Mixing device and beverage mixing machine including the same

Abstract

To provide a mixing device capable of effectively avoiding displacement or scattering of a cup or a preparation bottle caused by a large pour-out range and fluid pressure, and a beverage mixing device equipped with the same.SOLUTION: The mixing device comprises a main body, a plurality of first ingredient inlet parts 21, and a second ingredient inlet part 22. The main body includes a preparation chamber and a discharge part 122 in fluid communication with the preparation chamber. The first ingredient inlet parts 21 are connected with the main body. The second ingredient inlet part 22 is connected to the main body, being spaced apart from each other. The first ingredient inlet parts and the second ingredient inlet part are in fluid communication with the preparation chamber, and at least one first inlet direction of the first ingredient inlet parts is different from a second inlet direction of the second ingredient inlet part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a mixing device, in particular a mixing device for delivering fluids to perform a brewing process, and a beverage mixing machine including the same. [Background technology]

[0002] The beverage industry is one of the important economic businesses in every country. As the standard of living rises, consumers increasingly prefer freshly prepared beverages to satisfy their psychological needs for freshness and novelty. In response to this demand, many companies have begun to invest in the freshly prepared beverage market.

[0003] At the same time, in light of the trend toward rising labor costs, some manufacturers have begun to introduce or develop machines that can automatically dispense beverages. The size of such machines can be similar to that of a typical water cooler in a public place, so that they can be more widely used in certain daily life situations. Furthermore, in order to increase competitiveness, typical automatic beverage vending machines offer a variety of beverage options for users to choose from. This allows users to quickly obtain freshly prepared beverages by simply selecting from a menu displayed on the machine's screen. However, current automatic beverage vending machines still have problems that need to be improved. For example, automatic beverage vending machines use a multi-hole nozzle to inject various beverage ingredients into a mixing cup according to the settings. Then, the user must use the machine's electric mixer to mix the ingredients in the mixing cup. After mixing the ingredients in the cup, the user must pour them into their own cup, and then clean the mixing cup using the machine's cleaning mechanism. This type of automatic beverage vending machine has the following problems. To provide various beverage ingredients, multi-hole nozzles can cause problems such as misalignment and splashing due to excessive dispensing range and fluid pressure. Additionally, the use of built-in electric mixers, cleaning mechanisms, and other devices not only increases power consumption but also requires users to perform cumbersome operations themselves, which can negatively affect the user experience. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a mixing device and a beverage mixing machine including the same that can solve the problems of conventional automatic beverage vending machines. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a mixing device. The mixing device includes a body, a plurality of first material inlets, and a second material inlet. The body includes a brewing chamber and an outlet in fluid communication with the brewing chamber. The first material inlets are connected to the body and spaced apart from one another. The second material inlets are connected to the body. The first and second material inlets are in fluid communication with the brewing chamber, and a first inlet direction of at least one of the first material inlets is different from a second inlet direction of the second material inlet.

[0006] Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a beverage mixing machine. The beverage mixing machine includes a housing and a mixing device. The housing includes a supply portion. The mixing device is housed within the housing and includes a main body, a plurality of first ingredient inlets, and a second ingredient inlet. The main body includes a brewing chamber and an outlet in fluid communication with the brewing chamber, the outlet being located in the supply portion. The first ingredient inlet is connected to the main body. The second ingredient inlet is connected to the main body. The first ingredient inlet and the second ingredient inlet are in fluid communication with the brewing chamber, and a first inlet direction of at least one of the first ingredient inlets is different from a second inlet direction of the second ingredient inlet. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the above-described embodiments of the mixing device and the beverage mixing machine including the same, different sides of the brewing chamber of the main body of the mixing device are fluidly connected to the first ingredient inlet port and the second ingredient inlet port, and the mixing device can generate vortex or turbulence in the brewing chamber to promote the blending of all ingredients by increasing the injection pressure of the ingredients at one of the ingredient inlet ports (e.g., the second ingredient inlet port), and the main body has an outlet port in fluid communication with the brewing chamber so that the blended ingredients can be uniformly supplied through a single outlet (the outlet port of the main body).

[0008] Since the ingredients are mixed in the mixing chamber by vortex or turbulence and then collected in the discharge section, the mixed ingredients can flow out of the mixing device through a single outlet, and the pressure of the mixed ingredients is significantly reduced when flowing to the discharge section. Therefore, compared with conventional beverage machines that simultaneously inject various ingredients into cups or dispensing bottles through multiple outlets and then dispense the ingredients, the mixing device of the present disclosure can effectively avoid problems such as cup or dispensing bottle slippage and splashing caused by a large discharge range and fluid pressure.

