Food processing apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9380913-B2
Application number	US-201514703739-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2015
Priority date	Aug 8, 2014
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

Food processing apparatus and methods for processing food are disclosed. The apparatus may include stored sequences for operating a processing tool. The stored sequences may address various challenging aspects of blending solid foods and/or ice. In some embodiments, particular sequences are implemented with specific processing tools.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A food processing apparatus comprising:
a drive unit to drive a food processing tool;
a controller to control the drive unit; and
at least one non-transitory memory storing:
first, second, third, and fourth values; and
processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to:
in response to a first user input, activate the drive unit for a first amount of time, the first amount of time based on the first value;
discontinue activation of the drive unit after the first amount of time elapses;
based on the second value, set a default restart time at which to restart activation of the drive unit;
wherein when a second user input is not received before the default restart time, activate the drive unit for a second amount of time starting at the default restart time, the second amount of time based on the third value; and
wherein when a second user input is received after the first user input and before the default restart time, set a restart time for earlier than the default restart time, and activate the drive unit for a third amount of time starting at the restart time, the third amount of time based on the fourth value.

2. A food processing apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the first user input comprises a switch initially actuated by a user, and the first amount of time remains the same regardless of whether, after the initial actuation, the switch is de-actuated by the user, continuously actuated by the user, or re-actuated by the user.

3. A food processing apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the first user input comprises a switch being continuously actuated by a user from an initial actuation until at least the start of the third amount of time.

4. A food processing apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the third and fourth values are the same value.

5. A food processing apparatus as in claim 1 , further comprising a container and the food processing tool.

6. A food processing apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein a same button is used for both the first user input and the second user input.

7. A food processing apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein when a second user input is received before the default start time, the default start time is set to be a time at which the user second user input is received.

8. A food processing apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the second amount of time is not equal to the third amount of time.

Assignees

• Sharkninja Operating Llc

Inventors

• Golino Amy L

Classifications

• A47J43/046 Primary

  with tools driven from the bottom side · CPC title

• A47J43/0716 Primary

  for machines with tools driven from the lower side (A47J43/0727 - A47J43/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• B02C25/00

  Control arrangements specially adapted for crushing or disintegrating · CPC title

• A47J43/0722

  Mixing, whipping or cutting tools · CPC title

• A47J43/085

  for machines with tools driven from the lower side (A47J43/087, A47J43/09 take precedence) · CPC title