Particle filtration system

Abstract

An air-based particle filtration system (10) has at least one fan (26) to filter particles, in particular ground coffee, on a weight basis. The particle filtration system (10) includes a chamber (44) and a hopper (12) for dispersing particles to be sorted into the chamber. The particle filtration system (10) has a controller driving the one or more fans (26) and a collector (36) for qualified particles, and optionally a waste collector (38) for unqualified particles.

Description

[0001] CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 378,409, filed on October 5, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure generally relates to ground coffee and a particle filtration system for separating ground coffee particles to improve brewing results. Background Art

[0004] Brewing great coffee is often considered an art form. This is an unfortunate misconception because it falsely elevates what should be an easily accessible and repeatable process into an esoteric one, which in turn underserves the hundreds of millions of people around the world who enjoy coffee and deserve the full experience that any well-roasted bean promises to deliver.

[0005] In fact, coffee making is just a science - a simple science governed by the simplest laws of chemistry and physics. With quality ingredients and adherence to the correct proportions and brewing, every cup of coffee has the potential to live up to the promise of the beans from which it was derived.

[0006] Despite coffee’s near-universality and appeal, experiencing good coffee remains a somewhat elusive proposition for the average consumer. Particularly over the past 30 years, the average consumer has benefited from an increase in choice from both an agricultural and equipment perspective. But this increase in choice has not led to an increase in good outcomes. Consumers are inundated with conflicting information and have little predictive, outcome-oriented help in navigating this market. This situation underserves not only consumers, but the industry more broadly.

[0007] Brewing Science

[0008] Essentially, brewing a great cup of coffee is extremely simple in theory. Coffee particles are porous. Contact with a stream or bed of water initially causes the cells on the surface of the particle to release several extractable compounds, and as the water permeates through the particle, it causes the cells inside the particle to release several extractable compounds as well. Together, these compounds contribute to the experience and flavor characteristics of coffee, such as color, aroma, flavor, texture, mouthfeel, etc. However, these compounds are not all created equal. They extract / dissolve at different rates and at different times depending on the amount of time the particle spends in contact with the water. Taking less time than optimal produces a brew that is sour, vegetal, and dull. Taking more time than optimal produces a brew that is bitter, burnt, smoky, and dull. In addition, depending on the particle size, there may be considerable mass inside the particle as well. The extraction of the cells inside the particle will follow the same curve as the cells on the surface of the particle, but will be staggered in time because the water must enter the particle to begin the extraction process inside. Depending on the density of the particle (different coffee beans have different densities, and even the same green coffee will have different densities depending on the roasting process; light roasted beans are harder than dark roasted beans), the interior of the particle will be extracted at a different absolute rate than the surface of the particle.

[0009] Essentially, a batch of absolutely uniform coffee particles will extract in unison with one another, provided they spend the same, appropriate amount of time in contact with water that has been heated to the correct temperature. Unfortunately, such a perfectly uniform batch of coffee particles is nearly impossible to achieve. All coffee grinders produce a somewhat Gaussian distribution around the point at which the grinder is set to grind. Expensive, precisely calibrated commercial grinders with large burrs and powerful motors produce a tighter and more ideal distribution, and result in a better in-cup flavor profile. Most commercially available grinders produce a grind size distribution that is virtually unusable for filter / brew coffee directly during the grinding process. Given the chemistry of coffee extraction, it is not difficult to see how even a small amount of off-spec particles will throw the brewing process off-kilter. Off-spec particles produce a distortion in the form of:

[0010] 1. Finer than optimal and ultra-fine particles extract quickly and continue to extract well beyond the optimal extraction point, while the optimal size particles are still struggling to reach their optimal extraction point. This leads to bitterness and dullness in the brewed coffee.

[0011] 2. These fine particles travel to the bottom of the particle bed and clog the filter, inhibiting the release of water from the particle bed. Timely release of water is critical to a successful brew. This effect results in an artificial increase in the amount of time that all the particles in the bed must spend in contact with the water, causing all the particles to extract more than they would otherwise. This further exacerbates the bitterness and dullness in the cup.

[0012] 3. The grinding process inevitably introduces the shells of the roasted coffee beans into the particle bed. This outer layer of the coffee bean does not impart much flavor, but it does add mass to the particle bed, adversely distorting the coffee mass to water mass ratio, which is a very critical ratio for performing optimal extraction. This effect not only makes the brew more bitter, but also makes the brew weak and flavorless.

[0013] These imbalances cannot be eliminated by performing compensating optimizations in brewing variables such as water quality, water temperature, water to coffee weight ratio, or water to coffee contact time. The only real way to achieve perfection in the cup is to fix the distribution of particles going into the extraction process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the concepts associated with different airflow types.

[0015] Figure 2 is a side view of one embodiment of a filtration device.

[0016] Figure 3 is a side view of another embodiment of a filtration device.

[0017] Figure 4 is a side view of another embodiment of a filter device having only one outlet fan.

[0018] Figure 5 is a side view of another embodiment of a filter device having a sorting tube and a sweeping brush assembly.

[0019] Figure 6 is a side view of another embodiment of a filtration apparatus having an inclined vibrating bed.