[0009] Furthermore, according to the above-described configuration, the mixing device can generate a desired vortex or turbulence by adjusting the velocity or flow rate of the material from one of the material inlets (e.g., the second material inlet). This promotes blending and dilution of the material entering the blending chamber from the material inlet (e.g., the first material inlet). That is, the mixing device can blend the material as desired. Therefore, the cost of the mixing device is reduced because there is no need to provide an electric stirring system.

[0010] Furthermore, the vortex or turbulence generated by the mixing device can simultaneously clean the inner surface of the brewing chamber to prevent materials from remaining in the brewing chamber. As a result, there is no need to disassemble the mixing device for cleaning. Alternatively, the frequency of the disassembly and cleaning process can be reduced. Furthermore, there is no need to install an additional cleaning mechanism, which reduces labor and manufacturing costs. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] The present disclosure will be better understood from the detailed description provided below and the accompanying drawings, which are provided as follows and are not intended to limit the disclosure as they are provided by way of example only. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a beverage mixing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 2 is a partially enlarged view showing a supply section of the beverage mixing device in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mixing device of the beverage mixing machine in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mixing device of the beverage mixing machine in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the mixing device in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is a perspective bottom view of the mixing device in FIG. 4. [Figure 7] FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the mixing device in FIG. 4. [Figure 8] FIG. 5 is a top view of the mixing device in FIG. 4 during operation. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a top view of a mixing device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure in operation. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of a mixing device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a top view of a mixing device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure in operation. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective bottom view of a mixing device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a simplified side view of a mixing device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, accompanied by the accompanying drawings. The inclusion of such details provides a thorough understanding of the present disclosure, enabling those skilled in the art to fully practice the described embodiments, but is for illustrative purposes only and should not be interpreted as limiting the present disclosure. On the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that may be included within the spirit and scope of the described embodiments as defined in the appended claims. To this end, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that many changes can be made to the various aspects of the present disclosure described herein without detracting from the benefits of the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that some of the desired effects of the present disclosure can be achieved by selecting some features of the present disclosure and not utilizing other features.

[0013] Terms such as "edge," "portion," "area," "area," and "location" may be used below to describe specific elements and structures, or specific technical features on or between them. However, these elements and structures are not limited by these terms. Furthermore, terms such as "substantially," "about," and "approximately" may be used below to describe reasonable or acceptable deviations that may occur under changed conditions or events without compromising expected results. Furthermore, below, "at least one" may be used to indicate the number of referenced elements, but unless explicitly stated, the number is not limited to "only one." The term "and / or" may be used to indicate one or both of two possibilities described herein. Furthermore, below, the term "fluid communication" may be used to describe a state in which the spaces defined by two objects are connected in such a way that a fluid can flow between them.

[0014] 1 and 2 , one embodiment of the present disclosure provides a beverage mixing machine 9. The beverage mixing machine 9 may include a housing 90. The housing 90 may be referred to as a portion of the beverage mixing machine 9 that provides the appearance of the beverage mixing machine 9 and supports or houses desired devices, components, assemblies, or elements. For example, the housing 90 may have a supply portion 91, which is referred to as a portion of the housing 90 from which a final mixed product (not shown) flows out of the beverage mixing machine 9. As described in the present disclosure, the final mixed product may be a beverage such as juice, tea, coffee, or a cocktail, but the type of final mixed product provided by the beverage mixing machine 9 is not limited by the present disclosure. For example, depending on actual requirements, the beverage mixing machine 9 may provide a final mixed product through its supply portion 91 that includes solid ingredients such as edible pectin and / or fruit pulp. Alternatively, the beverage mixing machine 9 may provide a final mixed product through its supply portion 91 that includes a potable or inedible liquid, or a mixture of a solid and a liquid.

[0015] Optionally, the housing 90 may have a support 92 for placing the container 8. The support 92 may be spaced an appropriate distance from the supply unit 91 and positioned opposite the supply unit 91. The support 92 is a portion of the housing 90 that supports or positions the container 8, although the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The container 8 may be a flask, a paper cup, a glass bottle, or a mug, although the type of container 8 is not limited thereto in the present disclosure. As shown, when the container 8 is placed on the support 92, the container 8 may be positioned below the supply unit 91 to receive the final blended product flowing from the supply unit 91.

