensor may include a motor current sensor, a motor voltage sensor, a motor torque sensor, a motor rotation sensor, an acoustic sensor, and / or a temperature sensor. A user interface may be arranged to receive user input for adjusting manual temperature control. The controller may control the temperature associated with the beverage product by controlling the cooling circuit based on a received temperature signal, a received motor status signal, a first temperature value, a motor status limit value, and / or manual temperature control. The controller may adjust the first target temperature by adding manual temperature control to the first target temperature.

[0123] In another embodiment, a method for manufacturing a beverage product comprises: receiving the beverage product in a mixing container; mixing the beverage product in the mixing container using a dasher driven by a drive motor; cooling the beverage product in the mixing container using a cooling circuit; measuring the temperature associated with the beverage product through a temperature sensor and outputting a temperature signal; measuring the motor state associated with the drive motor through a motor state detection sensor and outputting a motor state signal; storing a first temperature value corresponding to a first target temperature and storing a motor state limit value in a memory; receiving the temperature signal and the motor state signal in a controller; and controlling the temperature associated with the beverage product by controlling the cooling circuit based on the received temperature signal, the received motor state signal, the first temperature value and / or the motor state limit value.

[0124] The present application addresses defects associated with cooling components of a beverage maker in various embodiments.

[0125] The present application describes an exemplary system, method, and apparatus in which a dual-purpose cooling fan simultaneously provides cooling airflow to both a drive motor used to drive the rotation of a dasher and a condenser used to cool the refrigeration circuit of a beverage maker and / or the refrigerant of the system.

[0126] In one embodiment, the beverage maker comprises a mixing vessel arranged to receive a beverage product and a dasher driven by a drive motor arranged to mix the beverage product within the mixing vessel. A refrigeration circuit is arranged to cool the beverage product within the mixing vessel, including a condenser. A cooling fan is configured to cool the drive motor and the condenser simultaneously. In one embodiment, the cooling fan is driven by the drive motor directly or through a gear assembly and is thus activated when the drive motor is activated.

[0127] The cooling fan may provide airflow through the condenser to cool the refrigerant flowing through the condenser. The cooling fan may provide airflow along the surface of the drive motor to cool the drive motor. The cooling fan, drive motor, and condenser may be positioned so that the airflow generated by the cooling fan passes sequentially through the condenser and along the surface of the drive motor. A first portion of the airflow generated by the cooling fan may cool the condenser, and a second portion of the airflow generated by the cooling fan may cool the drive motor. In another embodiment, the airflow generated by the cooling fan passes through the condenser and along the surface of the drive motor in parallel, so that while the first portion of the airflow passes through the condenser, the second portion of the airflow passes along the surface of the drive motor. The condenser may include one or more coils wound in a serpentine arrangement. Each of the one or more coils may include a plurality of heat transfer fins. When a cooling fan provides airflow through a condenser to cool a refrigerant flowing through a condenser, the airflow may move adjacent to and / or around the plurality of coils.

[0128] A cooling channel may extend between a cooling fan and a drive motor, wherein the cooling channel provides a cooling airflow between the cooling fan and the drive motor. The cooling channel may be formed at least partially by a duct. A cooling channel may extend between a cooling fan and a condenser, wherein the cooling channel provides a cooling airflow between the cooling fan and the condenser. The cooling channel may be formed at least partially by a duct. The cooling fan may include a centrifugal fan, a cross-flow fan, a tangential fan, a volute fan, a backward-curved fan, a forward-curved fan, a blower fan, a squirrel cage fan, and / or an axial fan.