[0020] Fig. 7A providing various views and components associated with an intake fan housing; and Figure 7B is a perspective view of a grid that promotes pseudo-laminar flow.

[0021] Figure 8 Provides various views and components associated with the outlet fan housing.

[0022] Fig. 9 A side view of an example hopper assembly is provided.

[0023] Fig.10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the hardware and software components of an ecosystem in which a filtering device may operate.

[0024] Fig.11A is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of a particulate filtration system; Fig. 11B is a top view of the particle filtration system; Fig. 11C is an exploded cross-sectional view of a particulate filtration system according to one embodiment; and Fig.11D is an exploded cross-sectional view of a particulate filtration system according to another embodiment. Specific implementation plan

[0025] A dynamic particle sorter / filter is constructed using a combination of forces, including but not limited to gravity, mechanical force, and electromagnetic force. In some embodiments, this combination can be applied to ground coffee particles.

[0026] Fan Physics

[0027] There are a wide variety of fans available on the market, but they all largely conform to relatively few principles. A fan is essentially an impeller rigidly attached to an electric motor. The motor does the work of rotating the impeller, thereby converting the electrical energy applied to the motor into the kinetic energy of the air moved by the impeller. In order to do the work, this impeller-motor combination is usually placed in a suitable type of housing. For some types of fans, it is this housing that guides the air and enables (or in some cases is more capable of) doing work. The output of the fan is expressed in two types of work. The more obvious form of work is the kinetic energy of the air on the discharge side of the fan. A less noticeable but highly valuable form of work is the static pressure that the fan can generate in the air it discharges or inhales. CFM (cubic feet per minute) is a measure that represents the volumetric capacity of a fan to move air. Static pressure characterizes the ability of a fan to move air through obstacles (such as nets and filters). Static pressure is measured in Pascals (Pa) or inches of water column (inH2O). Each fan has a characteristic fan curve (the y-axis represents static pressure and the x-axis represents CFM). At low airflows, the fan is usually able to produce its highest rated static pressure, and as airflow increases, the fan's ability to produce static pressure decreases, gradually falling to zero as the fan approaches its maximum CFM rating. Fans with PWM (pulse width modulation) speed control can be made to operate at a specific point on their fan curve.

[0028] Certain embodiments disclosed herein feature the ability to extract and suppress fine coffee particles (dust). Having clean air properties is valuable, particularly because these devices are intended for indoor use in residential or commercial environments. With this in mind, the outlet fan may be equipped with an appropriate dust collection filter and / or mesh. From a flavor maximization perspective, it is also important to filter the air used to filter the coffee grounds so that all environmental impurities (especially in a commercial environment) are completely removed before they contact the coffee grounds. This intake filter is also an important hygiene consideration (especially in a commercial environment, for filtering out contaminants, bacteria, viruses, etc.). In fact, one embodiment of the present invention is equipped with corresponding filters on the intake and outlet fans. In the case of a single-fan device, it may not be possible to install an intake filter because this would impose a very high static pressure burden on the exhaust fan, and the manufacturing cost of such a fan may be too high. It is for this reason that single-fan devices are largely more suitable for residential / personal use cases.

[0029] Filters that can handle very fine particles usually have high static pressure specifications. This is because these filters have microscopic pores that allow air to travel, and the fan needs to do a lot of work to overcome the resistance provided by the filter and deliver the air to the other side of the filter material. Typically, HEPA filters have a static pressure rating of 1 inch H2O. Therefore, any fan that needs to deliver air to the other side of the HEPA filter needs to have a maximum static pressure rating greater than 1 inch H2O. The fan should be operated at a point on the fan curve at which it can continuously provide a static pressure greater than 1 inch H2O at the desired airflow level. This imposes certain restrictions on the types of fans that can be used in this device. In short, from a kinetic energy perspective, they should have sufficient airflow delivery capabilities, and from a static pressure perspective, these airflow delivery capabilities need to be met at a static pressure threshold greater than the static pressure threshold imposed by the material that makes the particle filter. It should be noted that the filter used in the embodiment of the device does not need to be a HEPA filter. Lower-grade filters may be equally effective, and the filter material should be selected to meet the filtration requirements set by the smallest particles that the device needs to filter out. An example of a suitable filter material is a MERV 13 filter material.

[0030] Device Physics

[0031] The working principle of this device is to use a variable speed air flow (laminar, pseudo-laminar or even turbulent) against the curtain of falling particles to achieve filtering of these particles based on their weight. By increasing or decreasing the speed of the air flow, it should be possible to increase or decrease (respectively) the weight of the particles filtered out. In most cases, the volume and particle size of the coffee particles discharged from the coffee grinder are linearly related to the weight of these particles, so the filtration achieved by this air flow should be performed by particle size. In addition, the system can also discharge larger particles with a lower density, such as the shell part of coffee beans. The second half of the task is to completely collect the air discharged by the filtering operation and pass it through the filter material to capture the discharged particles, clean the air and discharge it out of the device.

