Compact Countertop Drink Maker for Multi-Serving Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drink makers are bulky and inefficient, making them unsuitable for consumer home countertops and limiting operational throughput to single servings.
Innovation Solution
A compact drink maker design with a mixing vessel, base, dasher, and cooling circuit, optimized for consumer countertops, allowing multiple servings while maintaining high operational throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If existing drink makers are designed for commercial use, then they can process multiple beverages, but they become bulky and unsuitable for consumer countertops
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reconfigures the traditional vertical stacking arrangement of drink maker components into a horizontal footprint layout. The mixing vessel, cooling circuit, and dispenser are arranged side-by-side in a compact horizontal configuration, transforming the space utilization from vertical to horizontal dimension. This allows the device to fit on consumer countertops while maintaining the capacity to process multiple beverages simultaneously, directly resolving the contradiction between productivity and device volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The drink maker is divided into distinct functional modules: a mixing vessel assembly, a cooling circuit assembly, and a dispenser assembly. Each module operates independently but integrates with the others through standardized connection interfaces. This modular segmentation allows for compact individual component design while maintaining overall system functionality, enabling multiple beverage preparations without requiring a bulky monolithic structure.
2Volume of moving object
If existing drink makers are designed for single serving, then they are compact, but they provide very little operational throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing vessel is designed with a universal capacity that can accommodate multiple beverage types and serving sizes simultaneously. The vessel includes markings for different liquid volumes and the dasher mechanism can process various quantities of liquid in a single operation. This multi-functional design allows the compact device to serve both single and multiple servings, eliminating the trade-off between device compactness and operational throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling circuit is designed to continuously cool the drink product throughout the entire mixing and dispensing process, rather than cooling individual servings sequentially. The evaporator maintains constant temperature in the mixing vessel while the dasher continuously agitates and processes the liquid, enabling uninterrupted multi-serving operation from a single loading of drink mix, thereby maintaining compact size while significantly improving productivity.
3Quantity of substance
If the mixing vessel is made larger to hold more liquid, then multiple servings are possible, but the device height increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the vertical height of the mixing vessel to accommodate larger liquid volumes, the patent redesigns the vessel configuration to utilize horizontal space. The mixing vessel is positioned laterally adjacent to other components rather than stacking vertically, and the dasher rotates in a horizontal plane to agitate the liquid. This dimensional reconfiguration allows the vessel to hold sufficient liquid for multiple servings while maintaining a low profile height suitable for consumer countertops.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The compact design fits on consumer countertops, enabling multiple servings without compromising operational efficiency, with dimensions tailored for kitchen spaces and integrated cooling systems.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling circuit configured to cool the drink product within the mixing vessel
Implementation Method 2
transforming the drink product from a pure liquid (or a combination of a liquid and portions of ice) to a frozen or semi-frozen product
Implementation Method 3
a dasher configured to mix the drink product within the mixing vessel
Implementation Method 4
an evaporator configured to (i) enclose, on an interior of the evaporator, at least part of the cooling circuit, and (ii) contact, on an exterior of the evaporator, the drink product in the mixing vessel
Data Source
AI summary
A compact countertop drink maker is provided. The drink maker includes a mixing vessel configured to receive a drink product and a base configured to support the mixing vessel. The drink maker also includes a dasher configured to mix the drink product within the mixing vessel. The drink maker further includes a cooling circuit configured to cool the drink product within the mixing vessel. In some embodiments, a total height of the drink maker is less than 20 inches. Additionally, or alternatively, a maximum dimension of the mixing vessel along a vertical axis is greater than or equal to 40% of the total height of the drink maker.