Patent Publication Number: US-2023145718-A1

Title: Automatic Cocktail Making Device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the United States national phase of International Application No. PCT/CN2020/122449 filed Oct. 21, 2020, and claims priority to Chinese Patent Application Nos. 202010016913.8 filed Jan. 8, 2020 and 202020037601.0 filed Jan. 8, 2020, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the technical field of food instruments, and in particular, to an automatic cocktail making device. 
     Description of Related Art 
     Currently, most of the automatic cocktail making devices on the market use a mechanical arm to drive a cocktail shaker to shake, so that liquid in the cocktail shaker is evenly mixed. However, during cocktail making process, problems such as poor sealing performance of the cocktail shaker, which affects the taste of cocktail, easily occur. Moreover, a common three-piece cocktail shaker mainly comprises three parts: a cap, a strainer lid and a shaker body, wherein how to mount and remove a cap, and further improving the automation degree of an automatic cocktail making device while ensuring the sealing performance of a cocktail shaker, are also problems to be urgently solved. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     With regard to the described defects, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an automatic cocktail making device, which can automatically complete the mounting and removing of a cap and ensure the sealing performance. 
     The present invention provides an automatic cocktail making device, comprising a clamping device connected to a mechanical arm, a shaker body being connected to the clamping device, characterized in that the clamping device is provided with a linear driving device, and an output end of the linear driving device is connected to a strainer lid by means of a connecting member, to drive the strainer lid to cover or move away from an opening of the shaker body; the automatic cocktail making device further comprises a fixedly mounted cap hanging device, wherein a cap is detachably connected to the cap hanging device, and the cap and the strainer lid are detachably connected to each other. 
     Preferably, the cap hanging device and the cap are magnetically connected to each other. 
     Preferably, the cap hanging device is provided with a rotation driving device, a first magnetic member is fixedly connected to an output shaft of the rotation driving device, the top of the cap is magnetically connected to the first magnetic member, and the cap is in threaded connection with the strainer lid. 
     Preferably, the first magnetic member is provided with a recessed portion, the top of the cap is provided with a protruding portion matching the recessed portion, and the recessed portion and the protruding portion are magnetically connected to each other. 
     Preferably, the cap hanging device is provided with a second magnetic member, and the top of the cap is magnetically connected to the second magnetic member; and a magnetic ring is provided at the bottom of the cap along the edge of an opening of the cap, and the magnetic ring is magnetically connected to the outer side of an opening of the strainer lid. 
     Preferably, the clamping device and the shaker body are fixedly connected to each other. 
     Preferably, the clamping device and the shaker body are movably connected to each other. 
     Preferably, the clamping device comprises a pair of clamping portions which can move relative to each other and are used for clamping the shaker body. 
     Preferably, a circle of holding groove is further provided on the periphery of the shaker body, and the holding groove is matched with the clamping portions. 
     Preferably, the connecting member is L-shaped, and has one end connected to the output end of the linear driving device and the other end fixedly connected to the strainer lid, and the middle part of the connecting member is hinged to the top of the clamping device. 
     The present invention has the following advantages: by providing the fixedly mounted cap hanging device, automatic and detachable connection between the cap and the strainer lid is achieved, and the linear driving device assists to drive the strainer lid to cover the shaker body, thereby improving the sealing performance and automation degree of the whole cocktail making device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic structural diagram of an automatic cocktail making device according to Embodiment I of the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    is an enlarged view of A in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic structural diagram of an automatic cocktail making device according to Embodiment II of the present invention; 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of a cap hanging device; and 
         FIG.  5    is a schematic structural diagram of a cap hanging device according to Embodiment III of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     ILLUSTRATION TO REFERENCE SIGNS OF ELEMENTS 
       1  Mechanical arm 
       2  Cap hanging device 
       21  Rotation driving device 
       22  Fixed support 
       23  First magnetic member 
       231  Recessed portion 
       24  Second magnetic member 
       31  Cap 
       311  Protruding portion 
       32  Strainer lid 
       321  Strainer screen 
       33  Shaker body 
       331  Holding groove 
       4  Clamping device 
       41  Linear driving device 
       42  Connecting member 
       43  Fixing seat 
       44  Clamping portion 
       5  Container 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, but not to limit the present invention. 
     In the illustration of the present invention, it should be noted that orientation or position relationships indicated by terms such as “upper”, “lower”, “top”, “bottom”, “inner”, “outer”, etc. are orientation or position relationships based on the accompanying drawings, are only used to facilitate the illustration of the present invention and to simplify the illustration, rather than indicating or implying that a device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, and be constructed and operated in the specific orientation, and therefore said terms cannot be understood as a limitation to the present invention. 