[0032] Ideally, the airflow would be laminar, which results in the waste particles entering the vacuum chamber in an orderly fashion. Laminar flow is difficult and expensive to implement, and a near laminar flow (pseudo-laminar flow) should be sufficient. Turbulent flow can also play a role. Depending on the airflow velocity, air pushed through a resistance (such as a particle filter) should produce a near laminar flow over a considerable distance. This should be sufficient to perform orderly filtration. The choice of flow rate depends on the price point of the device, and the type of device experience that needs to be provided to the operator. An orderly (laminar / pseudo-laminar) airflow should prevent particles from escaping the device and entering the ambient atmosphere. Turbulent airflow can allow particles to escape the device. Figure 1 Different airflow types are described. Laminar or substantially laminar flow has additional benefits for coffee. Specifically, laminar or near-laminar flow reduces inter-particle collisions. Such collisions tend to reduce product quality - in particular, collisions between ground coffee particles can negatively affect aroma and flavor characteristics and may change particle size. As discussed below, desired airflow properties can be achieved with filters or collimator-like devices (e.g., grilles) that promote uniform airflow across a unit area.

[0033] A hopper assembly coupled to a vibrating motor achieves a fixed rate discharge of particles. A hopper is a funnel-shaped device into which coffee grounds are placed for filtering. As described below, a discharge plate is mounted at the bottom of the hopper hopper. The vibrating motor is attached to the hopper hopper body or the discharge plate. When the vibrating motor is turned on, the vibration of the motor is transmitted to the coffee grounds from the body of the hopper hopper (if the motor is mounted on the hopper) or from the discharge plate (if the motor is mounted to the discharge plate). A variety of vibrating motors are available on the market. They differ from each other based on the following properties: vibration motor size; vibration motor vibration shaft; and vibration motor vibration intensity / amplitude.

[0034] Depending on the quality of the coffee powder and the quality of the hopper funnel or discharge plate to be agitated, an appropriate vibration motor can be selected. When the motor is turned on, the vibration of the motor is transmitted to the coffee powder, and this causes the coffee powder to be transferred through the discharge plate into the filter chamber.

[0035] In the embodiments discussed herein, filtration is achieved by the following operations performed by the particle filtration mechanism:

[0036] a) Produce a uniform particle curtain for filtration;

[0037] b) performing filtering of the curtain of particles by using a force applied to the curtain of particles;

[0038] c) Takes in the exhaust air from the filtering operation, cleans it, and returns it to the environment. Devices, such as those used outdoors, may choose not to filter the air, since it will be exhausted to the atmosphere and may not cause any meaningful degradation in air quality to the users of the device. If good air quality is the desired outcome, then this device may not be suitable for indoor use.

[0039] The design of the device should take into account the airflow requirements of these fans on the intake side of the fan itself. If the fan does not have enough airflow available, then it may not be able to perform any meaningful work. The rotor of the fan may still be spinning, but in the absence of air, the fan is not actually moving anything, and therefore it is not doing any work. This is a very important consideration, especially for dual fan systems. The intake fan is generally not restricted, and as long as there are no obstructions in front of the intake fan's inlet, there should be enough air to work. Care needs to be taken when designing the filter and vacuum chambers. The housing of the outlet fan adjacent to the vacuum chamber needs to be designed so that there is enough airflow available to prevent the outlet fan from stalling - a state in which the fan's impeller rotates but cannot move air. If the vacuum chamber is inefficient or restrictive, then it will block the outlet fan from moving air - that is, blocking the outlet fan. The outlet fan needs to be able to absorb the entire output exhausted by the intake fan in order to ensure that all particles eliminated by the system are completely captured. In the event that the outlet fan is blocked due to lack of airflow, particles that need to be captured in the filter will instead travel freely and may even be discharged into the environment. This goes against the principle of the device, and therefore the outlet fan must have sufficient additional air inflow over and above the air mass corresponding to the exhaust from the inlet fan. In some embodiments, this is achieved by providing an air inlet to increase the available airflow of the outlet fan.

[0040] The inlet and outlet fans can be different sizes relative to each other, or the same size. The key considerations in selecting a well-matched fan pair are:

[0041] 1. The intake fan should be able to generate sufficient airflow to overcome the resistance of the filter / screen assembly and exert sufficient force on the abrasive curtain to adequately clean it

[0042] 2. The exhaust fan should be able to generate sufficient airflow to overcome the resistance of the filter / screen assembly and generate sufficient airflow to absorb the airflow and particles discharged by the intake fan housing.

[0043] 3. Typically, the outlet fan housing should be larger than the inlet fan housing and overlap it slightly so that particles and air exhausted by the inlet fan housing are completely exhausted into the outlet fan housing. The slight physical overlap also creates a direct airflow path from the atmosphere surrounding the device into the outlet fan, ensuring that the outlet fan has all the airflow it needs to operate at its directed duty cycle.

[0044] 4. Consideration 3 does not necessarily mean that the outlet fan needs to be larger than the inlet fan. It is possible to construct an arrangement in which the outlet fan is smaller in size than the inlet fan (e.g. Figure 3 ), but has sufficient static pressure and airflow characteristics to perform the above functions.

[0045] 5. The device can be in various shapes to accommodate fans of different sizes and ratings.

