Frozen Beverage Mixer Using Inductive Heating to Reduce Mixing Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage mixing systems face challenges in consistently achieving the right viscosity for frozen beverages, often resulting in products that are too thick for conventional drinking straws, with inefficiencies in mixing time and energy usage due to reliance on nichrome heating elements and moving parts.
Innovation Solution
The system employs inductive coupling to heat the mixing blade, transferring heat directly to the beverage slurry without nichrome elements, using LEDs for additional heat input, and isolating the driveshaft from the motor to prevent overheating, ensuring efficient energy use and consistent viscosity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If nichrome heating elements are used to heat the beverage mixture, then heating function is provided, but mixing time increases and energy efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional nichrome heating elements with inductive heating technology. The induction coil generates an electromagnetic field that directly heats the ferromagnetic mixing blade through electromagnetic induction, eliminating the need for direct contact heating elements and reducing thermal transfer time.
Solution Approach 2:
The mixing blade is pre-heated by the induction coil before the beverage ingredients are added. This preliminary heating action ensures that the blade is already at the required temperature to efficiently heat the beverage mixture from the start of mixing, reducing overall mixing time.
2Temperature
If nichrome heating elements are used, then heating is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces resistive heating (nichrome elements) with inductive heating. Inductive heating directly converts electromagnetic energy to thermal energy in the ferromagnetic blade with higher efficiency, reducing energy losses associated with resistive heating and thermal transfer through intermediaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The mixing blade serves dual functions: it performs the mechanical mixing action and simultaneously acts as the heating element through its ferromagnetic properties. The blade self-heats via electromagnetic induction without requiring separate heating components, improving overall system energy efficiency.
3Power
If the driveshaft is connected to the motor without isolation, then mechanical power transmission is efficient, but the motor overheats and may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a thermal isolation component (such as a thermal break or insulating material) between the motor and the driveshaft. This intermediary element allows mechanical power transmission while preventing heat conducted from the heated mixing blade from reaching the motor, thus avoiding motor overheating.
4Manufacturing precision
If mixing time is extended to achieve desired viscosity, then beverage consistency improves, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing blade is pre-heated before ingredients are added, ensuring immediate and efficient heat transfer to the beverage mixture from the start of mixing. This preliminary heating action accelerates the viscosity development process, achieving target consistency faster.
Solution Approach 2:
The replacement of conventional heating with inductive heating provides more rapid and uniform heat distribution throughout the beverage mixture. The electromagnetic field directly heats the ferromagnetic blade, which then efficiently transfers heat to the surrounding ingredients, accelerating the mixing and thickening process.
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
This approach significantly reduces mixing time, achieves consistent viscosity, and prevents motor damage, allowing for faster production of drinkable frozen beverages without the need for oversized straws.
Implementation Method 1
stimulating the induction coil with an electrical drive signal at an excitation frequency to inductively heat the driveshaft
Implementation Method 2
heat is inductively coupled to the mixing blade of a beverage mixer
Implementation Method 3
heat transferred by conduction to a mixing blade
Implementation Method 4
activating the rotational driver to rotate the heated mechanical agitator within a beverage product placed in a container to modify the beverage product viscosity
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage mixing system/method allowing faster mixing/blending of frozen beverages is disclosed. The system/method in various embodiments utilizes inductive coupling to introduce heat into the frozen beverage during the mixing/blending process via a rotating driveshaft and attached mechanical agitator to speed the mixing/blending process. Exemplary embodiments may be configured to magnetically induce heat into the driveshaft and/or mechanical agitator mixing blade to affect this mixing/blending performance improvement. This heating effect may be augmented via the use of high power LED arrays aimed into the frozen slurry to provide additional heat input. The system/method may be applied with particular advantage to the mixing of ice cream type beverages and other viscous beverage products.