Cocktail shaker

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional cocktail shakers can create a strong 'lock' between the top and bottom cups during shaking, which can lead to injury when attempting to separate them after mixing.

Innovation Solution

A cocktail shaker design featuring a first shaker cup with a larger opening and a second shaker cup with collapsible sections, allowing for adjustable volume and easier coupling and decoupling without the need for physical force.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional metal shaker cups are used with a locking mechanism, then the seal between cups is improved, but the ease of separating the cups deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseal between cupsVSAvoidease of separating cups

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameter from rigid metal to flexible silicone, which allows the cups to form a seal through material deformation rather than mechanical locking. The flexible material can be compressed to create a seal and then easily released to separate the cups, resolving the contradiction between reliable sealing and easy separation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the traditional mechanical locking system with a friction-based seal created by the flexible silicone material. Instead of using interlocking metal edges or clips, the seal is formed by the compression and deformation of the flexible material, eliminating the need for forceful separation mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Volume of stationary object

If the top shaker cup has a fixed large volume, then the mixing capacity is improved, but the precision of ingredient measurement deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshaker cup volumeVSAvoidingredient measurement precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of stationary objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the shaker cup volume dynamic and adjustable rather than fixed. The flexible silicone material allows the cup to be compressed to different volumes, enabling the user to adjust the cup size to match the required ingredient quantity. This dynamic volume adjustment provides both large mixing capacity and precise measurement capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the shaker cup into collapsible sections that can be independently compressed. This segmentation allows for incremental volume adjustment, where each collapsed section reduces the total volume by a known amount, enabling precise measurement of different ingredient quantities while maintaining the ability to expand to full capacity for mixing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12268338B2Cocktail shaker

Publication Date: 2025.04.08 MAYER WILLIAM J

AI summary

A cocktail shaker includes a top shaker cup and a bottom shaker cup. The top shaker cup is shaped and sized such that an upper end of the top shaker cup can be inserted into an upper end of the bottom shaker cup. The bottom shaker cup is pliable to establish a seal between the top shaker cup and the bottom shaker cup when the top shaker cup is inserted into the bottom shaker cup. Additionally, the bottom shaker cup may include a built-in strainer. The top shaker cup includes a plurality of collapsible sections, each of which may be collapsed to adjust the internal volume of the top shaker cup. In some embodiments, each collapsible section may define an equal internal volume.