[0046] Given these physical considerations, there are a wide variety of physical embodiments that can be achieved by combining fans of various shapes, sizes, airflow patterns, and fan performance characteristics. These embodiments will have different ranges of results on key result dimensions, such as filtration accuracy, particle throughput, noise, and physical footprint of the device. This variation in characteristics allows a range of devices to meet the needs of different market segments and different price points.

[0047] Device structure

[0048] Various different embodiments of the particle filtration system are set forth below. As shown below, some embodiments may be a "push-pull" system including inlet and outlet fans connected to the chamber. Other embodiments may be a "pull" system utilizing only a single outlet fan. Other systems may include an inlet fan combined with a vibrating bed. Various embodiments may optionally include a filter and mesh assembly.

[0049] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an example push-pull particle filtration system 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the system 10 includes a purification chamber 44, which includes an inlet fan housing 16 and an outlet fan housing 18. The system 10 further includes a hopper 12, a hopper discharge plate 14, and a vibrating motor 22. Figure 2, an intake fan 26 is mounted at a first lateral side of the purification chamber 44 and adjacent to the intake fan housing 16 to provide airflow into the chamber 44. An intake fan filter 28 is mounted between the intake fan 26 and the intake fan housing 16. The system 10 may further include a grille guard 24 to protect a user's fingers or other objects from contacting the intake fan. The system 10 also includes an outlet fan 34 mounted at a second lateral side of the purification chamber 44 and adjacent to the outlet fan housing 18 to exhaust air from the chamber 44. The outlet filter 30 and the guard plate 32 may be disposed between the outlet fan housing and the outlet fan 34.

[0050] The system 10 also includes a clean particle collector 36 and a waste particle collector 38. In general, the inlet fan housing 16 generally defines or is associated with a first area or volume above the collector 36, and the outlet fan housing generally defines or is associated with a second area or volume above the waste collector 38. Figure 2 , the outlet fan housing 18 may overlap the inlet fan housing 16. The outlet fan housing 18 may also be separated from the inlet fan housing 16 by a gap 46 extending along the top and opposite lateral surfaces of the outlet fan housing to define an air inlet for the outlet fan 32. In operation, coffee particles fed from the hopper 12 to the purification chamber 44 are filtered or sorted into the collector 36 or the waste collector 38. As discussed herein, the inlet fan 26 generates an airflow that discharges unqualified particles from the first zone above the collector 36. The outlet fan 34 operates to provide a vacuum force and an exhaust airflow so that unqualified particles discharged into the second zone are retained and fall into the waste collector 38. Particles not discharged from the first zone fall to the collector 36.

[0051] In some embodiments, the collectors 36, 38 are drawer-like assemblies that slide in and out below the first and second zones of the purification chamber, respectively. The system 10 may also include weight sensors 40 and 42 to measure the weight of the particles collected in the collectors. The system 10 may also include a microcontroller that controls the operation of the inlet fan 26 and the outlet fan 34, such as powering them on and off and controlling the speed. In one embodiment, the system 10 includes a user interface that allows an operator to select the fan speed of the fans 26, 34.

[0052] Other implementations are possible. For example, Figure 3 Another embodiment of the particle filtration system 310 is described in which the outlet fan 334 is smaller than the inlet fan 326. In addition, Figure 4A particle filtration system 410 is illustrated with a single outlet or exhaust fan 434. Thus, a purification chamber 444 is defined by an outlet fan housing 418. A lateral face 412 of the outlet fan housing 418 may be open to provide an air inlet. The lateral face 412 may further include one or more of an air filter or a protective plate. In operation, the outlet fan 434 may be powered to provide an air flow across the purification chamber 444 to expel unqualified particles from a first zone to a second zone above a waste collector 438 before being collected in a collector 436.

[0053] Figure 5 Another example particle filtration system 510 is described in which the inlet fan housing 516 is separated from the outlet fan housing 518 by a sorting tube 550. In the illustrated embodiment, the particle filtration system 510 operates in two stages. In the first stage, the inlet fan 526 provides an airflow that distributes particles at the bottom surface between openings 562 and 564 based on mass or weight. The outlet fan 534 is operable to capture stray particles so that they do not leave the device. In the first stage, the sliding sweep brush assembly 566 is in the open stage, as shown. In the second stage, the fans 526, 534 are de-energized and the sweep brush assembly is oriented in a vertical orientation (as indicated by the Figure 5 560 is a flow path that is formed by a plurality of filter elements, each of which is a plurality of filter elements, and each of which is a plurality of filter elements. The filter element ...

[0054] Figure 6 Another example particle filtration system 610 is illustrated that includes a single exhaust fan 634 working with an inclined vibrating bed 660. A hopper 612 places particles onto the vibrating bed 660. A vibrating motor 662 agitates the particles, causing them to slide down the inclined bed 660. A structural support 668 holds an assembly including the exhaust fan 634 and a waste chamber 638. The exhaust fan 634 is disposed relatively close to the inclined bed 660. The exhaust fan 634 extracts the rejected particles into a collector 638 as they are agitated and pass down the inclined bed 660. The remaining particles eventually fall into a collector 636.

