Patents by Inventor Steve T. Connell
Steve T. Connell has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9579615Abstract: A blender for home or commercial use that is rugged enough to blend frozen beverages, simple to use and safe. The blender includes an upper housing with a front housing door that covers the moving blending machinery. The blender also includes a cupholder receiving area which allows the user to safely insert a frozen food or beverage cup inside a cupholder for blending. After the start button is pressed, the cup and cupholder will be lifted together for blending in a balanced, linear motion by an elevator assembly. Dual lead screws or a dual belt drive are preferably used in the elevator assembly to achieve this balanced, linear motion. As the cupholder is lifted upward, a cover will be pressed over the top opening of the inserted cup to prevent spillage during blending. The elevator assembly continues to lift the cupholder upward until the rotating cutter blades of a spindle assembly cut through successive layers of the frozen food or beverage.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2013Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: f'real Foods LLCInventors: James J. Farrell, Jens P. Voges, Chris M. Bradley, Gage C. Cauchois, Steve T. Connell, Clayton G. Gardner, Shek Fai Lau, Joseph M. Lehman
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Patent number: 9420917Abstract: A method for blending food or beverages, preferably using a blender that is compact enough for home use, rugged enough to blend frozen beverages, simple to use and safe. The blender includes an upper housing, with a front housing door, that covers the moving blending machinery. The blender also includes a cupholder receiving area which allows the user to safely insert a frozen beverage cup inside a cupholder for blending. After the start button is pressed, a cupholder lip will be grasped by the clamping jaw of an elevator assembly to lift the cupholder up. As the cupholder is lifted upward, a cover will be pressed over the top opening of the inserted cup to prevent spillage during blending. The elevator assembly will then continue to lift the cupholder upward until the rotating cutter blades of a spindle assembly cut through successive layers of the frozen beverage.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2012Date of Patent: August 23, 2016Assignee: F'real Foods, LLCInventors: James J. Farrell, Jens P. Voges, Clayton G. Gardner, Steve T. Connell, Shek Fai Lau, Gage C. Cauchois, Joseph M. Lehman, Chris M. Bradley, Alan S. Crarer, Jeffrey A. Tilley
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Patent number: 9386882Abstract: A blender that is compact enough for home use, rugged enough to blend frozen beverages, simple to use and safe. The blender includes an upper housing, with a front housing door; that covers the moving blending machinery. The blender also includes a cupholder receiving area which allows the user to safely insert a frozen beverage cup inside a cupholder for blending. After the start button is pressed, a cupholder lip will be grasped by the clamping jaw of an elevator assembly to lift the cupholder. As the cupholder is lifted upward, a cover will be pressed over the top opening of the inserted cup to prevent spillage during blending. The elevator assembly will then continue to lift the cupholder upward until the rotating cutter blades of a spindle assembly cut through successive layers of the frozen beverage.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2012Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: F'real Foods, LLCInventors: James J. Farrell, Jens P. Voges, Clayton G. Gardner, Steve T. Connell, Shek Fai Lau, Gage C. Cauchois, Joseph M. Lehman, Chris M. Bradley, Alan S. Crarer, Jeffrey A. Tilley
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Publication number: 20130344221Abstract: A blender for home or commercial use that is rugged enough to blend frozen beverages, simple to use and safe. The blender includes an upper housing with a front housing door that covers the moving blending machinery. The blender also includes a cupholder receiving area which allows the user to safely insert a frozen food or beverage cup inside a cupholder for blending. After the start button is pressed, the cup and cupholder will be lifted together for blending in a balanced, linear motion by an elevator assembly. Dual lead screws or a dual belt drive are preferably used in the elevator assembly to achieve this balanced, linear motion. As the cupholder is lifted upward, a cover will be pressed over the top opening of the inserted cup to prevent spillage during blending. The elevator assembly continues to lift the cupholder upward until the rotating cutter blades of a spindle assembly cut through successive layers of the frozen food or beverage.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2013Publication date: December 26, 2013Inventors: James J. Farrell, Jens P. Voges, Chris M. Bradley, Gage C. Cauchois, Steve T. Connell, Clayton G. Gardner, Shek Fai Lau, Joseph M. Lehman
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Publication number: 20130341439Abstract: A method for blending food or beverages, preferably using a blender that is compact enough for home use, rugged enough to blend frozen beverages, simple to use and safe. The blender includes an upper housing, with a front housing door, that covers the moving blending machinery. The blender also includes a cupholder receiving area which allows the user to safely insert a frozen beverage cup inside a cupholder for blending. After the start button is pressed, a cupholder lip will be grasped by the clamping jaw of an elevator assembly to lift the cupholder up. As the cupholder is lifted upward, a cover will be pressed over the top opening of the inserted cup to prevent spillage during blending. The elevator assembly will then continue to lift the cupholder upward until the rotating cutter blades of a spindle assembly cut through successive layers of the frozen beverage.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2012Publication date: December 26, 2013Applicant: F'real Foods, LLCInventors: James J. Farrell, Jens P. Voges, Clayton G. Gardner, Steve T. Connell, Shek Fai Lau, Gage C. Cauchois, Joseph M. Lehman, Chris M. Bradley, Alan S. Crarer, Jeffrey A. Tilley
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Publication number: 20130341446Abstract: A blender that is compact enough for home use, rugged enough to blend frozen beverages, simple to use and safe. The blender includes an upper housing, with a front housing door; that covers the moving blending machinery. The blender also includes a cupholder receiving area which allows the user to safely insert a frozen beverage cup inside a cupholder for blending. After the start button is pressed, a cupholder lip will be grasped by the clamping jaw of an elevator assembly to lift the cupholder. As the cupholder is lifted upward, a cover will be pressed over the top opening of the inserted cup to prevent spillage during blending. The elevator assembly will then continue to lift the cupholder upward until the rotating cutter blades of a spindle assembly cut through successive layers of the frozen beverage.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2012Publication date: December 26, 2013Applicant: F'real Foods, LLCInventors: James J. Farrell, Jens P. Voges, Clayton G. Gardner, Steve T. Connell, Shek Fai Lau, Gage C. Cauchois, Joseph M. Lehman, Chris M. Bradley, Alan S. Crarer, Jeffrey A. Tilley
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Publication number: 20130343150Abstract: A removable spindle for a blender that is compact enough for home use, rugged enough to blend frozen beverages, simple to use and safe. The spindle preferably includes a quick release coupling member, a rotating shaft, cup cover and rotating cutting blades. To facilitate cleaning of the spindle assembly, the quick release coupling member allows the spindle to be quickly detached from the blender. The rotating shaft is preferably housed in an outer sleeve for structural/alignment purposes and to keep the shaft free from food/beverage particles. Slidably attached to the outside of the outer sleeve and trapped between the quick release coupling member and the rotating cutting blades is a moveable cup cover.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2012Publication date: December 26, 2013Applicant: F'real Foods, LLCInventors: James J. Farrell, Gage C. Cauchois, Steve T. Connell