[0129] In another embodiment, a cooling fan is configured to cool a drive motor and a condenser within the housing of a beverage maker, wherein the drive motor is configured to drive the rotation of a dasher within the mixing vessel of the beverage maker and the condenser is configured to cool a refrigerant circulating within the refrigeration system of the beverage maker. The cooling fan includes an air inlet configured to receive airflow from the surrounding environment, an impeller configured to generate airflow, and an air outlet configured to output airflow through the condenser and along the surface of the drive motor. The cooling fan may include an air channel arranged to direct airflow through the condenser and along the surface of the drive motor. The air channel may be formed at least partially by an air duct. The cooling fan may include a centrifugal fan, a cross-flow fan, a tangential fan, a volute fan, a backward-curved fan, a forward-curved fan, a blower fan, a squirrel cage fan, and / or an axial fan.

[0130] In a further embodiment, a method for simultaneously cooling a condenser and a drive motor within the housing of a beverage maker using a cooling fan comprises: activating a drive motor arranged to drive the rotation of a dasher within the mixing vessel of the beverage maker; activating a compressor of the refrigeration system of the beverage maker; and activating a cooling fan to simultaneously generate an airflow through the condenser and along the surface of the drive motor. In one embodiment, the cooling fan is coupled to / or coupled to the drive motor or driven to rotate by the drive motor. The method may include receiving user input to activate the drive motor, the compressor, and the cooling fan. The user input may initiate a recipe and / or computer program controlled by a controller that automatically activates the drive motor, the compressor, and the cooling fan.

[0131] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the systems, methods, and apparatus described herein may, without limitation, be applied to other types of food products, such as the manufacture and / or processing of ice cream, frozen yogurt, other creams, etc. While this disclosure describes examples of beverage makers for processing various frozen and / or semi-frozen beverage products, the systems, apparatus, and methods described herein are not limited to these beverage products and may process and / or manufacture other types of beverage products, such as chilled beverage products and / or cold beverage products. The terms “mix,” “mixed,” or “mixing” as used herein are not limited to combining multiple materials together, but also include mixing beverage products or liquids having a single material or without added materials. For example, a beverage product may consist solely of water that is mixed by a dasher during processing, that is, as the dasher rotates, portions of the water are stirred or mixed with one another. This may, for example, allow the entire water and / or liquid within the mixing vessel to have a more uniform temperature by mixing portions of water and / or liquid having different temperatures.

[0132] The present application addresses defects associated with fluid inlets for frozen beverage makers in various embodiments. Conventional frozen beverage makers are typically sized for commercial use. Commercial frozen beverage makers have a significant headspace over the slush in the container. In commercial frozen beverage makers, liquid material can be poured approximately into the open top of the container without concern for liquid loss due to material expansion caused by splashing or impact forces.

[0133] The present application describes an exemplary system, method, and apparatus that address the disadvantages of the method of adding liquid to a container for a frozen beverage maker. In particular, an inlet for a frozen beverage maker is described that allows liquid material to be added to the container in a controlled manner, thereby minimizing or preventing slush overflow. The disclosed inlet may be used in both commercial frozen beverage makers and home frozen beverage makers having a smaller container capacity and less available headspace than commercial units. The inlet advantageously prevents external splashing and spilling when liquid material is added to the container and prevents finger insertion (to protect the user from moving components within the container). The inlet also prevents slush contained within the container from being pushed out of the container.

[0134] In some embodiments, an inlet for a frozen beverage maker is described. The frozen beverage maker has a dasher configured to rotate within a mixing vessel about a central axis. The inlet includes a surface that is radially inclined with respect to the central axis of the dasher. The inlet also includes an opening located on the surface that is fluidly in communication with the interior of the mixing vessel. The surface may be inclined to direct the fluid entering the mixing vessel to enter in the direction of the dasher's rotation. In one embodiment, the opening extends laterally along the surface in a direction parallel to the central axis of the dasher. The opening may be shaped as a slot. In one embodiment, the surface inclination directs the material to enter the mixing vessel in an entry direction, and the entry direction is the same as the direction of rotation of the dasher. In some of these embodiments, the direction of rotation of the dasher is clockwise when viewed from the front of the frozen beverage maker. In these and other embodiments, the opening is located to the right of the mixing vessel when viewed from the front of the frozen beverage maker. If desired, a grate may cover at least a portion of the opening. In these and other embodiments, there may also be a cover movable between an open position where the inlet is accessible to the user and a closed position where the inlet is not accessible to the user. In a selected embodiment, the inlet may also include a lip extending upward from the perimeter of the surface to form a well leading to the opening. The inlet may be located near the rear of the mixing container when viewed from the front of the frozen beverage maker. In these and other embodiments, the rotation of the dasher moves the contents of the mixing container from the rear of the mixing container to the front of the mixing container.

