US 12,168,996 B2
Bearing assembly for a blender jar
Christopher J. Eaton, Stevensville, MI (US); Timothy E. Heater, Hartford, MI (US); and Paul S. Paget, Kalamazoo, MI (US)
Assigned to WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed by WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed on May 19, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/877,589.
Prior Publication US 2021/0364035 A1, Nov. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. F16C 19/16 (2006.01); A47J 43/046 (2006.01); B01F 7/16 (2006.01); B01F 15/00 (2006.01); B01F 27/808 (2022.01); B01F 35/32 (2022.01); B01F 35/30 (2022.01); B01F 101/00 (2022.01)
CPC F16C 19/16 (2013.01) [A47J 43/046 (2013.01); B01F 27/808 (2022.01); B01F 35/323 (2022.01); B01F 2035/351 (2022.01); B01F 2035/352 (2022.01); B01F 2101/1805 (2022.01); F16C 2320/00 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A bearing assembly for a blender jar assembly, comprising:
a blender jar having an interior cavity and a bottom wall, wherein the bottom wall includes an opening disposed therethrough;
a retainer positioned within the interior cavity of the blender jar and extending from an upper edge that defines an upper aperture in communication with the interior cavity to a lower edge that defines a lower aperture and including an inner wall between the upper edge and the lower edge defining a receiving space in communication with the opening;
a jar collar positioned exterior of the blender jar and operably coupled with the retainer;
a bearing housing includes a body portion and an upper rim having a smaller diameter than the body portion positioned within the upper aperture of the retainer, the bearing housing positioned within the receiving space and spaced apart from the retainer by a first spacing;
a nut operably coupled with the bearing housing and at least partially received by the receiving space within the lower aperture of the retainer, wherein the nut is spaced apart from the retainer by a second spacing; and
a gasket positioned to maintain at least one of the first and second spacings of the bearing housing and the nut relative to the retainer, respectively.