IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0510014
(2006-08-25)
|
등록번호 |
US-7617766
(2009-11-27)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Tracy, James
- Picozza, Augusto
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
12 인용 특허 :
20 |
초록
▼
A method and apparatus are provided for steaming and blending food products such as baby food. The apparatus includes a base including a steam chamber and a drive shaft. A container assembly can be mounted to the base in an inverted position for steaming the food and in an upright position for blend
A method and apparatus are provided for steaming and blending food products such as baby food. The apparatus includes a base including a steam chamber and a drive shaft. A container assembly can be mounted to the base in an inverted position for steaming the food and in an upright position for blending the food. The apparatus may further include a baby bottle sterilizing unit and a bottle warmer.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for steaming and blending food products, comprising: a base including a support; a container assembly supported by the base; a steam chamber supported by the base and including a steam exit port; a heater for providing heat to the steam chamber; a drive shaft; an
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for steaming and blending food products, comprising: a base including a support; a container assembly supported by the base; a steam chamber supported by the base and including a steam exit port; a heater for providing heat to the steam chamber; a drive shaft; an electric motor supported by the base and operatively associated with the drive shaft; the container assembly having a bottom end portion, the container assembly including a container, a steam inlet passage, and a lid removably coupled to a top end portion of the container; and a blade assembly disposed within the container, the container assembly being mountable to the base support in a first upright orientation wherein the bottom end portion adjoins the base support and the drive shaft is operatively engagable with the blade assembly, the container assembly also being mountable to the base support in a second, inverted orientation such that the container assembly is inverted relative to the base and wherein the steam exit port is in fluid communication with the steam inlet passage. 2. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the support for the container assembly includes a receptacle having a plurality of tiers, a first tier at a first elevation for engaging the bottom portion of the container when the container is in the first upright orientation and a second tier at a second elevation for engaging the lid when the container is in the second, inverted orientation. 3. An apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein the first and second tiers include generally annular surfaces, the annular surface of the first tier having a smaller diameter than the annular surface of the second tier. 4. An apparatus as described in claim 2, including a condensate collector removably positionable within the receptacle beneath the container. 5. An apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein the lid includes a top wall, a skirt extending from the top wall, and an opening in the top wall. 6. An apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein the top wall of the lid includes an inner surface angled towards the opening in the top wall such that liquid within the lid flows towards the opening. 7. An apparatus as described in claim 1, including a screen removably mounted within the lid. 8. An apparatus as described in claim 1, including a housing having a steam inlet passage and containing a chamber for holding baby bottles, the housing being mountable to the base support such that the steam inlet passage of the housing is in fluid communication with the steam exit port. 9. An apparatus as described in claim 1, including a bottle holder mountable to the base support, the bottle holder including a steam inlet passage communicable with the steam exit port and an interior chamber of the bottle holder, an external receptacle for receiving at least the bottom end of a baby bottle, and an opening within the bottle holder for allowing steam to flow from the chamber into the receptacle. 10. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the base and lid include complementary locking elements for securing the container assembly to the base support. 11. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the drive shaft and the blade assembly are selectively operably connectable to each other by a clutch. 12. An apparatus as described in claim 11, wherein the clutch imparts movement of the drive shaft to the blade assembly when the lid is attached to the container and the clutch prevents movement of the drive shaft to be imparted to the blade assembly when the lid is removed from the container. 13. An assembly as described in claim 1, including a sterilizing unit mountable to the base including a chamber for holding a plurality of bottles, the chamber being in fluid communication with the steam exit port. 14. An assembly as described in claim 13, wherein the sterilizing unit is disposed adjacent the stream chamber. 15. An assembly as described in claim 14 wherein the steam chamber is disposed between the sterilizing unit and the container. 16. An assembly as described in claim 15, wherein the steam exit port is selectively positionable between a first position in fluid communication with the container and a second position in fluid communication with the sterilizing unit. 17. An assembly for steaming and blending food products comprising: a base including a support; removable container assembly supported by the base; a steam chamber within the base; a steam exit port in fluid communication with the steam chamber; an electric heater for providing heat to the steam chamber; a drive shaft rotatably mounted to the base; an electric motor for rotating the drive shaft; the container assembly having a bottom end portion, an open top end portion, and a lid removably securable to the open top end portion; a blade assembly disposed within the container; a steam inlet passage for admitting steam from said steam chamber into the container; and complementary locking elements on the base and container assembly such that the container assembly is removably lockable to the base support in a first upright position, where the drive shaft is operatively couplable to the blade assembly, and a second inverted position relative to the base wherein the drive shaft is not coupled to the blade assembly and the steam inlet passage is in fluid communication with the steam exit port. 18. An assembly as described in claim 17, wherein the base includes a container receptacle having first and second tiers for supporting the container assembly in the first, upright position and the second, inverted position, respectively. 19. An assembly as described in claim 18, wherein the base includes first and second locking structures, the first locking structure for locking the container assembly in the first, upright position and the second locking structure for locking the container assembly in the second, inverted position. 20. An assembly as described in claim 17, wherein the steam chamber includes a removable cover, the steam exit port extending through the cover. 21. An assembly as described in claim 17, including a condensate collector positionable on the base, a seal for engaging both the lid and the condensate collector when the container assembly is mounted to the base in the second, inverted position, and an opening in the lid for communicating with the condensate collector. 22. An assembly as described in claim 17, including a housing having a steam inlet passage and containing a chamber adapted for holding baby bottles, the housing being mountable to the base such that the steam inlet passage of the housing is in fluid communication with the steam exit port. 23. An assembly as described in claim 17, including a bottle holder mountable to the base support, the bottle holder including a steam inlet passage communicable with the steam exit port and an interior chamber of the bottle holder, an external receptacle for receiving at least the bottom end of a baby bottle, and an opening within the bottle holder for allowing steam to flow from the chamber into the receptacle. 24. An assembly as described in claim 17, including a including a sterilizing unit mountable to the base including a chamber for holding a plurality of bottles, the chamber being in fluid communication with the steam exit port. 25. An assembly as described in claim 24, wherein the steam exit port is selectively positionable between a first position in fluid communication with the container and a second position in fluid communication with the sterilizing unit. 26. An assembly as described in claim 17, wherein the steam chamber includes a removable cap and the steam exit port is disposed on the cap.
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