Technical field

The present invention concerns the technical field relative to the manual devices for mixing the liquids for beverages, called shakers in technical jargon.

In particular, the invention refers to an innovative shaker that allows to prepare in a quick and simple way mainly hot but also cold beverages, of any type.

Background art

Restaurants in Italy represent a market segment of primary importance, despite of the negative economic situation and the effects of the crisis on the spending trends. The crisis, though having determined a decrease in presences, anyway see the Italian peninsula in the third place in Europe for volume of consumption. The approximate a hundred and seventy thousand bars located in the territory offer every day a variety of products so as to satisfy the varied needs of the people who go to them more than once during the day. Cocktails and appetizers, for example, are the most consumed products by young people that consider them a moment of relax and socialization, while the consumption of alternative beverages such as Ginseng is becoming diffused for those who look for an unusual and strengthening taste.

Also the so-called "instantaneous beverages" (or "instant drinks") have been gaining ground lately, which can be prepared quickly with pre-packaged and pre-dosed products, such as water ices and creams. The offer of bars is therefore always wider but this inevitably implies an increase in the costs, due to the furnishing of specific apparatus and machineries suitable for the preparation. Just think, for example, of the new fashion of the Ginseng-based beverage, which needs a specific dispenser, which can however contain only water as a mixing element and cannot use, for example, milk, which gives a more delicious taste to the drink. Just also think, for example, of the water ices of various tastes, for each of which is necessary a single producing . machine and therefore a water ice. machine for each taste desired.

Often the variables of cost, deriving from the expensive consumption of electric energy and from the furnishings of raw material and equipment, imply an economic waste that is excessive compared to the scarce margin of revenue.

There are not known, at the current state, other instruments that can offer the service requested, reducing costs and consumption.

Disclosure of invention

It is therefore the aim of the present invention to provide an innovative mixer device (shaker) that solves said technical inconveniences.

In particular, it is the aim of the present invention to provide a shaker that is constructively simple and economical but that allows, at the same time, to prepare instantaneously a great variety of beverages, both hot and cold.

To cope with such a problem, a specific manual shaker has been elaborated which, with the appropriate technical modifications and the use of capsules of pre- dosed product, allows to offer the same services, though reducing significantly costs and wastes. The shaker is composed of a container, for example of stainless steel (or aluminum, glass or other material suitable for food) . Preferably, an isolating external cover can be foreseen to avoid burns in case of preparation of hot beverages or also a double chamber made of two shells, one inserted inside the other, both of metal, for example.

The superior part of the shaker is composed of a superior part, separable from the inferior part to which it connects, and provided with a central hole. Around the hole a punching device is foreseen, for example in the form of a circular blade. In such a manner, it is possible to make the insertion of a pre-dosed capsule, which contains the product that wants to be mixed. Once it has been inserted, the capsule is pushed manually downwards against the punching device, in order to produce the breakage of the sealing film of the product. The product contained in the capsule falls to the bottom and thus reaches the water or other liquid (for example, milk, chocola.te, distillates, syrups, etc.) contained in the shaker, permitting to obtain the desired beverage afterwards appropriate shaking.

Unlike traditional shakers, the present shaker foresees such a punching device and is configured to allow the application of a pre-dosed capsule that is holed through a pressure against such a punching device.

In this way, it is possible to prepare any hot/cold beverage in a simple and quick manner.

Another variant of this invention foresees that the shaker does not count with any closing plug, but it is the same pre-dosed capsule that performs this function, thanks to its perfect adhesion with the superior part of the shaker that is provided with a sealing silicone gasket. Once it has been inserted, the capsule is "welded" temporarily with the shaker, allowing the exit of the mixture, and permits to mix the whole with calm, before extracting it. The advantages are clear if compared with any beverage that wants to be prepared.

In the case of Ginseng, for instance, one can do without the specific machines that consume electric energy and require obligatory the purchase of numerous packs of product, apart from having maintenance costs.

It is enough to use this shaker in combination with minimum packs of product in pre-dosed capsules, and the goal of preparing the same product is reached, reducing drastically the costs.