     In the illustration of the present invention, it should be noted that unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mount”, “connect to”, and “connecting” should be understood broadly, and for example, may be fixed connection, and may also be detachable connection, or integral connection; may be mechanical connection, and may also be electrical connection; and may be direct connection, and may also be indirect connection by means of an intermediate medium, and may also be interior communication between two elements. For a person skilled in the art, the specific meanings of the described terms in the present invention could be understood according to specific situations. 
     In addition, in the illustration of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, “a plurality of” means two or more. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  1 - 3   , the present invention provides an automatic cocktail making device, the automatic cocktail making device comprising a clamping device  4  connected to a mechanical arm  1 , a shaker body  33  of a cocktail shaker being connected to the clamping device  4 , wherein the clamping device  4  is provided with a linear driving device  41 , the linear driving device  41  is preferably a linear cylinder, and an output end of the linear driving device is connected to a strainer lid  32  by means of a connecting member  42 , to drive the strainer lid  32  to cover or move away from an opening of the shaker body  33 . Specifically, the connecting member  42  is L-shaped, and has one end connected to the output end of the linear driving device  41  and the other end fixedly connected to the strainer lid  32 , and the middle part of the connecting member is hinged to the top of the clamping device  4 . When the output end of the linear driving device  41  extends upward, the connecting member  42  is driven to drive the strainer lid  32  to move downward to cover the opening of the shaker body  33 ; and when the output end of the linear driving device  41  retracts downward, the connecting member  42  is driven to drive the strainer lid  32  to move upward and move away from the opening of the shaker body  33 . A strainer screen  321  is provided in the strainer lid  32 , and is used to filter a beverage inside the shaker body  33  in a pouring process. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  2 ,  3  and  5   , the automatic cocktail making device of the present invention further comprises a fixedly mounted cap hanging device  2 , wherein a cap  31  is detachably connected to the cap hanging device  2 , and the cap  31  is detachably connected to the strainer lid  32 . Preferably, the cap hanging device  2  and the cap  31  are magnetically connected to each other, and the mechanical arm  1  can move after the cap  31  is connected to the strainer lid  32 , so as to drive the cap  31  to be separated from the magnetic connection to the cap hanging device  2 , thereby completing sealing of the cocktail making device. Of course, in addition to magnetic connection, a person skilled in the art may also provide a clamping device in the cap hanging device  2  according to needs; the clamping device clamps the cap  31 , and the opening or closing of the clamping device is controlled by means of a control system, so as to achieve detachable connection between the cap  31  and the cap hanging device  2 . 