[0016] Furthermore, the beverage mixing machine 9 may further include a mixing device 1. The mixing device 1 may be housed within a housing 90 and correspond to a supply portion 91 of the housing 90 so as to supply the final mixed product to the supply portion 91. Furthermore, the mixing device 1 may mix various ingredients constituting the final mixed product in a predetermined manner before the final mixed product is provided to the supply portion 91. That is, the mixing device 1 may quickly and uniformly mix and mix various ingredients within the housing 90 according to the recipe for the final mixed product. The ingredients described herein may be selected according to the desired final mixed product. The ingredients may be liquid and / or powder, such as concentrated juice, tea, coffee powder or beans, milk, base alcohol, fruit, edible pectin, etc., but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the concentration, ratio, and actual composition of each ingredient may be adjusted according to the recipe for the final mixed product, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Note that the ingredients are not specifically illustrated, but the flow direction of these ingredients may be indicated by arrows in some figures.

[0017] 3 to 7, the mixing device 1 will be further introduced below. In this embodiment, the mixing device 1 may have a main body 10, one or more first ingredient inlets 21, a second ingredient inlet 22, and a third ingredient inlet 23. Generally, the main body 10 may have an outlet 122. The outlet 122 may be exposed from the supply section 91 of the housing 90. The outlet 122 serves as a channel, flow path, or pipe in the mixing device 1 for discharging a final blended product containing fully blended ingredients. Here, the outlet 122 is defined to have a central axis C. The first ingredient inlet 21 may be, for example, an inlet through which a concentrated beverage flows. The first ingredient inlet 21 may have, for example, but is not limited to, the same outer diameter as each other. The second ingredient inlet 22 may be, for example, an inlet through which pressurized water flows. The first ingredient inlet 21 and the second ingredient inlet 22 are in fluid communication with the main body 10. That is, first material inlet 21 and second material inlet 22 are passages, channels, openings, or pipes in mixing device 1 that receive materials so as to introduce the materials into the passages, channels, openings, or pipes in body 10. Third material inlet 23 is disposed on body 10 but is not in direct fluid communication with a chamber enclosed by body 10 (e.g., brewing chamber S, described below).

[0018] More specifically, in this embodiment, the body 10 may have a first portion 11 and a second portion 12. The first portion 11 may be fixed to the second portion 12 via, for example, a screw. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. It should be understood that the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 may be fixed to each other by other means, such as bolts, adhesive, a snap fit, or the like, as long as the contact between the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 is kept fluid-tight and no leakage occurs.

[0019] The first portion 11 may have a protruding structure 111. The protruding structure 111 may protrude from, for example, one side of the first portion 11 facing the second portion 12. The second portion 12 may have an accommodation space 121 that accommodates the protruding structure 111 of the first portion 11. When the first portion 11 is connected to the second portion 12, the protruding structure 111 of the first portion 11 is located within the accommodation space 121 of the second portion 12. At this time, the outer surface of the protruding structure 111 and the inner surface of the second portion 12 together surround and define a brewing chamber S. The brewing chamber S is an internal space of the main body 10 that is in fluid communication with an outlet 122 and allows materials to flow therethrough to be brewed into a mixture. As shown, the outlet 122 may be in fluid communication with one side of the brewing chamber S.

[0020] The above-mentioned first material inlet 21 and second material inlet 22 may be connected to the first portion 11 of the main body 10 and fluidly communicate with the brewing chamber S of the main body 10. Optionally, the first material inlet 21 and the second material inlet 22 may be connected to a material supply source (not shown) through a plurality of sleeve pipes 7. The material supply source may be, but is not limited to, a container housed within the housing 90. Depending on actual requirements, the material supply source may contain a fluid suitable for blending into a final blended product, such as concentrated juice, drinking water, carbonated water, etc. Optionally, the first material inlet 21 may be arranged, for example, around the central axis C of the discharge portion 122, and the first material inlet 21 may be spaced apart from each other, and the first material inlet 21 may have the same outer diameter. Optionally, the second material inlet 22 may be arranged, for example, offset from the central axis C of the discharge portion 122. In other words, if the brewing chamber S is circular or ring-shaped, the second material inlet port 22 may be tangential to the brewing chamber S or perpendicular to the inner surface of the body 10 that forms the brewing chamber S.