As for another segment of wide use at the bar, that is water ices, in order to satisfy the multiple varieties of tastes required, it would be necessary to count with an enormous number of water ice machines. In this case, with the invention that is the object of the present patent, it is enough, to have one dispenser that produces a neutral water ice, which once inserted in the shaker, by combining it to the syrup capsule with the pre-ohosen taste, can easily produce all the desired tastes. The advantage, also "aesthetic", is that of offering the client a water ice that is ready and shaken, without amalgamating manually the neutral water ice with the specific bottlod syrups, in front of the client's look, thus giving the idea of an impromptu preparation. The other big advantage is given by the possibility of containing lyophilized pieces of fruit, impossible to pour and use with other systems.

The aspect relative to the quantity of the raw materials to purchase is not to be neglected in all these cases. They are often packages, for example of one kilogram, which once open risk to get damaged if they are not consumed in a short period of time, or that anyway represent a surplus with respect to the average quantity of consumption of that specific variant of taste. With this shaker, instead, it is enough to furnish oneself with the desired quantity of capsules containing the product that is intended to be prepared and enormous wastes of raw material first and money afterwards are avoided.

A great advantage is obtained also in the preparation of cocktails, which in general require experience and skill in the right dosage of the components. With this shaker, instead, it is enough to insert, with the appropriate pre-dosed capsules, all the components that make part of the type of cocktail desired, mix them, and a perfect beverage is ready to be drunk. Actually, the barman receives a mini-kit, composed of the number of capsules necessary to prepare a specific cocktail, whose name is already printed on the kit so as to be immediately identified. The invention could find favourable use also at home, thus allowing anyone to prepare tasty cocktails in a few seconds.

Brief description of drawings

Further features and advantages of the present shaker device, according to the invention, will result to be clearer with the description that follows of some embodiments, made to illustrate but not to limit, with reference to the annexed drawings, wherein:

- Figure 1 shows in view a shaker in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, while figure 2 shows a relative section with the internal components;

- Figure 3 shows a section of the shaker where the capsule is applied and figure 4 shows the relative section in which the opening of the capsule and the fall by gravity of its content inside the shaker is highlighted to be mixed with the further eventual liquid present inside;

Figure 5 shows an exploded view of all components relative to such a first embodiment;

- Figure 6 shows the superior part of the assembled shaker and figure 7 shoes an exploded view of the same superior part;

- Figure 8 shows .various equivalent systems that can be adopted to operate the opening of the capsule for ail the embodiments described;

- Figure 9 snows an exploded view of a second embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 10 shows an exploded view of the superior part 110 relative to said second embodiment;

Figures from 11 to 13 show in detail some parts relative to said superior part;

- Figures froar. 14 to 16 show a variant in which a vent valve is present to lower the internal pressure values of the shaker when liguids in temperature are mixed, applicable to all the embodiments described;

- Figures 17 and 18 are further constructive details relative to said second embodiment of the invention.

Description of some preferred embodiments

With reference to figure 1, with number 1 the overall view of the shaker has been indicated, while figure 2 highlights a view in section.

As shown in figure 1 or in figure 2, the shaker foresees an inferior part 8 that is closed by a superior part 7 (see also figure 5) .

The inferior part together with the superior part form as a whole the volume of containment for the liquid ox the beverage that will be prepared.

An eventual external coating 9 can be foreseen, in order to protect the user from the transmission of heat (and therefore burn himself) in case of mixing hot products .

The external coating 9, fixed or removable, can therefore be realized in any material useful to reduce the thermal transmission (for example, plastic) .

The superior part 7 connects in a removable manner to the inferior part 8 by mechanical interference (therefore by pressure) or through a thread that allows to screw the two parts one to the other.

The thread solution has the advantage of resulting to be functional in the case of hot beverages which generate an internal pressure that tends to detach the superior part from the inferior part. The thread solution solves this problem by avoiding an accidental detachment between the two parts.

The superior part 7 forme in fact a sort of bottle neck having an opening that gives access to the internal volume of the shaker.

In correspondence of said neck punching devices (E) are arranged to allow the opening of a capsule (I) of pre- dosed product (A) .