[0135] In another embodiment, a container for a frozen beverage maker is described. The container comprises a chamber and an inlet. The chamber is a substantially cylindrical chamber sized to accommodate a dasher configured to rotate within the container about a central axis. The inlet is located in the upper section of the container. The inlet comprises a surface and an opening. The surface is radially inclined with respect to the central axis of the dasher. The opening is located on the surface in fluid communication with the chamber. In one embodiment, the inlet is located at the rear of the container. In these and other embodiments, the surface of the inlet is radially inclined to direct incoming material into the container in an entry direction, and the entry direction is the same as the rotation direction of the dasher. In a selected embodiment, the rotation direction of the dasher is clockwise, and the opening is located on the right side of the container when viewed from the front of the container. In one embodiment, the container also comprises a cover located over the inlet, and the cover is movable between an open position where the inlet is accessible to a user and a closed position where the inlet is not accessible to a user.

[0136] In a further embodiment, a frozen beverage maker is described. The frozen beverage maker comprises a mixing vessel having a substantially cylindrical chamber, a dasher configured to rotate within the mixing vessel about a central axis, and an inlet located at the top of the mixing vessel. The inlet has a surface radially inclined with respect to the central axis of the dasher and an opening located on the surface that is in fluid communication with the chamber. In one embodiment, the central axis of the dasher extends in a horizontal direction. In these and other embodiments, the opening extends laterally along the surface in a direction parallel to the central axis of the dasher. The surface is radially inclined to direct incoming material into the mixing vessel in an entry direction, and the entry direction is the same as the rotation direction of the dasher. In a selected embodiment, the rotation direction of the dasher is clockwise when viewed from the front of the frozen beverage maker, and the opening is located to the right of the mixing vessel when viewed from the front of the frozen beverage maker.

[0137] The present disclosure describes a low-maintenance dispensing system for a frozen beverage maker that uses a lip seal instead of a plunger seal. The dispensing mechanism comprises several pivot linkages that operate to flip the seal upward when a user operates a dispensing lever. In the open position, the seal is angled approximately 45 to 60 degrees with respect to the dispensing port, which helps to direct the dispensing beverage product downward. The dispensing port opening also includes a safety grid to prevent a user from unintentionally inserting their finger into the dispensing port.

[0138] The present application describes an exemplary system, method, and apparatus for providing a dispensing assembly for dispensing a beverage product through a discharge port of a frozen beverage maker.

[0139] In some exemplary embodiments, a dispensing assembly for a frozen beverage maker of the present disclosure comprises a housing having a first portion attached to the outer surface of the frozen beverage maker adjacent to a dispensing port and a second portion spaced apart from the dispensing port and extending outward from the outer surface. A lever is attached to the second portion of the housing. The lever is rotatable about the second portion of the housing around a first pivot member. A seal is operably coupled to the lever. The seal is configured to seal the dispensing port in a closed position. Rotation of the lever causes the seal to move to an open position to allow the discharge of a beverage product through the dispensing port.

[0140] In one embodiment, a link member is operably coupled to the lever. The link member is rotatable about the lever around a second pivot member. A bracket member is operably coupled to the link member and attached to a first portion of the housing. The bracket member is rotatable about the link member around a third pivot member and rotatable about the first portion of the housing around a fourth pivot member. The seal is attached to the bracket member.

