Blender for food and beverages
A motorized kitchen apparatus including a processor module coupled to a non-volatile storage medium for storing a custom sequence; a user interface having a speed or power selection element and a record selector; a motor controller coupled to a blender motor, the processor module coupled to the motor controller for controlling operation of the motor according to user input selections. Upon user selection of the record selector, the processor module enters a record mode and records a sequence of user inputs made through the user interface; the sequence including data indicative of a power profile selected by the user over a period of time, and upon completion of the record mode, the processor module saves a custom sequence indicative of the recorded sequence to the non-volatile storage medium for subsequent playback.
1. A motorized kitchen apparatus including blades, the motorized kitchen apparatus comprising:
a user interface coupled to a processor module, the user interface enabling user selection of a first motor speed setting;
a motor controller coupled to a motor, the processor module coupled to the motor controller for controlling operation of the motor according to user input selections;
one or more sensors coupled to the processor module, the processor module being adapted to receive a feedback signal indicative of operating parameters associated with the motor;
wherein, upon receiving a user selection of the first motor speed setting, the processor module controls the motor using the motor controller to provide a sequence of pulses, each pulse in the sequence bringing the motor to the user selected first motor speed setting;
wherein once the user selected first motor speed setting is reached, the processor module disables power to the motor; and
wherein, when power to the motor is disabled, the processor module monitors a speed of the blades using the feedback signal to identify when a first predetermined motor speed is reached, and then after a wait time period, controls the motor using the motor controller to bring the motor to the first motor speed setting; and
wherein the processor module calculates the wait time period based on a time between when power to the motor is disabled and the motor reaches the first predetermined second motor speed.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the wait time period is an estimated time for the motor speed to reach a second predetermined motor speed after power to the motor is disabled, wherein the second predetermined motor speed is lower than the first motor speed setting.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the wait time period is an estimated time for the motor speed to reach substantially zero after power to the motor is disabled.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor module controls the motor using the motor controller to provide a soft start profile until the user selected first motor speed setting is reached.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor module controls the motor using the motor controller to provide a second sequence of pulses, each pulse in the second sequence bringing the motor to a second motor speed setting, wherein the second motor speed setting is different from the first motor speed setting.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the processor module uses the motor controller to bring the motor to the first motor speed setting for a first predetermined period of time, wherein the processor module uses the motor controller to bring the motor to the second motor speed setting for a second predetermined period of time, and wherein the first predetermined period of time and the second predetermined period of time do not overlap.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operating parameters associated with the motor include any one or more of: motor rotational speed, motor torque, or power applied to the motor.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor module is coupled to a hall effect sensor located proximal to a shaft of the motor, such that the hall effect sensor provides a signal indicative of motor rotational speed.