Sealed Beverage Mixing Module for Cross-Contamination Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage mixing systems for nutraceutical beverages face challenges in preventing cross-contamination and requiring extensive cleaning due to the presence of pharmaceuticals, which complicates the mixing process and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A beverage mixing system with a removable compounding module that isolates dry or liquid compounds from moving mechanical parts, allowing for physical separation and easy disposal, featuring a drive shaft that can impart translation and rotational motions to ensure thorough mixing without contaminating the mechanical structures, and includes a hermetically sealed interface to prevent leakage and external contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a blender or known beverage mixing system is used to mix nutraceutical beverages, then mixing function is achieved, but cross-contamination of pharmaceuticals occurs and extensive cleaning is required between uses
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the beverage mixing system into a permanent housing and a removable compounding module. The compounding module contains the beverage material and can be easily removed and replaced, preventing cross-contamination of the permanent housing while eliminating extensive cleaning requirements between uses.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the compounding module containing beverage material from the permanent housing. This allows the removable module to be discarded or easily replaced without cleaning the permanent housing, thereby preventing cross-contamination and reducing maintenance while preserving the mixing function.
2Productivity
If moving mechanical parts physically interface with compounding module contents, then mixing action is achieved, but contamination of mechanical structures occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a sealed bag or flexible container within the compounding module to hold the beverage material. This flexible enclosure allows mixing actions to be transmitted to the contents without direct contact between mechanical parts and the beverage material, maintaining mixing efficiency while preventing contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealed bag or flexible container acts as an intermediary between the moving mechanical parts and the beverage material. It transmits mixing forces while preventing direct contact, thereby achieving productivity without generating contamination of mechanical structures.
3Reliability
If a sealed compounding module is used to prevent contamination, then cross-contamination is reduced, but complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the sealing function with the removable compounding module itself. The sealed bag or flexible container is integrated into the module design, combining contamination prevention with ease of removal and replacement, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliability.
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 system effectively prevents cross-contamination and reduces maintenance by isolating the moving mechanical parts from the compounding module's contents, allowing for efficient mixing and easy disposal of the module after use, ensuring cleanliness and safety between uses.
Implementation Method 1
the drive shaft can be configured to impart a translation motion (e.g., up and down) to at least a portion of the compounding module relative to a beverage container or vessel
Implementation Method 2
Independently or simultaneously, the drive shaft can also be configured to impart a rotational motion (clockwise and/or anti-clockwise) to at least a portion of the compounding module
Implementation Method 3
the moving mechanical part or parts of the stationary part of the beverage mixing system involved in mixing the material contained within a compounding module into a homogeneous and optionally isotropic liquid solution
Implementation Method 4
the compounding module has a hermetically sealed interface with the rest of the compounding module so that material contained therein does not leak or spill out
Implementation Method 5
dry or liquid compounds contained within a removable compounding module or pod are physically isolated from all moving mechanical parts of a stationary part of the beverage mixing system
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage mixing system includes a housing, a sealing feature, a locking feature, and an agitator. The housing has an opening separating inner and outer surfaces and a boss that extends through the housing such that part of the outer surface forms an inner bore of the boss having a terminus pointing toward the opening. The agitator has a base, a shaft, and a mixing element coupled to the base such that the base, in cooperation with the sealing feature, circumferentially seals the opening of the housing to form a cavity defined by the inner surface. The shaft passes through the inner bore. The locking feature when engaged permits independent or simultaneous translational and rotational movement of the shaft while an area between the terminus of the boss and the shaft remains mechanically sealed during the movement against liquid or powder encroachment into a clean area of the inner bore.