[0141] In one embodiment, the second pivot member is a pin extending through a lever and a link member. In one embodiment, the third pivot member is a pin extending through a bracket member and a link member. In one embodiment, the fourth pivot member is a pin extending through a first portion of the housing and a bracket member. In one embodiment, the seal is angled about 45–60 degrees with respect to the discharge port when in the open position. In one embodiment, the discharge port includes a grate configured to prevent a user from inserting a finger into the discharge port. In one embodiment, the first pivot member includes a pin extending through a second portion of the housing and a lever. In one embodiment, the seal is a lip seal. In one embodiment, the bracket member is L-shaped. In one embodiment, the housing is L-shaped.

[0142] In one embodiment, a method for dispensing a beverage product through a discharge port of a frozen beverage maker of the present disclosure comprises rotating a lever about a first pivot member with respect to a second portion of a housing of a dispensing assembly. The housing further comprises a first portion attached to an outer surface of the frozen beverage maker adjacent to the discharge port and the second portion spaced apart from the discharge port and extending outward from the outer surface. Rotating the lever causes a seal operably coupled to the lever to move to an open position to allow the discharge of a beverage product through the discharge port. The seal is configured to seal the discharge port in a closed position.

[0143] In one embodiment, the dispensing assembly further comprises a link member operably coupled to a lever, and rotating the lever causes the link member to rotate about the lever around a second pivot member. In one embodiment, the dispensing assembly further comprises a bracket member operably coupled to the link member and attached to a first portion of a housing, and rotating the lever causes the bracket member to rotate about the link member around a third pivot member and to rotate about the first portion of the housing around a fourth pivot member. In one embodiment, the seal is attached to the bracket member.

[0144] The present disclosure describes a shroud for attachment to a dispensing assembly of a frozen beverage maker. The shroud is configured to direct a beverage product downward toward a beverage cup without obstructing the movement of a dispenser lever. The shroud also covers components of the dispensing assembly for a more aesthetically pleasing appearance and is removable for easy cleaning.

[0145] The present application describes an exemplary system, method, and apparatus for providing a shroud for attaching to a dispensing assembly for directing a beverage product downward toward a beverage cup.

[0146] In one embodiment, a shroud for a dispenser assembly of a frozen beverage maker of the present disclosure comprises a first panel section and a second panel section extending substantially parallel to the first panel section. A front section extends between the first and second panel sections. The first and second panel sections are configured to form a removable snap connection with the dispenser housing of the dispenser assembly.

[0147] In one embodiment, the front section is curved. In one embodiment, the vertical position of at least the front section of the shroud is adjustable relative to the dispenser assembly. In one embodiment, the front section defines an upper edge. The shape of the upper edge is configured to allow operation of the handle of the dispenser assembly. In one embodiment, the shape of the upper edge is arched. In one embodiment, the shape of the upper edge is straight. In one embodiment, the length of the shroud is selected to cover the components of the dispenser assembly. In one embodiment, the length and shape of the shroud are selected to direct the beverage product discharged from the outlet of the frozen beverage maker downward. In one embodiment, the shroud is made of a dishwasher-safe material. In one embodiment, the front section is movable relative to the first panel section and the second panel section. In one embodiment, the front section is hinged to the first panel section and the second panel section. In one embodiment, the front section can slide vertically relative to the first panel section and the second panel section. In one embodiment, the first panel section is flat. In one embodiment, the second panel section is flat.