[0055] Fig.11A and 11BAnother example particle filtration system 1110 including a centrally mounted fan is described. The operation of this embodiment is similar to the exhaust fan-only system described above, with the primary difference being that the fan is centrally disposed within the device. As shown, the filtration system 1110 includes a circular hopper 1120 having a slot-like configuration in cross-section. An opening in the hopper 1122 permits coffee particles to enter the filter chamber 1130. A central fan assembly 1116 (described in more detail below) creates an airflow that extends radially inward. The device includes a circular filter / mesh assembly 1124 having an outer wall 1132 perforated to permit air flow and an inner wall defining the filter chamber 1130. In the embodiment shown, the outer wall 1132 may be separated to define the filter chamber 1130 with the filter / mesh assembly 1124. In another embodiment, the outer wall 1132 may be arranged directly adjacent to the filter / mesh assembly 1124 so that the filter chamber 1130 is exposed to the external environment. Particles falling from hopper 1120 into chamber 1130 are separated by air flow. Particles having a weight or mass less than a threshold value generally follow path 1150 into waste collector 1138, while the remaining particles follow path 1152 into particle collector 1136, which can be separated from device 1110 to allow the particles to be dispensed.

[0056] Central fan assembly 1116 may take a variety of forms. Fig. 11C An example embodiment is described in which the central fan assembly 1116 includes an axial fan 1160 mounted above a cylindrical assembly 1162. The axial fan 1160 creates an airflow from the chamber 1130 through the slots 1164 in the cylindrical assembly 1162 and out of the exhaust holes 1166 in the hopper 1120. In operation, rejected particles travel through the slots 1164 and fall to the waste collector 1138, while the remaining particles fall to the collector 1136, as discussed above. A filter may be placed between the fan 1160 and the cylindrical assembly to prevent particles from being discharged from the device 1110. Fig.11D Another example implementation is described in which an axial fan 1160 is mounted below a cylindrical assembly 1162. Fig.11D , the device further includes a second cylindrical assembly 1170 and an outflow vent 1172 to allow a fan 1160 to exhaust air from the device. In the above embodiments, the fan 1160 can be an axial fan or a centrifugal fan.

[0057] Intake fan housing

[0058] The above push-pull device, e.g. Figure 2The particle filtration system 10 described in the Figure 1 may include an intake fan housing 16. The lateral portion of the housing may contain one or more of the following device parts: an intake fan 26, a filter 28 (such as HEPA or lower grade) or other components that promote pseudo-laminar flow of air. The housing 16 may further include an intake fan speed control potentiometer, an intake pressure sensor, a camera sensor or module 48.

[0059] like Fig. 7A As shown, the intake fan 26, if present in an embodiment of the device, may be enclosed in a housing or assembly that includes the other components discussed herein (e.g., a protective plate, a filter 28, and the like). The input side of the fan is kept relatively unobstructed so as to provide the maximum amount of air required by the fan for its effective operation. A net or grille may be installed at the input side of this fan to ensure that fingers or other objects do not come into contact with the rotating fan blades. The air entering the fan then passes through the intake fan filter 28, which cleans the air and also smoothes the airflow and removes some of the turbulence that the fan introduces to the airflow. Where a filter is not required (e.g., because this is a residential unit and the air is deemed clean enough), a pseudo-laminar net (e.g., 1 to 2 mm openings) or mesh (1 cm openings, such as Figure 7B 28 to achieve pseudo-laminar flow. The choice of using a filter, mesh or grid depends on various design and engineering considerations, including the target application or market, fan power and the like. Depending on the specifications of the filter (or other pseudo-laminar flow component), the inlet fan 26 is selected and configured to overcome the resistance (static pressure) of the filter 28 to generate an airflow with kinetic energy to produce the sorting / separation described herein, and to overcome the resistance of the outlet fan filter. As an alternative to or in addition to the filter 28, the filtration system may include Figure 7B An air collimating device (grid) as depicted in FIG. 1 may be provided to direct the air and provide a smoother airflow relative to the original output of the fan. Grids allow the use of lower power fans, but often have other disadvantages, such as not being able to retain all particulate matter within the device. Additionally, the air filter may be removable to allow for cleaning or replacement.

[0060] In the illustrated embodiment, after this assembly, there is an opening 712 at the top of the intake fan housing 16, from which the coffee grounds are discharged into the housing. The rest of the housing provides a chamber or space for filtering and purifying the coffee grounds, with particles exceeding a threshold weight falling into an opening 714 above the collector 36.

[0061] A pressure sensor may optionally be placed directly behind the filter to measure and track the air pressure generated by the intake fan. Different degrees of filtration may be achieved by different air pressure outputs from the fan. Optionally, a potentiometer is provided that allows the user of the device to control the speed of the intake fan. The microcontroller may autonomously control the fan speed, but in some embodiments, the potentiometer may allow the user to control the fan by bypassing the microcontroller. In other embodiments, the microcontroller does not determine the fan speed, and such speed control decisions are left entirely to the user. There are a variety of potentiometers on the market, such as rotary encoders, rotary potentiometers, linear potentiometers, rheostats, etc. Depending on the desired usability criteria, an appropriate potentiometer may be selected. In device embodiments containing a touch screen, physical buttons and knobs are generally not required because these functions can be implemented via affordances on the screen.

