IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0592007
(2015-01-08)
|
등록번호 |
US-9131806
(2015-09-15)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Ochoa, Gian-Carlo
- Duffy, Brendan J.
- Penna, Chris
- Van Deursen, Gary
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
18 |
초록
▼
A beverage mixing system includes a housing, a sealing feature, a locking feature, and an agitator. The housing has an opening separating inner and outer surfaces and a boss that extends through the housing such that part of the outer surface forms an inner bore of the boss having a terminus pointin
A beverage mixing system includes a housing, a sealing feature, a locking feature, and an agitator. The housing has an opening separating inner and outer surfaces and a boss that extends through the housing such that part of the outer surface forms an inner bore of the boss having a terminus pointing toward the opening. The agitator has a base, a shaft, and a mixing element coupled to the base such that the base, in cooperation with the sealing feature, circumferentially seals the opening of the housing to form a cavity defined by the inner surface. The shaft passes through the inner bore. The locking feature when engaged permits independent or simultaneous translational and rotational movement of the shaft while an area between the terminus of the boss and the shaft remains mechanically sealed during the movement against liquid or powder encroachment into a clean area of the inner bore.
대표청구항
▼
1. A compounding module for use with a beverage mixing system, the compounding module comprising: a housing defining an interior cavity and including a boss that extends from a first end of the housing into the interior cavity towards a second opposing end of the housing, the boss defining an inner
1. A compounding module for use with a beverage mixing system, the compounding module comprising: a housing defining an interior cavity and including a boss that extends from a first end of the housing into the interior cavity towards a second opposing end of the housing, the boss defining an inner bore, the housing including a coupler with a generally circular head that protrudes from the first end of the housing away from the interior cavity, the coupler to be engaged by a coupling mechanism of the beverage mixing system to prevent rotation and translation of the housing relative to the coupling mechanism of the beverage mixing system; andan agitator including a base, a shaft, and a mixing element, the base of the agitator being affixed to the second end of the housing to seal the interior cavity, the shaft of the agitator extending from the base and being slidable relative to the inner bore of the boss such that the shaft and the mixing element of the agitator are movable between a first position and a second position, a portion of the shaft of the agitator to be engaged by a drive shaft of the beverage mixing system during operation of the beverage mixing system,wherein when the drive shaft engages the shaft of the agitator, the boss of the housing in conjunction with the shaft of the agitator isolate the drive shaft from the interior cavity of the housing. 2. The compounding module of claim 1, wherein the shaft of the agitator includes a collet configured to engage a notch of the drive shaft of the beverage mixing system to lock the agitator to the drive shaft such that translation of the drive shaft results in corresponding translation of the agitator. 3. The compounding module of claim 2, wherein the notch is formed in an external surface of the drive shaft. 4. The compounding module of claim 1, wherein the shaft of the agitator has a protrusion that mates with a notch in the inner bore of the boss of the housing. 5. The compounding module of claim 4, wherein the protrusion and the notch form a mechanical seal for aiding in preventing contamination of the drive shaft. 6. The compounding module of claim 1, wherein the coupler includes a plurality of teeth configured to be engaged by the coupling mechanism of the beverage mixing system to prevent rotation of the housing relative to the coupling mechanism. 7. The compounding module of claim 1, wherein the boss and the shaft of the agitator isolate the drive shaft from the interior cavity of the housing when the agitator is in the first position and when the agitator is in the second position. 8. The compounding module of claim 1, wherein the base of the agitator is affixed to the second end of the housing via sonic welding. 9. A module for use with a system, the module comprising: a housing defining an interior cavity and including a boss that extends from a first end of the housing into the interior cavity towards a second opposing end of the housing, the boss defining an inner bore; andan agitator including a base, a shaft, and a mixing element, the shaft of the agitator extending from the base and being slidable relative to the inner bore of the boss such that the agitator is movable between a first position and a second position, a portion of the shaft of the agitator to be engaged by a drive shaft of the system during operation of the system. 10. The module of claim 9, wherein the shaft of the agitator includes a collet configured to engage a notch of the drive shaft of the system to lock the agitator to the drive shaft such that translation of the drive shaft results in corresponding translation of the agitator. 11. The module of claim 10, wherein the notch is formed in an external surface of the drive shaft. 12. The module of claim 9, wherein the base of the agitator is affixed to the second end of the housing to seal the interior cavity. 13. The module of claim 9, wherein the shaft of the agitator has a protrusion that mates with a notch in the inner bore of the boss of the housing. 14. The module of claim 13, wherein the protrusion and the notch form a mechanical seal for aiding in preventing contamination of the drive shaft. 15. The module of claim 9, wherein when the drive shaft engages the shaft of the agitator, the boss of the housing in conjunction with the shaft of the agitator isolate the drive shaft from the interior cavity of the housing. 16. The module of claim 9, further comprising a compound positioned within the interior cavity of the housing. 17. The module of claim 16, wherein in response to the agitator moving from the first position to the second position, at least a portion of the compound moving from the interior cavity of the housing to a vessel positioned below the module. 18. The module of claim 17, wherein when the drive shaft engages the shaft of the agitator, the boss of the housing in conjunction with the shaft of the agitator isolate the drive shaft from the at least a portion of the compound. 19. The module of claim 17, wherein the vessel includes a liquid therein. 20. The module of claim 17, wherein the first position is a sealed position and the second position is an unsealed position. 21. The module of claim 9, wherein the housing includes a coupler that protrudes from the first end of the housing away from the interior cavity, the coupler to be engaged by a coupling mechanism of the system. 22. The module of claim 21, wherein the coupler has a generally circular head. 23. The module of claim 21, wherein the coupler aids in preventing rotation of the housing relative to the coupling mechanism of the system. 24. The module of claim 21, wherein the coupler aids in preventing translation of the housing relative to the coupling mechanism of the system. 25. The module of claim 21, wherein the drive shaft of the system imparts a rotational motion to at least a portion of the module. 26. The module of claim 21, wherein the drive shaft of the system imparts a translational motion to at least a portion of the module. 27. The module of claim 21, wherein the coupler includes a plurality of teeth to be engaged by the coupling mechanism of the system to prevent rotation of the housing relative to the coupling mechanism. 28. The module of claim 9, further comprising a machine-readable tangible structure selected from the group consisting of a barcode, a QR code, an RFID tag, and an NFC chip for use by the system to authenticate the module. 29. The module of claim 28, wherein the machine-readable tangible structure is built into the housing. 30. The module of claim 28, wherein the machine-readable tangible structure includes the following information: contents of the module, mixing information, lot information, an expiration date, reorder information, manufacturer information, authentication information, or any combination thereof.
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