Ice shaver safety blade cartridge for beverage blender

Abstract

An ice shaver assembly includes an ice hopper and a blade cartridge having a blade and a body in which the blade is permanently affixed. The body has an upper surface above which the blade protrudes so as to shave ice passing along the upper surface. The body further has fastener-less mounting features configured to mount the blade cartridge on the ice hopper within an opening of the ice hopper.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ice shaver assembly comprising:
 an ice hopper; and   a blade cartridge including
 a blade, and 
 a body in which the blade is permanently affixed, the body having an upper surface above which the blade protrudes so as to shave ice passing along the upper surface, the body further having fastener-less mounting features configured to mount the blade cartridge on the ice hopper within an opening of the ice hopper. 
   
     
     
         2 . The ice shaver assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the blade cartridge further includes a sliding rail mount. 
     
     
         3 . The ice shaver assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the sliding rail mount includes a rail defining an alternating sequence of rail portions and gaps defined between rail sections, constructed and arranged to mate with a rail of the ice hopper having a complementary sequence of rail sections and gaps. 
     
     
         4 . The ice shaver assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the sliding rail mount further includes an outrigger rail defined at an end of a spring arm arranged to provide pressure in a direction approximately perpendicular to a sliding direction of the sliding rail mount. 
     
     
         5 . The ice shaver assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the blade cartridge further includes a blade guard over the blade, the blade guard being configured to protect an operator while handling the blade cartridge. 
     
     
         6 . The ice shaver assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the blade guard includes a hook that covers a sharpened edge of the blade, and a barbed spring latch arranged to prevent the cover unhooking from the sharpened edge of the blade. 
     
     
         7 . The ice shaver assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the blade guard further includes a feature preventing closure of a cover of the ice shaver assembly when the blade guard is attached to the blade cartridge. 
     
     
         8 . The ice shaver assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the blade guard further includes a feature preventing operation of the ice shaver when the blade guard is attached to the blade cartridge. 
     
     
         9 . An ice shaver safety blade cartridge comprising:
 a blade; and   a body in which the blade is permanently affixed, the body having an upper surface above which the blade protrudes so as to shave ice passing along the upper surface, the body further having fastener-less mounting features configured to mount the blade cartridge on the ice hopper within an opening of the ice hopper.   
     
     
         10 . The blade cartridge of  claim 9 , further comprising a sliding rail mount. 
     
     
         11 . The blade cartridge of  claim 10 , wherein the sliding rail mount includes a rail defining an alternating sequence of rail portions and gaps defined between rail sections, constructed and arranged to mate with a rail of the ice hopper having a complementary sequence of rail sections and gaps. 
     
     
         12 . The blade cartridge of  claim 10 , wherein the sliding rail mount includes an outrigger rail defined at an end of a spring arm arranged to provide pressure in a direction approximately perpendicular to a sliding direction of the sliding rail mount. 
     
     
         13 . The blade cartridge of  claim 9 , further comprising a blade guard over the blade, the blade guard being configured to protect an operator while handling the blade cartridge. 
     
     
         14 . The blade cartridge of  claim 13 , wherein the blade guard includes a hook that covers a sharpened edge of the blade, and a barbed spring latch arranged to prevent the blade guard from unhooking from the sharpened edge of the blade. 
     
     
         15 . The blade cartridge of  claim 14 , wherein the blade guard further includes a feature preventing closure of a cover for the ice hopper when the blade guard is attached to the blade cartridge. 
     
     
         16 . The blade cartridge of  claim 13 , wherein the blade guard further includes a feature preventing operation of an ice shaver when the blade guard is attached to the blade cartridge. 
     
     
         17 . An ice shaver assembly comprising:
 an ice hopper; and   a blade cartridge including
 a blade, and 
 a body in which the blade is permanently affixed, the body having an upper surface above which the blade protrudes so as to shave ice passing along the upper surface, the body further having means for mounting the blade cartridge on the ice hopper within an opening of the ice hopper without a fastener. 
   
     
     
         18 . The ice shaver assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the means for mounting the blade cartridge on the ice hopper within the opening further includes a sliding rail mount. 
     
     
         19 . The ice shaver assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the sliding rail mount includes a rail defining an alternating sequence of rail portions and gaps defined between rail sections, constructed and arranged to mate with a rail of the ice hopper having a complementary sequence of rail sections and gaps. 
     
     
         20 . The ice shaver assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the sliding rail mount further includes an outrigger rail defined at an end of a spring arm arranged to provide pressure in a direction approximately perpendicular to a sliding direction of the sliding rail mount.