METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE BLENDING OF DRINKS

摘要

A drink-blending machine (10) includes an ice-shaving unit (11) and a blender assembly (12). The ice-shaving unit (11) is adapted to transfer ice from a bin (15) to the pitcher (18) of the blender assembly (12). A weighing mechanism (31) includes a deflection beam (33), one end of which carries the pitcher (18). The deflection beam (33) includes a strain gauge (34) which provides a signal proportional to weight to a control circuitry box (30). In operation of the machine (10), a quantity of liquid is placed in the pitcher (18) and dependent upon the weight of ice or liquid-to-ice ratio predetermined by depressing a selected button (44), ice from the ice-shaving unit (11) is transferred to the pitcher (18) until the predetermined weight of ice is received by the pitcher (18).