[0062] Exhaust fan housing

[0063] As shown in the figures, an exhaust fan housing (e.g. Figure 2 The housing 18 in FIG. Figure 8 Specifically, the outlet fan housing 18 may include an outlet fan 34 and an outlet filter 30 .

[0064] As described herein, the outlet fan 34 is covered in the housing. The input side of this fan 34 receives the airflow discharged by the intake fan. Except the ambient air of the necessary amount, these air are also passed through a series of nets and / or filters. The purpose of these nets and filters is to capture the particles discarded by the filtering stage of the process. In the embodiment described herein, the difference between the net 804 and the filter is as follows: the net is the semi-permanent component of the assembly, which is responsible for capturing relatively large particles, and the filter is a consumable or replaceable component, which captures fine particles and blocks over time. The filter usually made of the less durable material such as paper or cloth needs to be replaced regularly, and the net usually made of the more durable material such as metal or plastic is a relatively long-life component. By capturing larger particles, the net may extend the life of the filter that only captures relatively small particles. After passing through the net and filter, the air is collected by the fan and discharged back into the environment.

[0065] In addition to these components, an ionizer 802 may also be installed in the housing of the outlet fan, in front of the net and filter assembly. The purpose of this ionizer is to give particles entering the outlet fan assembly a charge and cause them to fall under gravity before they have a chance to reach the net and filter. This arrangement can extend the life of the net and filter assembly and make the product easier to clean and maintain. A pressure sensor may optionally be placed just in front of the net and filter assembly to measure and track the air pressure generated by the outlet fan. Optionally, a potentiometer is provided to the user to explicitly control the speed of the outlet fan. Typically, once the speed of the intake fan is known, the speed of the outlet fan can be automatically calculated and set. But in some embodiments, the user may need or want a control to manually set this speed.

[0066] Optionally, a clip may be mounted in the outlet fan housing which provides a mechanical interface for the operator to agitate the net 804 and cause any abrasives or particles caught in the net to fall off the net and into a waste particle collector. This provides a simple mechanism to keep the unit as clean as possible and in high performance condition during more detailed cleaning operations that may require removal of the net 804 for cleaning / replacement or replacement of the outlet filter 30.

[0067] hopper

[0068] Fig. 9 An example hopper that can be used in various embodiments of the present invention is shown. As shown in the various figures, the body of the hopper can be shaped like a funnel to allow gravity-assisted flow of coffee grounds. The ground coffee is poured into the top of the funnel. The bottom of the funnel is attached to the intake fan housing. In the absence of an intake fan, the hopper is attached to the exhaust fan housing. The bottom of the funnel can be a wide opening that spans the width of the housing to which the funnel is attached. The purpose of this opening is to provide space for a curtain of grounds to fall into the housing to which the funnel is attached. The hopper need not have a funnel shape and may include other profiles, such as a box-like or rectangular configuration.

[0069] Above the opening is a discharge plate mounted within the hopper assembly. If the hopper vibration motor is mounted to the discharge plate, the discharge plate should allow only enough movement so that when it vibrates, its vibrations can be transmitted to the coffee grounds resting on it. The vibration motor is attached to the body of the hopper or specifically to the discharge plate. When the vibration motor is mounted to the body of the hopper, and when the motor is turned on, the grounds in the hopper receive the vibrations, and the agitation causes the grounds to fall through the holes in the discharge plate and into the housing to which the hopper is attached.

[0070] There are various designs of discharge plates, and they create different patterns of grounds as the grounds leave the hopper and enter the housing. In general, the discharge plate can have a hole pattern that is relatively narrow in width but wide relative to the chamber to provide a curtain of particles to be filtered. These design variations include, but are not limited to, different profiles (flat, round, oval, angled, etc.), hole patterns (multiple rows, different hole arrangements, etc.), heights, etc. The discharge plate can be suspended via a spring or a set of springs so that it moves without friction or wear. This assembly can allow the grounds to be discharged from the hopper without as much force as a hopper design where the discharge plate is rigidly attached to the hopper body. The suspension assembly can reduce the power of the hopper motor, and therefore reduce noise, without reducing the effectiveness of the hopper. The suspension assembly can also reduce noise by eliminating or reducing the mechanical friction of the discharge plate with the body of the device. This arrangement may be more user-friendly.

[0071] A variety of embodiments and configurations are possible. Optionally, a switch may be provided to the operator to turn on the hopper vibration motor. In some embodiments, a touch screen interface or an external application may provide an interface to control the hopper vibration motor. Optionally, a weight sensor may be integrated into the hopper. The function of this weight sensor is to track the mass of ground coffee in the hopper and use the information to automatically start, stop, or start and stop the hopper vibration motor. This feature will allow the user to use the device in a slightly hands-off manner and potentially focus on other tasks. Optionally, an arrangement with a multi-stage discharge plate is also possible, where there are two or more plates placed one above the other with different hole patterns.

[0072] Purified coffee powder collector

[0073] As discussed above, the collector 36 catches the cleaned grounds. In some embodiments, the collector 36 is a removable component and, when inserted into the device, maintains a substantially airtight seal with the chamber 44. As discussed, the collector 36 rests on a base and can be easily removed by an operator to retrieve the cleaned grounds.