[0021] Thus, the mixing device 1 may receive one or more required materials through the first material inlet 21 and the second material inlet 22, and the materials may be poured into the brewing chamber S to be brewed. Furthermore, a pump (not shown) may be selectively provided in at least one of the passages between the sleeve pipe 7 connected to the first material inlet 21 and the second material inlet 22 and the material source. The pump allows the material at at least one of the material inlets (e.g., the second material inlet 22) to flow into the brewing chamber S at a predetermined speed, flow rate, and pressure. However, the present disclosure is not limited to pumping the materials into the brewing chamber S or any other specific method.

[0022] The aforementioned discharge portion 122 may be disposed on or protrude from one side of the second portion 12 opposite the first portion 11, and may be in fluid communication with the brewing chamber S of the main body 10. Accordingly, the discharge portion 122 of the mixing device 1 may be disposed through the supply portion 91 of the housing 90 so that the discharge portion 122 is disposed at a position exposed from the supply portion 91. Furthermore, the mixing device 1 may collect the mixture prepared in the brewing chamber S in the discharge portion 122 and discharge the mixture to the outside.

[0023] The third material inlet 23 may be disposed on the first portion 11 of the main body 10, but is not in direct fluid communication with the brewing chamber S at the outer periphery of the main body 10. Specifically, the third material inlet 23 may be a path, channel, opening, or pipe that penetrates the first portion 11 and extends toward the discharge portion 122 of the second portion 12. Optionally, the third material inlet 23 may be disposed on the central axis C of the discharge portion 122. Optionally, the third material inlet 23 may be disposed within the discharge portion 122 and have an outlet end 231 exposed from the discharge portion 122. Optionally, the third material inlet 23 may be connected to a material source (not shown) through one of the sleeve pipes 7. It will be understood that the third material inlet 23 is not in direct fluid communication with the brewing chamber S, but rather the outlet end 231 is partially disposed within the discharge portion 122 such that the third material inlet 23 is in direct fluid communication with the discharge portion 122. Therefore, in the mixing device 1, the material obtained from the third material inlet port 23 is not mixed in the mixing chamber S with the material(s) obtained from the first material inlet port 21 and the second material inlet port 22.

[0024] More specifically, in this embodiment, the first material inlet 21 and the second material inlet 22 may be connected to different sides of the first portion 11 of the main body 10, thereby fluidly communicating with different sides of the brewing chamber S. For example, all of the first material inlets 21 may be connected to one side of the first portion 11 (e.g., the upper side of the main body 10) farther from the second portion 12 so that material can flow into the brewing chamber S from one side of the brewing chamber S farther from the discharge portion 122 along the first direction D1. Meanwhile, the second material inlet 22 may be connected to a side surface of the first portion 11 (e.g., the lateral side of the main body 10) so as to extend horizontally so that material can flow into the brewing chamber S from the lateral side of the brewing chamber S along the second direction D2 and downward along the inner wall of the brewing chamber S. The first direction D1 may be, but is not limited to, approximately parallel to the central axis C of the discharge portion 122. The second direction D2 may be inclined (e.g., 90°) relative to the first direction D1, but is not limited to this. That is, the first inlet direction D1 of the first material inlet portion 21 is different from the second inlet direction D2 of the second material inlet portion 22. In this embodiment, the first inlet directions D1 of the first material inlet portions 21 are parallel to each other, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In some other embodiments, the first inlet directions of the first material inlet portions do not have to be parallel to each other, as long as the first inlet direction of at least one of the first material inlet portions is different from the second inlet direction of the second material inlet portion. That is, the first inlet directions of the first material inlet portions may be partially different.

[0025] 6, each of the first material inlets 21 has a first opening 211 communicating with the brewing chamber S, and each of the second material inlets 22 has a second opening 221 communicating with the brewing chamber S. The second opening 221 of the second material inlet 22 is disposed, for example, but not limited to, between two adjacent first openings 211 of the first material inlet 21.

[0026] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the third material inlet portion 23 may be positioned substantially on the central axis C of the discharge portion 122. The third material inlet portion 23 may extend completely through the brewing chamber S such that the outlet end 231 of the third material inlet portion 23 is positioned near the discharge portion 122. Thus, the third material inlet portion 23 may extend, for example, vertically, so that material can flow along the central axis C (or the first direction D1) to the outlet end 231 located in the discharge portion 122.