Claims

Claim 1 A frozen beverage maker comprising: a housing including an upper housing portion and a lever movable with respect to the upper housing portion between a coupled position and a non-coupled position; a mixing container for mixing a beverage product; and a flexible seal between the upper housing portion and the mixing container, wherein the lever couples the mixing container to the upper housing portion when in the coupled position and separates the mixing container from the upper housing portion when in the non-coupled position, and when the lever is in the coupled position, the mixing container is sealed to the upper housing portion by the flexible seal. Claim 2 A frozen beverage maker according to claim 1, wherein the mixing container has a substantially cylindrical shape having a base with an opening formed inside, and the opening is sealed by the flexible seal when the lever is in the coupling position. Claim 3 A frozen beverage maker, wherein, in paragraph 2, the opening is substantially circular. Claim 4 A frozen beverage maker, wherein, in paragraph 2, the opening is positioned to face horizontally when the lever is in the coupling position. Claim 5 A frozen beverage maker according to claim 1, wherein the flexible seal comprises a surface seal that contacts a vertically aligned surface of the upper housing portion with a vertically aligned side of the mixing container. Claim 6 A frozen beverage maker according to claim 1, wherein the flexible seal comprises a container seal portion configured to create a watertight seal between the mixing container and the upper housing portion, and an evaporator seal portion configured to seal an evaporator within the mixing container. Claim 7 A frozen beverage maker according to claim 1, wherein the lever includes a handle that allows a user to move the lever between the coupled position and the uncoupled position. Claim 8 A frozen beverage maker according to claim 7, wherein the handle is located closer to the upper housing portion than to the non-connecting position at the coupling position. Claim 9 A frozen beverage maker according to claim 8, wherein when moving between the coupling position and the non-coupling position, the handle moves less than 90° relative to the upper housing portion. Claim 10 A frozen beverage maker according to claim 7, wherein the movement of the handle to move the lever to the coupling position acts as a cam within the upper housing, and the cam engages with a corresponding coupling on the mixing container to secure the mixing container to the upper housing. Claim 11 A frozen beverage maker according to claim 10, wherein the cam further comprises a release function part for applying a release force to the mixing container when the lever is moved from the coupled position to the uncoupled position. Claim 12 A frozen beverage maker according to claim 1, further comprising a drive motor and an interlock switch, wherein the interlock switch is located within the upper housing portion and is configured to be activated when the mixing container is coupled to the housing to allow operation of the drive motor. Claim 13 A frozen beverage maker according to claim 1, wherein the lever is rotatably coupled to the upper housing portion. Claim 14 A method for producing a frozen beverage using a frozen beverage manufacturing device comprising: a housing having an upper housing portion and a lever movable relative to the upper housing portion between a coupled position and a non-coupled position; a mixing container arranged to be coupled to the upper housing portion; and a flexible seal between the upper housing portion and the mixing container, wherein the lever comprises a handle movable to position the lever to the coupled position and / or the non-coupled position, and when the lever is in the coupled position, the mixing container is sealed to the upper housing portion by the flexible seal, and the method comprises: a step of coupling the mixing container onto the upper housing portion by moving the handle relative to the upper housing portion to position the lever to the coupled position; a step of operating the frozen beverage manufacturing device to produce the frozen beverage; and a step of separating the mixing container from the upper housing portion by moving the handle relative to the upper housing portion to position the lever to the non-coupled position. Claim 15 In claim 14, the method of coupling the mixing container onto the upper housing part comprises moving the handle toward the upper housing part. Claim 16 A method according to claim 14, wherein separating the mixing container from the upper housing part comprises moving the handle away from the upper housing part and / or toward the front of the housing. Claim 17 In claim 14, a method in which moving the handle relative to the upper housing portion to position the lever in the coupling position is performed with only one hand. Claim 18 In claim 14, a method in which moving the handle relative to the upper housing portion to position the lever in the non-coupled position is performed with only one hand. Claim 19 A frozen beverage maker comprising: a housing including an upper housing portion and a coupling mechanism movable with respect to the upper housing portion between a coupling position and a non-coupling position; a mixing container for mixing a beverage product; and a flexible seal between the upper housing portion and the mixing container, wherein the coupling mechanism couples the mixing container to the upper housing portion when in the coupling position and separates the mixing container from the upper housing portion when in the coupling position, and when the coupling mechanism is in the coupling position, the mixing container is sealed to the upper portion of the housing by the flexible seal.

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