[0074] Optionally, this collector rests on a weight sensor 40 which tracks the mass of the purified grounds as they are collected in the collector. The purpose of this weight sensor is to display the mass of the purified grounds to the user of the device. It can also be used to stop the purification process. If more than a set number of seconds have passed without any change in the displayed mass of the purified grounds, it can be assumed that there are no more grounds in the hopper that need to be purified. This may be an inaccurate assumption as more particles may be collected in the waste coffee collector. If a weight sensor 42 is positioned below the waste coffee collector, the information from the sensor can be consulted when implementing the stop criteria for the purification process.

[0075] Waste coffee powder collector

[0076] The waste collector 38 catches the waste grounds. It would be ideal if this collector maintained an airtight interface with the vacuum chamber. Considering manufacturing tolerances may not always allow an airtight fit. This component may or may not be rigidly connected to anything in the device. It can rest on a base and can be easily removed to retrieve the waste grounds. In other embodiments, it can be attached to the base slightly more tightly. In the example described, the waste coffee grounds collector may have an additional outlet to which an external high-capacity vacuum device can be connected. In this example, to ensure physical stability, the waste coffee grounds collector is not easily moved and provides a stable surface for this connector to be attached.

[0077] Optionally, the waste collector 38 rests on a weight sensor that allows real-time tracking of the mass of waste grounds collected in the waste coffee collector. This information can be used in many ways. When the mass of waste coffee reaches or exceeds a certain threshold, it can provide instructions to the operator to clean this container. It can also be used to automatically determine when the purge cycle should be terminated - when there is no longer any accumulation of grounds in the purge coffee collector 36 and the waste coffee collector 38, it is safe to assume that the hopper has been fully discharged and the purge cycle can now end.

[0078] Optionally, this collector allows an interface to an external high-volume vacuum device, which can be used to siphon the waste coffee grounds at regular intervals without any operator intervention. When the mass of coffee grounds in the waste coffee grounds collector 38 reaches or exceeds a certain threshold, the microcontroller or microprocessor can activate the external high-volume vacuum device to remove all grounds from the waste coffee grounds collector 38. Alternatively, a message can be forwarded to the operator on the touch screen or via some signaling interface on the device (such as an LED) to activate the external high-volume vacuum and empty the waste coffee grounds collector 38. It should be noted that the waste coffee grounds collector 38 collects particles that do not meet the target particle weight. For example, these collected particles can be used for another coffee brewing process instead of being discarded.

[0079] Display and user interface

[0080] There are several possible embodiments of the filter device.

[0081] Optionally, a non-touch display may be mounted on the device to display information to the user. This information may include, but is not limited to, coffee product information, fan speed settings, sensor values, weight values ​​from purified and / or waste coffee grounds weight sensors, recipes, etc.

[0082] Alternatively, a touch display may be installed on the device, which allows the user of the device to control the device and interact with the software on the device. The software on the device can utilize the networking capabilities on the device and communicate with a central server, and can expose a wide range of information and functionality, almost like a touch screen enabled mobile application.

[0083] The device may not have a display embedded in it, and the operator controls the device and performs all functions on the device using a mobile application that communicates with the device using WiFi or Bluetooth or other networking technology. Optionally, there may be no display interface integrated into the device, and all functions are performed using switches such as a speed control potentiometer and a hopper vibration motor switch.

[0084] A touch screen or other display integrated into the device turns the device itself into a highly interactive and dynamic robotic system that not only performs the action of purifying the coffee, but also supports nearly every possible downstream action required to achieve brewing after the coffee is purified. These actions include, but are not limited to, providing brewing recipes for each coffee purification example, educational tools such as instructional videos, the opportunity to rate the coffee, the opportunity to rate the recipe, the opportunity to confirm which flavor and taste results were successfully achieved, the opportunity to discover products that the user may like based on the feedback provided, the opportunity to purchase coffee based on the feedback provided, etc. The touch screen also allows the user to manage the device, perform profile and account management tasks, provide payment and shipping information for marketing activities such as purchasing coffee, communicate with merchants such as coffee roasters, etc.

[0085] Networking capabilities

[0086] The device may also be equipped with WiFi, Bluetooth or other networking modules, which allow the device to interact with a server or operator-driven client device (such as a smartphone, tablet, etc.) or multiple user client devices (such as a smartphone, tablet, etc.).

[0087] Computing power and controller

[0088] The device is equipped with a microcontroller or microprocessor to handle all local computing needs of the device, such as driving fans and motors on the device, driving any on-device displays, monitoring and receiving feedback and control information from on-device sensors and peripherals (such as potentiometers, weight sensors, pressure sensors, etc.), communicating with external devices via on-device networking capabilities, etc. The microprocessor or microcontroller has the ability to enhance its computing capabilities by using the on-device networking interface to communicate with an application on the operator's smartphone (via WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.) or a remote server (via WiFi, or via the operator's smartphone or other device).