[0027] To clearly illustrate the operation of the mixing device 1, reference is made to Figures 1 to 3 and 7 to 8 together. Hereinafter, the beverage mixing machine 9 will be referred to as a beverage machine by way of example. Depending on the circumstances, at least one or some of the first ingredient inlets 21 may be connected via sleeve pipes 7 to ingredient sources in the housing 90 that previously contain one or various types of concentrated juice. The second ingredient inlet 22 may be connected via one of the sleeve pipes 7 to an ingredient source in the housing 90 that previously contains drinking water. The third ingredient inlet 23 may be connected via one of the sleeve pipes 7 to an ingredient source in the housing 90 that previously contains carbonated water. In this configuration, the beverage mixing machine 9 may supply specific types of concentrated juice, drinking water, and carbonated water to the first ingredient inlet 21, the second ingredient inlet 22, and the third ingredient inlet 23 at desired flow rates and flow rates depending on the beverage recipe selected by the user.

[0028] Specifically, as shown by the arrows in FIGS. 7 and 8 , a material such as concentrated juice may flow into the brewing chamber S from the top of the main body 10 through the first material inlet 21. The concentrated juice may flow into the brewing chamber S along a first direction D1 due to the guidance of the first material inlet 21 or gravity. At the same time, a material such as drinking water may flow into the brewing chamber S from the side of the main body 10 through the second material inlet 22. The drinking water may flow into the brewing chamber S along a second direction D2 due to the guidance of the second material inlet 22 and the pressure for pumping the drinking water. This creates a vortex or turbulent flow in the brewing chamber S, flowing along the inner surface of the brewing chamber S or around the protruding structure 111 (or the central axis C of the discharge portion 122) along a third direction D3. This vortex or turbulent flow may directly contact the concentrated juice flowing into the brewing chamber S from the first material inlet 21. This causes the concentrated juice to merge into the vortex or turbulent flow. The drinking water and concentrated juice may be uniformly and thoroughly blended in the vortex or turbulence, gradually concentrated by gravity toward the outlet 122 located below the blending chamber S, and then flow out from the outlet 122. Furthermore, as the mixture of drinking water and concentrated juice flows out from the outlet 122, ingredients such as carbonated water may flow directly to an area of ​​the main body 10 located closer to the outlet 122. Thus, the carbonated water, drinking water, and concentrated juice may be blended into a final blended product. As a result, the final blended product may flow out of the supply portion 91 of the housing 90 and be poured into the container 8 on the support base 92, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 . This completes the beverage dispensing process.

[0029] As a result, when the mixing device 1 completes blending the beverage ingredients within the housing 90, the mixing device 1 can deliver the beverage to the user's container 8 through a single outlet (i.e., the discharge port 122). Furthermore, the mixing device 1 mainly utilizes one of the ingredient inlets (e.g., the second ingredient inlet port 22) to provide a high-pressure driving force for feeding the ingredients to be blended within the blending chamber S. The pressure of the ingredients to form the final blended product is significantly reduced when flowing through the discharge port 122. Therefore, compared with conventional beverage machines that simultaneously inject various ingredients into a cup or blending bottle through multiple outlets and then blend the ingredients, the mixing device 1 of this embodiment can effectively avoid problems such as misalignment and splashing caused by a large discharge range and fluid pressure.

[0030] Furthermore, in the mixing device 1, the first inlet direction of the first material inlet port 21 is different from the second inlet direction of the second material inlet port 22. This allows the mixing device 1 to mix various kinds of materials by simply adjusting the flow rate and volume of the materials. Therefore, there is no need to provide any electric stirring system, which reduces the cost of the mixing device 1.

[0031] Furthermore, in the mixing device 1, the second ingredient inlet 22 generates a vortex or turbulence of drinking water in the brewing chamber S, which is mixed with and dilutes the concentrated juice provided by the first ingredient inlet 21. Therefore, the vortex or turbulence can simultaneously clean the inner surface of the brewing chamber S when the concentrated juice is collected in the outlet 122, so as to prevent the concentrated juice from remaining in the brewing chamber S. As a result, there is no need to disassemble and clean the mixing device 1, or the frequency of the disassembly and cleaning process can be reduced. Furthermore, since there is no need to provide an additional cleaning mechanism, labor and manufacturing costs are reduced.