Such a punching device (E), in a particularly simple way of the invention, can for example be in the form of a fixed circular blade (also of a variable height along the circumference) on which the capsule is pressed in such a way as to cause the breakage of the sheet thereof as per figure 4.

The variable height makes that the sheet is cut by one of its parts, leaving one or two edges still attached to the capsule to avoid that accidentally the sheet falls inside the content of the shaker.

Figure 5 shows the shape of the circular blade (E) that is inserted and blocked inside the neck of the cover 7.

The circular blade (E) forms a base crown (E') on which an O-ring element (B) can find support. In this way, such an O-ring element can be applied around the base of the blade to avoid losses of product during the breakage or the mixing. Figure 5 shows an eventual cover (H) .

The cover can also not be necessary since the same capsule, if coupled to. the O-ring, can serve as closing plug.

The same components are then shown, for more clarity, both in figure 6 and in figure 7.

Figure.8, last, shows some alternative solutions to the punching device (E) , in the sense that these can assume different shapes, but always forming an element that presents a sort of point and therefore that in some way is capable of incising the sealing film in one of its parts.

In theory, such an embodiment of figure 1, like also the subsequent ones described, can substitute . the superior closing plug with a baby bottle nipple, transforming the mixer in a baby bottle for babies that allows in a quick way to prepare products for babies (powder milk, etc.).

Figure 9 shows a second embodiment of the invention.

It is therefore foreseen also in this case an inferior part 108 and a superior part 107, whose superior part 107 is composed of elements (110, 200, 120) disassembled between them and described below in detail.

In particular, a collar 110 is foreseen that screws (could be eventually connected by mechanical interference) to the inferior part 108.

Such a collar is structured to allow to hold, block and open a capsule 200 conformed in the manner described below.

An eventual superior plug 120 closes the whole thing.

As shown in figure 10, the collar 110 foresees a ring 111 which, in correspondence of the inferior base 111', forms a complementary thread to that of the inferior part 108 to be screwed to it.

Figure 11 shows an axonometric view and figure 12 a top view of it. The ring, naturally holed axially, holds all the components structured to punch and blook the capsule in position.

In particular, a first annular seat 112 is foreseen, where one or more return springs 113 are placed horizontally, which are arranged and fixed to the base of the annular seat, for example through a little protruding tooth to which they can be blocked. The first annular seat is delimited by the walls 115 and 116.

To this first annular seat 112 is placed at its side a second annular seat 114. Such an annular seat is delimited on a part of a circular blade 118 to hole the capsule and, on the opposite part, by a series of flexible elements 119 in the form of flexible sticks 119. Such flexible elements 119 are arranged in the form of a circular crown that erects vertically from the ring 111 and such a crown can eventually be removable. In the exploded view of figure 10 such a crown 119 is in fact shown 119 removed from the ring 111. Such flexible elements 119 are provided with a pre-determ.tned degree of elastic pliability, therefore they can inflect towards the center of the crown, reducing the diameter thereof, to then return to the embodiment in initial position when released.

Onco the horizontal springs 113 have been inserted, a collar 121, provided with vertical springs 122, is arranged in correspondence of the annular seat 114. As it can be easily guessed, such a collar 121 forms a support plane that supports the capsule when it is applied. When the user applies a manual pressure on the capsule, this lowers and goes in contrast against the circular blade 118, holing itself and pouring the content Inside the shaker and returning in lifted position thanks to the action of the springs 122 when released. As clarified below, the particularity of this solution is in the fact that the capsule is blocked in a snap-like manner once pressed towards the blade/ therefore being able to serve in a safe way as a closing plug and, to be removed, it is necessary to unblock it through a rotation of the blocking/unblocking ring 124 (represented always in figure 10) .

Such a blocking/unblocking ring 124, through the legs 124', is inserted into the annular seat 112 in such a way as to omerge externally as shown in the overall view of figure 9.

As shown in figure 13, in which such a ring 124 turned upside-down is highlighted, this foresees a blocking edge 131 for the capsule and a series of elevations (140, 141) complementary to the form of the flexible long-shaped elements 119 (substantially it is a sort of cam profile) .

