Blender with crushed ice functionality

Abstract

Processing food items in a blender by operating the cutter assembly at a predetermined operating speed, reducing the operating speed of the cutter assembly t, and accelerating the operating speed of the cutter assembly in response to the items in the container having settled around the cutter assembly until the food items are suspended above the cutter assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
      
       1. A cycle of operation for a blender comprising a motor, a container for holding items for processing, and a cutter assembly located within the container and operably coupled to the motor whereby the motor effects the rotation of the cutter assembly, the cycle comprising: 
       
         automatically controlling a rotational speed of the cutter assembly to effect a pulsing of the speed of the cutter assembly wherein each pulse comprises:
 (A) a constant speed phase, where the operating speed of the cutter assembly is maintained at a predetermined operating speed, 
 (B) a deceleration phase, where the speed of the cutter assembly is reduced from the operating speed to a predetermined settling speed indicative of the items in the container having settled around the cutter assembly, which is less than the operating speed and greater than zero, and 
 (C) an acceleration phase, where the speed of the cutter assembly is increased from the settling speed to the operating speed. 
 
       
      
     
     
      
       2. The cycle according to  claim 1 , wherein steps A, B, and C are sequentially repeated until at least one of the cycle automatically ending and the user manually ending the cycle. 
      
     
     
      
       3. The cycle according to  claim 1 , wherein step A comprises maintaining the predetermined operating speed for a predetermined operating time period. 
      
     
     
      
       4. The cycle according to  claim 3 , wherein the predetermined operating speed is selected to comminute the items. 
      
     
     
      
       5. The cycle according to  claim 4 , wherein the predetermined operating time period is selected to maintain contact of the cutter assembly with the items during operation of the cutter assembly at the predetermined operating speed. 
      
     
     
      
       6. The cycle according to  claim 1 , wherein step B comprises continuously reducing the operating speed of the cutter assembly. 
      
     
     
      
       7. The cycle according to  claim 1 , wherein step B comprises terminating power to the motor to reduce the operating speed of the cutter assembly. 
      
     
     
      
       8. The cycle according to  claim 7 , wherein reducing the operating speed of the cutter assembly allows the items in the container to settle around the cutter assembly. 
      
     
     
      
       9. A method of processing food items in a blender, the blender comprising a motor, a container for holding items for processing, and a cutter assembly located within the container and operably coupled to the motor whereby the motor effects the movement of the cutter assembly, the method comprising: 
       
         automatically controlling a rotational speed of the cutter assembly to effect a pulsing of the speed of the cutter assembly wherein each pulse comprises:
 (A) operating the cutter assembly in a constant speed phase, where the operating speed of the cutter assembly is maintained at a predetermined operating speed until at least some of the food items are suspended above the cutter assembly; 
 (B) reducing the operating speed of the cutter assembly during a deceleration phase, where the speed of the cutter assembly is reduced from the operating speed to a predetermined settling speed to allow at least some of the food items to settle around the cutter assembly, wherein the settling speed is less than the operating speed and greater than zero; and 
 (C) accelerating the operating speed of the cutter assembly during acceleration phase, where the speed of the cutter assembly is increased from the settling speed to the operating speed until the food items are suspended above the cutter assembly. 
 
       
      
     
     
      
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein steps A, B, and C are sequentially repeated until at least one of the cycle automatically ending and the user manually ending the cycle. 
      
     
     
      
       11. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein step A comprises maintaining the predetermined operating speed for a predetermined operating time period. 
      
     
     
      
       12. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined operating speed is selected to comminute the items. 
      
     
     
      
       13. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the predetermined operating time period is selected to maintain contact of the cutter assembly with the items during operation of the cutter assembly at the predetermined operating speed. 
      
     
     
      
       14. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the predetermined operating time period is selected to operate the cutter assembly until the food items are suspended above the cutter assembly. 
      
     
     
      
       15. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein step B comprises continuously reducing the operating speed of the cutter assembly. 
      
     
     
      
       16. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein step B comprises terminating power to the motor to reduce the operating speed of the cutter assembly. 
      
     
     
       17. A cycle of operation for a blender comprising a motor, a container for holding items for processing, a cutter assembly located within the container and operably coupled to the motor whereby the motor effects the rotation of the cutter assembly, and a sensor for monitoring a speed of the cutter assembly, the cycle comprising:
 automatically controlling a rotational speed of the cutter assembly to effect a sequencing of the speed of the cutter assembly based on monitoring the speed of the cutter assembly with the sensor, wherein each sequence comprises:
 (A) a constant speed phase, where the operating speed of the cutter assembly is maintained at a predetermined operating speed, 
 (B) a deceleration phase, where the speed of the cutter assembly is reduced from the operating speed to a predetermined settling speed indicative of the items in the container having settled around the cutter assembly, which is less than the operating speed and greater than zero, and 
 (C) an acceleration phase, where the speed of the cutter assembly is increased from the settling speed to the operating speed in response to the sensor sensing that the speed of the cutter assembly has reduced to the predetermined settling speed. 
   
     
     
       18. The cycle according to claim 17, wherein steps A, B, and C are sequentially repeated until at least one of the cycle automatically ending and the user manually ending the cycle. 
     
