Food preparation appliance for use with a remote communication device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11272810-B2
Application number	US-201514657439-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2015
Priority date	Mar 14, 2014
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

One example food preparation appliance includes a base having a motor and an adaptor, a weight sensor coupled to the adaptor, and a communication component. The adaptor is configured to support a food preparation accessory. The weight sensor is configured to detect a weight applied to the adaptor. The communication component is configured to transmit data associated with a weight detected by the weight sensor. An example remote communication device includes a display device, a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor. The remote communication device is configured to display a first instruction on the display device, the first instruction including a first target weight of a first substance; receive a measurement from a food preparation appliance indicative of a weight applied to an adaptor of the food preparation appliance; and display a second instruction when the weight is substantially equal to the first target weight.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A food preparation appliance comprising:
a base having a housing with a top portion and a motor contained within the housing;
a food preparation accessory comprising multiple blades therein, the multiple blades of the food preparation accessory being configured to be rotated by the motor at various speeds;
an adaptor having:
a bottom portion configured to be removably attached to the top portion of the base of the food preparation appliance; and
a top portion configured to receive and support the food preparation accessory thereon, wherein the food preparation accessory is removable from the top portion of the adaptor;

a weight sensor mechanically coupled to the bottom portion of the adaptor, the weight sensor configured to detect a weight applied to the adaptor by the food preparation accessory and to generate a weight signal proportional to the weight applied to the adaptor by the food preparation accessory;
a processer configured to:
receive the weight signal from the weight sensor; and
determine the weight applied to the adaptor by the food preparation appliance based, at least in part, on the weight signal;

a communication component configured to receive weight data associated with the weight detected by the weight sensor and to transmit the weight data to a display device and a remote communication device, and
a display device configured to:
receive the weight data from the communication component;
display the weight based on the weight data; and
display a speed of the motor when the food preparation appliance is operating.

2. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the communication component further transmits operational data of the food preparation appliance.

3. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the communication component further transmits statistical data to the remote communication device.

4. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the weight sensor is a piezoelectric weight sensor.

5. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the display device is further configured to:
determine a unit of measurement for the weight data; and
display the weight using the determined unit of measurement.

6. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the food preparation accessory is removable.

7. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the food preparation appliance is configured to generate an audible signal based on the weight detected by the weight sensor.

8. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a data store configured to store at least one of measurements, weight data, weights, recipes, types of food preparation accessories, type of food items, types of liquids, error messages, and maintenance data.

9. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the food preparation appliance is a blender, a food processor, or a mixer.

10. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the communication component is further configured to receive data, wherein the data comprises at least one of a control signal for controlling operation of the food preparation appliance and recipe data.

11. The food preparation appliance of claim 10 , wherein the recipe data comprises at least one instruction to add a specific amount of an ingredient to the food preparation appliance at a specific time, and the food preparation appliance is configured to display the instruction based on the specific time.

12. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the communication component includes at least one of a radio frequency transceiver, a short-wavelength UHF radio wave transceiver, a wireless local area networking transceiver, a near field communication (NFC) transceiver, and an infrared (IR) transceiver.

13. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the adaptor supports a plurality of food preparation accessories having a plurality of shapes, sizes, and configurations.

14. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a remote communication device, the remote communication device comprising:
a display device configured to display instructions;
a processor configured to execute instructions; and
a memory coupled to the processer, the memory configured to store instructions, wherein the remote communication device is configured to:
display a first instruction, wherein the first instruction includes a first target weight of a first substance;
receive a measurement from the food preparation appliance indicative of a weight of the first substance applied to the adaptor of the food preparation appliance;
determine when the weight of the first substance applied to the adaptor of the food preparation appliance is substantially equal to the first target weight; and
display a second instruction associated with the first instruction, wherein the second instruction includes a second target weight of a second food substance.

15. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of food preparation accessories including the food preparation accessory comprising multiple blades and a second food preparation accessory, wherein the food preparation accessory and the second food preparation accessory are configured to be removably attached to the base using the adaptor.

16. A food preparation appliance for transmitting data associated with a weight to a remote communication device, the food preparation appliance comprising:
a base having a housing with a top portion and a motor contained within the housing;
a food preparation accessory comprising multiple blades therein, the multiple blades of the food preparation accessory being configured to be rotated by the motor at various speeds;
an adaptor having:
a bottom portion configured to be removably attached to the top portion of the base of the food preparation appliance; and
a top portion configured to receive and support the food preparation accessory thereon, wherein the food preparation accessory is removable from the top portion of the adaptor;

a weight sensor mechanically coupled to the bottom portion of the adaptor, the weight sensor configured to detect a weight applied to the adaptor by the food preparation accessory and to generate a weight signal proportional to the weight applied to the adaptor received by the food preparation accessory;
a display device;
a processor;
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
receive the weight signal proportional to the weight applied to the adaptor by the food preparation accessory;
determine the weight applied to the adaptor by the food preparation appliance based, at least in part, on the weight signal;
display the weight on the display device; and
transmit an indication of the determined weight to a remote communication device.

17. The food preparation appliance of claim 16 , wherein the food preparation accessory is removable.

18. The food preparation appliance of claim 16 , the memory further storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
receive data, wherein the data comprises at least one of a control signal for controlling operation of the food preparation appliance and recipe data.

Assignees

• Spectrum Brands Inc

Inventors

• Jimenez Rolando Antonio Cavazos
• Krebs Joseph V
• Saunders James Stuart
• Van Haren Emily

Classifications

• G06Q50/10 Primary

  Services · CPC title

• A47J43/046 Primary

  with tools driven from the bottom side · CPC title

• G06Q10/10

  Office automation; Time management · CPC title

• A47J2043/0733

  Weighing means · CPC title

• A47J36/321

  the electronic control being performed over a network, e.g. by means of a handheld device · CPC title