[0032] It should be noted that the type of ingredients, flow rate, flow rate, and pressure of the ingredients flowing into the brewing chamber S may be varied depending on the beverage recipe selected by the user and are not limited by this disclosure.

[0033] Furthermore, the present disclosure is not limited to the structure of the mixing device of the above-mentioned embodiment, as long as it promotes the generation of vortex or turbulence by one of the materials to be mixed with another material. The following paragraphs introduce other embodiments of the present disclosure that can achieve similar or identical effects to the mixing device of the above-mentioned embodiment. For the sake of brevity, the following paragraphs simply introduce the differences between the above-mentioned embodiment and the following embodiment. Similar or identical parts in these embodiments can be understood from the relevant paragraphs already introduced, and therefore will not be repeated below.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 9 , another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a mixing device 1a. The second material inlet 22 may correspond to, for example, the central axis C of the discharge section 122, and the extension direction of the second material inlet 22 may pass through the central axis C of the discharge section 122. In other words, the second material inlet 22 may be disposed in one of the radial directions of the central axis C. In such a case, as shown by the arrows in the figure, the material entering the brewing chamber S from the second material inlet 22 may be divided to flow in different directions (e.g., third direction D3 and fourth direction D4). This facilitates the material from the first material inlet 21 being brewed with and diluted by the material from the second material inlet 22.

[0035] 10, another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a mixing device 1b, in which a first portion 11' of a body 10' is not provided with the third material inlet port of the above-described embodiment.

[0036] 11, another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a mixing device 1c. The inner surface of the main body 10, which forms the brewing chamber S, may be provided with protruding structures 40 of an appropriate shape and size, which promote the formation of vortexes or turbulent flow within the brewing chamber S, thereby contributing to the mixing of the materials. Optionally, the protruding structures 40 may be arranged, for example, around the central axis C of the discharge portion 122, although the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0037] 12, another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a mixing device lc'. The inner surface of the main body 10 may be provided with at least one helical protruding structure 40', which promotes the induction and increase in the number of turns of a vortex formed in the brewing chamber S, thus contributing to the blending of the materials. Optionally, the protruding structure 40 may be a helical structure around the central axis C of the discharge portion 122, although the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 13 , another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a mixing device 1d. The discharge portion 122 of the main body 10 may be provided with an attachment 50. The attachment 50 may be, for example, a valve (manual valve or motorized valve) or a pump. If the attachment 50 is a manual valve or motorized valve, the attachment 50 may be selectively opened once the materials are fully mixed. This ensures that the mixture flowing out of the discharge portion 122 is at a predetermined mixing level. If the attachment 50 is a pump, the attachment 50 may not only be activated only after the materials are fully mixed, but may also control the flow rate of the mixture flowing out of the discharge portion 122.

[0039] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are illustrative and not limiting of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art may modify the mixing device of the present disclosure based on actual requirements after reviewing the above-described embodiments. For example, the number of first and second material inlets may be changed depending on the type of desired final blended product. Furthermore, the main body of the mixing device is not limited to being formed by assembling a first part and a second part. For example, in some other embodiments, the main body of the mixing device may be formed as a single part using 3D printing technology. This may be interpreted as the first part of the main body being integrally connected to the second part. Furthermore, the first material inlet, the second material inlet, and the third material inlet may be integrally connected to the main body using 3D printing technology. This may be interpreted as the main body, the first material inlet, the second material inlet, and the third material inlet being formed as a single, integral part.

[0040] Furthermore, in some other embodiments, as long as the material can enter the brewing chamber through the first material inlet port, the first material inlet port may not be located at the top of the main body, but may be located on the main body at an acute angle to the central axis of the discharge port. Alternatively, in some other embodiments, the portion of the main body surrounding the discharge port may be shaped like a sloped funnel to promote concentration of the mixture in the discharge port. Alternatively, in some other embodiments, the outlet end of the third material inlet port may be flush with the opening of the discharge port of the main body. Alternatively, depending on actual requirements, the third material inlet port may be located within the brewing chamber of the main body, away from the opening of the discharge port. Alternatively, in some other embodiments, the protruding structure of the main body may be omitted, as long as the material entering the brewing chamber through the second material inlet port can generate a vortex or turbulence to ensure that the material in the brewing chamber is completely brewed.