     
       19. The cycle according to claim 17, wherein step A comprises maintaining the predetermined operating speed for a predetermined operating time period. 
     
     
       20. The cycle according to claim 19, wherein the predetermined operating speed is selected to comminute the items. 
     
     
       21. The cycle according to claim 20, wherein the predetermined operating time period is selected to maintain contact of the cutter assembly with the items during operation of the cutter assembly at the predetermined operating speed. 
     
     
       22. The cycle according to claim 17, wherein step B comprises continuously reducing the operating speed of the cutter assembly. 
     
     
       23. The cycle according to claim 17, wherein step B comprises terminating power to the motor to reduce the operating speed of the cutter assembly. 
     
     
       24. The cycle according to claim 23, wherein reducing the operating speed of the cutter assembly allows the items in the container to settle around the cutter assembly. 
     
     
       25. A method of processing food items in a blender, the blender comprising a motor, a container for holding items for processing, a cutter assembly located within the container and operably coupled to the motor whereby the motor effects the movement of the cutter assembly, and a sensor for monitoring a speed of the cutter assembly, the method comprising:
 automatically controlling a rotational speed of the cutter assembly to effect a sequencing of the speed of the cutter assembly based on monitoring the speed of the cutter assembly with the sensor, wherein each sequence comprises:
 (A) operating the cutter assembly in a constant speed phase, where the operating speed of the cutter assembly is maintained at a predetermined operating speed until at least some of the food items are suspended above the cutter assembly; 
 (B) reducing the operating speed of the cutter assembly during a deceleration phase, where the speed of the cutter assembly is reduced from the operating speed to a predetermined settling speed to allow at least some of the food items to settle around the cutter assembly, wherein the settling speed is less than the operating speed and greater than zero; and 
 (C) in response to the sensor sensing that the speed of the cutter assembly has reduced to the predetermined settling speed, accelerating the operating speed of the cutter assembly during an acceleration phase, where the speed of the cutter assembly is increased from the settling speed to the operating speed until the food items are suspended above the cutter assembly. 
   
     
     
       26. The method according to claim 25, wherein steps A, B, and C are sequentially repeated until at least one of the cycle automatically ending and the user manually ending the cycle. 
     
     
       27. The method according to claim 25, wherein step A comprises maintaining the predetermined operating speed for a predetermined operating time period. 
     
     
       28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the predetermined operating speed is selected to comminute the items. 
     
     
       29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the predetermined operating time period is selected to maintain contact of the cutter assembly with the items during operation of the cutter assembly at the predetermined operating speed. 
     
     
       30. The method according to claim 28, wherein the predetermined operating time period is selected to operate the cutter assembly until the food items are suspended above the cutter assembly. 
     
     
       31. The method according to claim 25, wherein step B comprises continuously reducing the operating speed of the cutter assembly. 
     
     
       32. The method according to claim 25, wherein step B comprises terminating power to the motor to reduce the operating speed of the cutter assembly. 
     
     
       33. The cycle according to claim 17, wherein the deceleration phase comprises reducing the operating speed of the cutter assembly based on properties of the items in the blender. 
     
     
       34. The cycle according to claim 17, wherein the sensor is a current sensor, a Hall effect sensor, or an optical sensor. 
     
     
       35. The cycle according to claim 17, wherein the sensor senses that the speed of the cutter assembly has reduced from the operating speed to the predetermined settling speed and sends a proportional signal to a processor that causes a switch to apply voltage to the motor for accelerating the operating speed of the cutter assembly. 
     
     
       36. The cycle according to claim 23, wherein the acceleration phase comprises resupplying power to the motor in response to the sensor sensing that the speed of the cutter assembly has reduced to the predetermined settling speed. 
     
     
       37. The cycle according to claim 17, wherein at least one sequence comprises accelerating the speed of the cutter assembly to the operating speed in response to a determination that a predefined duration of deceleration has expired prior to the speed of the cutter assembly reducing to the predetermined settling speed. 
     
     
       38. The cycle according to claim 17, wherein a duration of the deceleration phase is based on properties of the items in the blender. 
     
     
       39. The method according to claim 25, wherein step B comprises reducing the operating speed of the cutter assembly based on properties of the food items in the blender. 
     
     
       40. The method according to claim 25, wherein the sensor is a current sensor, a Hall effect sensor, or an optical sensor. 
     
     
       41. The method according to claim 25, wherein the sensor senses that the speed of the cutter assembly has reduced from the operating speed to the predetermined settling speed and sends a proportional signal to a processor that causes a switch to apply voltage to the motor for accelerating the operating speed of the cutter assembly. 
     
     
       42. The method according to claim 32, wherein step C comprises resupplying power to the motor in response to the sensor sensing that the speed of the cutter assembly has reduced to the predetermined settling speed. 
     
     
       43. The method according to claim 25, wherein at least one sequence comprises accelerating the speed of the cutter assembly to the operating speed in response to a determination that a predefined duration of deceleration has expired prior to the speed of the cutter assembly reducing to the predetermined settling speed. 
     
     
       44. The method according to claim 25, wherein a duration of the deceleration phase is based on properties of the items in the blender.