     The following content relates to three specific embodiments of the present invention: 
     Embodiment I 
     As shown in  FIGS.  2 - 4   , the cap hanging device  2  in Embodiment I comprises a rotation driving device  21  arranged in a fixed support  22 , the rotation driving device  21  is preferably a stepper motor, and an output shaft of the rotation driving device is magnetically connected to a cap  31 , and the cap  31  is in threaded fit with a strainer lid  32 . Specifically, a first magnetic member  23  is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the rotation driving device  21 , and the top of the cap  31  is magnetically connected to the first magnetic member  23 . During operation, the linear driving device  41  drives the strainer lid  32  to cover the opening of the shaker body  33 , and then the mechanical arm drives the strainer lid  32  and the shaker body  33  to move directly below the cap hanging device  2 ; in this case, the output shaft of the rotation driving device  21  drives, by means of the first magnetic member  23 , the cap  31  to rotate, so that the cap  31  is tightly screwed on the strainer lid  32  below the cap. In this case, the mechanical arm further drives the strainer lid  32  and the shaker body  33  to move downward, and depending on a thread self-locking structure between the cap  31  and the strainer lid  32 , the cap  31  is separated from the first magnetic member  23 , thereby completing the mounting of the cap  31  on the cocktail shaker. When the cap  31  needs to be removed, it is only necessary to move the cap  31  to below the first magnetic member  23  again, so that the two are magnetically attached to each other, and then the output shaft of the rotation driving device  21  drives, by means of the first magnetic member  23 , the cap  31  to rotate reversely, so that the cap  31  is separated from a threaded connecting portion of the strainer lid  32 . In order to facilitate positioning, the first magnetic member  23  is provided with a recessed portion  231 , the top of the cap  31  is provided with a protruding portion  311  matching the recessed portion  231 , and the recessed portion  231  and the protruding portion  311  are magnetically connected to each other. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , the clamping device  4  and the shaker body  33  are movably connected to each other. Specifically, the clamping device  4  comprises a sliding rail, two movable blocks are slidably connected to the sliding rail, one clamping portion  44  is fixed on each movable block, and the two clamping portions  44  can move relative to each other under the control of a control system; preferably, the clamping portions  44  are arc-shaped, and therefore can clamp the shaker body  33  or a common container  5  on the market, such as a goblet, a water cup or a tea cup, so as to transfer other beverages. In order to ensure the stability of clamping, a circle of holding groove  331  is further provided on the periphery of the shaker body  33 , and the holding groove  331  is matched with the clamping portions  44 , thereby effectively avoiding the occurrence of situations that the clamping portions  44  slip and the shaker body  33  falls off during cocktail making. 
     Embodiment II 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , the difference between Embodiment II and Embodiment I merely lies in that: the clamping device  4  and the shaker body  33  are fixedly connected to each other, specifically by means of several fixing seats  43 , and the mechanical arm can drive, by means of the clamping device  4 , the shaker body  33  to shake up and down, thereby completing cocktail making process. 
     Embodiment III 
     As shown in  FIG.  5   , the differences between Embodiment III and Embodiment I lie in that: a second magnetic member  24  is directly provided in the cap hanging device  2  to replace the rotation driving device and the first magnetic member, the top of the cap  31  is magnetically connected to the second magnetic member  24 , and a magnetic ring is provided at the bottom of the cap  31  along the edge of an opening of the cap, and the magnetic ring is magnetically connected to the outer side of an opening of the strainer lid  32 . The magnetic force between the top of the cap  31  and the second magnetic member  24  is greater than the magnetic force between the magnetic ring at the bottom of the cap and the strainer lid  32 . During operation, the linear driving device drives the strainer lid  32  to cover the opening of the shaker body  33 , and then the mechanical arm drives the strainer lid  32  and the shaker body  33  to move directly below the cap hanging device  2 , and in this case, the magnetic ring at the bottom of the cap  31  is magnetically connected to the outer side of the opening of the strainer lid  32 , and the cap  31  is sleeved on the opening of the strainer lid  32  in a sealing manner. In this case, the mechanical arm further drives the strainer lid  32  and the shaker body  33  to move left and right, so that the top of the cap  31  is gradually separated from the second magnetic member  24 , thereby completing the mounting of the cap  31  on the cocktail shaker. When the cap  31  needs to be removed, it is only necessary to move the cap  31  to below the second magnetic member  24 , so that the two are magnetically attached to each other, and then the mechanical arm drives the strainer lid  32  and the shaker body  33  to move downward; as the magnetic force between the top of the cap  31  and the second magnetic member  24  is greater than the magnetic force between the magnetic ring at the bottom of the cap and the strainer lid  32 , the cap  31  can be separated from the strainer lid  32 . 
     In conclusion, the present invention has the following advantages: by providing the fixedly mounted cap hanging device, automatic, sealed and detachable connection between the cap and the strainer lid is achieved, and the linear driving device assists to drive the strainer lid to cover the shaker body, thereby improving the sealing performance and automation degree of the whole cocktail making device. 
     The contents above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for a person skilled in the art, several improvements and replacements could also be made without departing from the technical principle of the present invention, and these improvements and replacements shall also fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.