A module 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.

An individual frozen drink dispenser includes a housing having a base configured to support a blender cup, a dispensing chamber disposed above the blender cup and configured to support a frozen beverage container containing frozen ingredients suitable for preparing a frozen drink, at least one dispensing mechanism configured to move from a pre-dispense position to a dispense position in which the dispensing mechanism drives the frozen ingredients from the frozen beverage container into the blender cup, and a drive mechanism coupled to the housing and configured to drive the movement of the dispensing mechanism from the pre-dispense position to the dispense position. A method of preparing a frozen drink is further disclosed.

A sparkling water maker capable of automatically controlling gas inflow includes a gas cylinder, a gas cylinder connector mounted on the gas cylinder, a bottle, and a bottle connector mounted on the bottle. A gas guide tube is connected between the gas cylinder connector and the bottle connector. A compressed gas in the gas cylinder is delivered to the bottle through the gas guide tube. The gas guide tube includes a first gas guide tube connected to the gas cylinder connector and a second gas guide tube connected to the bottle connector. A valve is connected between the first gas guide tube and the second gas guide tube. The valve is configured to block a flow passage between the first gas guide tube and the second gas guide tube.

A nozzle for dispensing a beverage includes a nozzle head having a base liquid inlet configured to receive a base liquid and a flavoring inlet configured to receive a flavoring. The nozzle further includes a diffuser assembly that is in fluid communication with the base liquid inlet and which includes a diffuser plate having a plurality of peripheral openings through which the base liquid flows. The nozzle further includes a receptacle that is in fluid communication with the diffuser assembly and the flavoring inlet. The receptacle of the nozzle includes an inner wall, and the peripheral openings of the diffuser assembly are arranged so as to direct flow of the base liquid along the inner wall of the receptacle. The receptacle further includes an outlet through which the flavoring and the base liquid are dispensed.

An apparatus configured for attaching to a conventional cooler and mixing the contents therein, the apparatus including a lid assembly integrated with a mixing assembly. The lid assembly includes a lid having both a hole and an opening to allow the addition of contents to the container and a cover that can be positioned over the opening and secured to the lid. The mixing assembly is integrated with the lid assembly through the hole and includes a centering guide positioned at the bottom of the container, a mixing paddle coupled to the top portion of the centering guide, and a handle operatively coupled to the mixing paddle through the hole. After contents are added to the container through the opening, the cover is positioned over the opening and securely coupled to the lid. The handle is operated to cause the mixing paddle to stir the contents of the container.

A mixing device includes a container and an agitator. The container includes cavity, a spout, and a lid. The agitator is retained within the cavity of the container. The agitator includes a core having opposing first and second ends, a plurality of alternating slots and slats in the first end of the core, and a plurality of alternating slots and slats in the second end of the core. The agitator also includes a ring extending circumferentially about the core, a first plurality of braces extending between the slats at the first end of the core and the ring, and a second plurality of braces extending between the slats at the second end of the core and the ring.

A mixing block for mixing components of a beverage prior to the mixture reaching the tap, for improving the consistency of the mixed beverage as it leaves the tap. The invention is particularly effective when one of the components tends to settle out during storage. In the mixing chamber, one stream goes straight through and the other impinges from the side, to cause enhanced mixing.

In one aspect, new dispenser components for use with portable fluid dispensing apparatus are provided. The present systems can be used to administer to a user water and other fluids optionally together with one or more other ingestibles such as flavoring, or a health supplement. In another aspect, new rotor or disk units that may comprise one or more pods or packets that contain ingestible material(s). In a further aspect, one or more of such pods or packets that may comprise one or more ingestible materials.

According to one or exemplary embodiments, there is provided a Gas Infusion Module that is a compact, inexpensive, adjustable, and easy to clean apparatus for infusing a beverage, such as coffee or tea, with a gas. The Gas Infusion Module controls the mixing of the gas with a liquid beverage in a homogenization element. To achieve an enhanced homogenization of gas and liquid, first the Gas Infusion Module regulates the pressure of gas that will enter the homogenization element and mix with the liquid. Additionally, the liquid and gas mixture passes through an outlet check valve which forces greater homogenization of the aerated fluid before it is dispensed for consumption.

A hand-actuated container used for mixing liquids contains a compression platform with release holes and walls with convolution areas. The convolution areas are convoluted when the container is in a state of compression. These features form a compressible cavity body that, when filled with liquid and compressed, push liquid at high pressure through a nozzle into a liquid reservoir. Vacuum backflow occurs through the release holes and the nozzle as the compressible cavity body returns to its original shape. In some embodiments, a double level platform allows a user to dial in the amount of backflow through the release holes.