Basically, the blocking edge 131 is the structural element on which the edge of the capsule appropriately conformed goes to block, in a snap-like manner.

The capsule, as in fact shown in figure 9, has an annular strip 201 in the form of a sheet folded upwards ' and provided with a plurality of incisions 202 that render this strip of end flexible towards the inside/outside in an elastic manner. The diameter (d) of such an annular strip 201 is slightly greater with respect to the diameter (d') of the edge 131 (see figure 13) . 'in such a manner, when the capsule is applied, like in the direction of figure 9 inserting it inside the ring 124. and is pressed towards the blade, this goes down up to when the tip of the annular strip 201, which is flexible and is retracted towards the inside since its diameter d is greater than the diameter d' , climbs over the edge 131 to then extend radially, again blocking itself against it.

In this manner, the capsule remains bound in a fixed way and is impeded to exit. To make it exit, it is necessary to reduce the diameter (d) by squeezing it.

In this blocking position, the collar 121 exerts a slight return force upwards thanks to the springs 122, slightly compressed. By continuing in the compression the capsule is naturally taken against the blade and when released the springs take it back in the position in which the tip of the annular strip 201 is in contrast against the edge 131.

In order to free the capsule "in a snap-like manner", it is enough to rotate such a ring 124 of some degree in clockwise or anticlockwise direction.

This is because, as shown in figure 13, above the edge 131 a circular wall is foreseen conformed according to the elevations introduced above and that are complementary to the form of the flexible elements 119 exactly like a cam. Going to figure 12, in faot, each flexible element has an external profile 119' that is generally arcuate. Such an arcuate form, as shown in figure 13, is taken from such a circular wall that forms seats 140 complementary to the external profiles 119' and at intervals with elevations 141. When the superior ring is in such a position that all the long-shaped elements 119 coincide into the seats 140, then these long-shaped elements are in vertical position. When such a superior ring is rotated of some degree it happens that such a rotation takes the profile (140, 141) to slide on the external profile 119' of the long-shaped elements, which flex towards the inside when on them the part of protuberance 141 slides. In this way, during the reaching of the inflected position towards the inside, they press against the annular strip 201 of the capsule, making it retract and making them climb over the edge 131 in the opposite direction thanks to the underlying plane 121 that pushes it upwards, At this point, the capsule unhooks and the underlying plate 121 lifts thanks to the springs, freeing the capsule in a snap-like manner.

The horizontal springs are positioned and fixed in seat in such a way as to go in contrast against the legs 124' so that once such a ring 124 has been rotated of some degree, this returns in initial position automatically (position in which the elements 119 are vertical into the seats 140) .

Figure 14 presents a solution in which a vent valve is further integrated when there is an increase in pressure due to heat (for example, hot liquids are mixed).

It is therefore foreseen a vent channel 160 of the air in pressure. Such a channel converges to a chamber 161 arranged at the support base of the shaker and communicating with the outside.

More in detail, as shown in figure 15, such a vent channel can be in the form of a small pipe inside of which a threadlike element runs that terminates on one side with a sphere 163 of obstruction of the hole and on the opposite part with a flexible end 164.

An adjusting screw 162 can be inserted like in figure 14 in such a way that, through its action against the flexible end 164, allows to adjust the obstruction position and the pressure value beyond which the air in pressure vents towards the outside.

Figure 16 shows a further constructive detail. When the intornal pressure value exceeds a pre-established threshold, the sphere is slightly pushed against the elastic action of the threadlike element towards the inside of the pipe, therefore freeing the hole and allowing the air to exit from the pipe towards the chamber 161 and from here towards the outside.

In all the embodiments described the capsule can eventually be provided with a double sheet and of which the more external one connected, through a low-seal adhesive, to the more internal one and eventually provided with removal tab. In this way, before use, it is enough to remove the second sheet to bring to light the first shoet that will be holed as described. This solution is. functional since many times such capsules remain for a long time in stock and get covered by dust. The use of a first removable external sheet guarantees also the removal of such dust, bringing to light a second clean sheet that can be with no problems holed without the risk that dust or various debris fall in the content of the mixer.