[0041] According to the mixing device and the beverage mixing machine including the same described in the above embodiment, after the mixing device finishes mixing the beverage ingredients in the housing, the mixing device can supply the beverage to a user's container through a single outlet (i.e., outlet). Furthermore, the mixing device mainly uses one of the ingredient inlets (e.g., the second ingredient inlet) to provide a high-pressure driving force for feeding the ingredients to be mixed in the mixing chamber, and the pressure of the ingredients to form the final mixed product is significantly reduced when flowing to the outlet. Therefore, compared with conventional beverage machines that simultaneously inject various ingredients into a cup or a dispensing bottle through multiple outlets and then dispense the ingredients, the mixing device of the present disclosure can effectively avoid problems such as cup or dispensing bottle slippage and splashing caused by a large discharge range and fluid pressure.

[0042] Furthermore, in the mixing device, the first inlet direction of the first material inlet port is different from the second inlet direction of the second material inlet port, which allows the mixing device to mix various types of materials by simply adjusting the flow rate and volume of the materials. Therefore, there is no need to provide an electric stirring system, which reduces the cost of the mixing device.

[0043] Furthermore, in the mixing device, the second ingredient inlet generates a vortex or turbulence of drinking water in the brewing chamber, which is mixed with and dilutes the concentrated juice provided by the first ingredient inlet. Therefore, the vortex or turbulence can simultaneously clean the inner surface of the brewing chamber to prevent the concentrated juice from remaining in the brewing chamber when the concentrated juice is collected in the outlet. As a result, there is no need to disassemble and clean the mixing device, or the frequency of disassembly and cleaning processes can be reduced. Since there is no need to install an additional cleaning mechanism, labor and manufacturing costs are reduced.

[0044] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and variations, and it is intended that the details and examples be taken as merely exemplary embodiments, with the scope of the present disclosure being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 1, 1a, 1b, 1c mixing device, 7 sleeve pipe, 10, 10' main body, 11, 11' first part, 12 second part, 21 first material inlet part, 22 second material inlet part, 23 third material inlet part, 40, 40' protruding structure, 50 accessories, 90 housing, 91 supply part, 111 protruding structure, 121 accommodating space, 122 discharge part, 211 first opening, 221 second opening, 231 outlet end, S mixing chamber, C central axis, D1 first direction, D2 second direction, D3 third direction, D4 fourth direction.

Claims

1. a body including a brew chamber and a discharge port in fluid communication with the brew chamber; a plurality of first material inlets connected to the body; a second material inlet connected to the body; A mixing device comprising: the plurality of first material inlets and the second material inlet are in fluid communication with the brew chamber, and a first inlet direction of at least one of the plurality of first material inlets is different from a second inlet direction of the second material inlet; the second material inlet is in direct fluid communication with the brewing chamber in the second inlet direction; a third material inlet port disposed through the body, the third material inlet port having an outlet end, the outlet end in fluid communication with the discharge port, and the outlet end not in fluid communication with the brewing chamber.

2. A mixing device as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of first material inlet portions and the third material inlet portion extend vertically, and the second material inlet portion extends horizontally.

3. 2. The mixing device of claim 1, wherein the first inlet direction of the at least one of the plurality of first material inlets is perpendicular to the second inlet direction of the second material inlet, the brewing chamber is ring-shaped, and the second material inlet is tangent to the brewing chamber, or the second material inlet is perpendicular to an inner surface of the body forming the brewing chamber.

4. 2. The mixing device of claim 1, wherein the brewing chamber is ring-shaped, the plurality of first material inlets each have a first opening communicating with the brewing chamber, the second material inlet each have a second opening communicating with the brewing chamber, and the second opening of the second material inlet is disposed between two adjacent first openings of the plurality of first material inlets.

5. a housing including a supply unit; A mixing device contained within the housing, a body comprising a brew chamber and a discharge in fluid communication with the brew chamber, the discharge being located in the supply; a plurality of first material inlets connected to the body; a second material inlet connected to the body; and A beverage mixing machine comprising: the plurality of first material inlets and the second material inlet are in fluid communication with the brew chamber, and a first inlet direction of at least one of the plurality of first material inlets is different from a second inlet direction of the second material inlet; the second material inlet is in direct fluid communication with the brewing chamber in the second inlet direction; 10. The beverage mixing device of claim 9, further comprising a third ingredient inlet portion disposed through the body, the third ingredient inlet portion having an outlet end, the outlet end in fluid communication with the discharge portion, and the outlet end not in fluid communication with the brewing chamber.

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