System for mixing beverages and method of doing the same

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;
• and
• an agitator including a base, a shaft, and a mixing element, the shaft of the agitator extending from the base and being slidably coupled to the boss such that the agitator is movable between a sealed position and an unsealed position, a portion of the shaft of the agitator defining an inner bore 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 inner bore of 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.

A method of mixing a beverage using a compounding module and a beverage mixing system, the method comprising:

• coupling the compounding module to the beverage mixing system, the compounding module including an agitator slidably coupled to a housing defining an interior cavity, the housing 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 agitator having a base, a shaft, and a mixing element;
• non-rotationally engaging the shaft of the agitator with a drive shaft of the beverage mixing system;
• causing the agitator to move from a sealed position to an unsealed position such that the agitator translates relative to the housing;
• rotating the drive shaft thereby causing the agitator to rotate in a corresponding manner;
• during the rotating and during the translating, isolating the drive shaft from the interior cavity of the housing the boss of the housing and the shaft of the agitator.

A compounding module including nutraceutical material for use with a nutraceutical beverage mixing system, the compounding module having a sealed configuration and an unsealed configuration, the compounding module comprising:

• a housing having a first end and a second opposing end defining an interior cavity, the housing including a boss that extends into the cavity from the first end of the housing towards the second end of the housing and defines an inner bore, the inner bore of the boss to allow a portion of a drive shaft of the nutraceutical beverage mixing system to pass therethrough, the second end of the housing being open and including a sealing feature;
• and
• an agitator including a base, a shaft, and a plurality of mixing elements, the shaft of the agitator having a first end adjacent to the base and a second opposing end, the shaft of the agitator extending generally perpendicular from the base, the shaft of the agitator to slide within the inner bore of the housing, the plurality of mixing elements extending generally perpendicular from the base, a portion of the shaft of the agitator defining an inner bore to be engaged by the drive shaft, the inner bore of the shaft of the agitator having a plurality of agitator splines therein, the plurality of agitator splines defining a plurality of agitator channels therebetween to receive a plurality of drive shaft splines of the drive shaft when the drive shaft is engaged with the inner bore of the shaft of the agitator, the second end of the shaft of the agitator including a collet to engage a notch of the drive shaft when the compounding module is in the unsealed configuration, the base including a sealing feature to mate with the sealing feature of the housing when the compounding module is in the sealed configuration,
• wherein when the drive shaft is engaged with the inner bore of the shaft of the agitator, the boss of the housing in conjunction with the shaft of the agitator isolate the drive shaft from the nutraceutical material when the compounding module is in the sealed configuration and the unsealed configuration.