# US 11,076,720 B2 · System for mixing beverages and method of doing the same

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- Number: US 11,076,720 B2
- Document ID: US11076720B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/181,107
- Filed: 2018-11-05
- Published: 2019-03-07
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2014-03-28
- Assignees: Gudpod Corp.
- Applicants: Gudpod Corp.
- Inventors: Gian-Carlo Ochoa; Brendan J. Duffy; Chris Penna; Gary Van Deursen; Ben W. Fagen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11076720B2

## CPC

- A47J 43/044: with tools driven from the top side
- A47J 31/20: having immersible, e.g. rotatable, filters
- A47J 31/407: {with ingredient-containing cartridges; Cartridge-perforating means}
- B01F 23/53: using driven stirrers
- B01F 27/1152: with separate elements other than discs fixed on the discs, e.g. vanes fixed on the discs
- B01F 27/806: with vertical displacement of the stirrer, e.g. in combination with means for pivoting the stirrer about a vertical axis in order to co-operate with different receptacles
- B01F 27/88: with a separate receptacle-stirrer unit that is adapted to be coupled to a drive mechanism
- B01F 27/90: with paddles or arms
- B01F 35/123: {using scrapers for cleaning mixers}
- B01F 35/522: {comprising compartments keeping the materials to be mixed separated until the mixing is initiated (containers or packages for packaging two or more different materials which must be maintained separate prior to use in admixture B65D81/32)}
- B01F 35/7139: {Removing separation walls, plugs which close off the different compartments, e.g. by rotation or axially sliding}
- B01F 35/714: {for feeding predetermined amounts (B01F35/88 takes precedence)}
- B01F 35/7173: {using gravity, e.g. from a hopper}
- B65D 83/775: {Containers comprising an internal rotating wing for expelling the contents}
- B65D 85/72: for edible or potable liquids, semiliquids, or plastic or pasty materials
- A47J 2043/04454: {Apparatus of counter top type}
- A47J 2043/04472: {with a mixing unit vertically movable relative to the support}
- B01F 2035/351: {Sealings}
- B01F 2101/14: Mixing of ingredients for non-alcoholic beverages; Dissolving sugar in water
- B01F 2101/22: Mixing of ingredients for pharmaceutical or medical compositions
- A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
- B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06)
- B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES

## Abstract

A module 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A 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;
an agitator including a base, a drive magnet, a shaft, and one or more mixing blades, 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 sealed position and an unsealed position, the drive magnet being coupled to the base and positioned to be magnetically engaged by one or more magnetic fields to cause the agitator to move relative to the housing;
a first closure magnet attached to the shaft opposite the base of the agitator; and
a second closure magnet positioned in the inner bore of the boss, wherein the first and the second closure magnets are configured to aid in holding the agitator in the sealed position.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The module of claim 1, wherein the drive magnet is configured to be magnetically engaged by the one or more magnetic fields to cause the agitator to translate relative to the housing, thereby moving from the sealed position to the unsealed position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The module of claim 1, wherein the drive magnet is configured to be magnetically engaged by the one or more magnetic fields to cause the agitator to rotate relative to the housing.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The module of claim 1, in combination with a mixing system, the mixing system including (i) a body having a coupling mechanism for holding the module relative to the body and (ii) a base supporting the body thereon and including one or more electrical coils for creating the one or more magnetic fields.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The module of claim 4, wherein the base of the mixing system includes a vessel receiving structure containing the one or more coils therein, the vessel receiving structure defining an area to receive a drinking vessel therein.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The module of claim 1, further comprising a machine readable structure.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The module of claim 6, wherein the machine readable structure is coupled to the housing.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The module of claim 6, wherein the machine readable structure includes a radio frequency identification tag, a barcode, a QR code, or an NFC chip.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The module of claim 6, wherein the machine readable structure is configured to permit authentication of the module.

### Claim 10

A 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;
an agitator including a base, a drive magnet, a shaft, and one or more mixing blades, 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 sealed position and an unsealed position, the drive magnet being coupled to the base and positioned to be magnetically engaged by one or more magnetic fields to cause the agitator to move relative to the housing; and
a machine readable structure.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The module of claim 10, wherein the machine readable structure is coupled to the housing.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The module of claim 10, wherein the machine readable structure includes a radio frequency identification tag, a barcode, a QR code, or an NFC chip.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The module of claim 10, wherein the machine readable structure is configured to permit authentication of the module.