[0089] In some embodiments, the inlet and outlet fans are controlled by pulse width modulation (PWM) signals. Each fan may have 4 wires. Two of them are the positive and negative inputs of the fan input power supply. The third is an input signal called PWM (pulse width modulation), and the fourth is an output sensor that reports the achieved revolutions per minute (RPM) of the fan, commonly referred to as a speed signal. The PWM signal is a variable duty cycle pulse signal as described below. The speed of the fan increases linearly with respect to the duty cycle. Approximately, 0% duty cycle is actually the off state, and 100% duty cycle is full speed, with the fan delivering maximum airflow at full speed. Most microcontrollers have the ability to use an internal timer to generate a PWM signal at a desired frequency.

[0090] The microcontroller may also be connected to one or more pressure sensors. The pressure sensors may be used to measure the actual air pressure delivered by the fans. For a given filter cycle, the pressures delivered by the input and output fans should be fixed constants, but they will typically drift from their operating points as the circuit warms up and the fans receive power. The pressure sensors may be used to provide feedback signals that the microcontroller uses to adjust the PWM signals to the inlet and / or outlet fans and keep the system operating at its desired airflow / static pressure point.

[0091] A camera sensor may also be integrated into the intake fan housing, close to the hopper assembly opening to the purification chamber. The camera lens looks down into the purified grounds collector. This camera allows the filtration device to monitor the purification process as it occurs and perform fine-tuning of the motor and fan in response to possible changes in environmental conditions to ensure maximum purity. This monitoring is performed using deep learning computer vision algorithms and can be performed in near real time on the device itself. If the computer vision algorithm requires more computing resources than are available on the device, the camera can also send high-resolution images to a remote server for more detailed analysis that cannot be performed on the device. The camera sensor may also play an important role in ensuring instrumentation of other key outcomes of the purification process. Because the camera can capture images of the grounds collected in the purified grounds collector, it can perform computer vision-based analysis of the grounds and accurately estimate the particle size distribution of the purified grounds. This information, along with the weight information collected by the purified grounds weight sensor, can be used to accurately calculate a brew recipe with very fine adjustments to key brewing variables, i.e., weight of water used for brewing, temperature of water, number of water pulses to be used for brewing, weight of water pulses, etc. Correct calculation of this recipe will ensure a highly personalized and high quality brew that not only matches the specific product the user is brewing (coffee from different origins has different flavors and physical properties), but also matches the user's preferences (e.g., some users may prefer a high acidity, smooth mouthfeel in their brew, while other users may want a bold, full-bodied, low-acidity coffee, etc.).

[0092] Brewing platform

[0093] In some embodiments, the above-mentioned particle filtration system may be integrated into or form part of a brewing platform. The brewing platform is a separate entity (in one embodiment; it may also be integrated into the body of the main device) that integrates a load sensor of appropriate rated weight (5kg, 10kg, 20kg, depending on the nature of the installation environment - residential or commercial) connected to the main device using a wired or wireless interface (or in the case of hard integration, no wires will be seen). The brewing platform allows the end user to actually place the brewing equipment into which the purified coffee powder can be placed for brewing, such as a flask (a container to collect the brewed coffee) and a coffee machine (such as a Chemex or Hario V60).

[0094] The brewing platform provides a set of ultimate technical affordances for the filter unit to support the user in brewing a great cup of coffee. This affordance links the result of the brew (a cup of coffee) to the purification process and parameters used for the grounds and allows the system to instrument hard feedback loops into its process and operation.

[0095] Once the grounds are purified, and the weight of the purified grounds is known (by the purified grounds weight sensor), and the particle size distribution of the purified grounds is estimated (by using the camera sensor), the server can provide the best recipe for brewing these purified grounds. Once the brewing equipment is placed on the platform, the precise steps with timing will be provided to the user in the form of a detailed recipe on a mobile phone application or an integrated touch screen display or another appropriate user interface. Since the brewing platform contains a weight sensor, the filtering device will know exactly how far the user has progressed in executing the recipe, and the device can support the user in completing all the steps of the recipe.

[0096] An example of a recipe is as follows: Assume the user collects 35 grams of purified coffee grounds, with a grind size within a size distribution of x mm to y mm. The server uses this information to predict that the user should use 490 ml of water boiled at 185 F, and the recipe takes the following form:

[0097] 1. Pour 70ml of water over the grinds in even concentric circles to soak all the grinds and allow the grinds to soak and release any latent CO2 for 35 seconds. This step is conventionally known as 'Blooming'.

[0098] 2. Pour 70 ml of water in even concentric circles over the grind within 10 seconds and allow the water thus poured to drain for another 10 seconds.

[0099] 3. Repeat step 2 5 more times, bringing the total brewing water volume to 490 ml.

[0100] At each step, the weight sensor in the brewing platform will report to the filtration device the actual amount of water poured, and the device UI can report any minor changes that need to be made to the recipe in real time. For example, in some steps, the user can pour 10ml more or can be slower or faster when pouring water. The AI ​​in the device and / or server can adapt to these deviations, adjust the recipe in real time, and ensure that the end result is as close to ideal as possible.

[0101] The life of abrasives - practical operation

[0102] The following describes an example operation or experience using a particle filtration system including an intake fan and an exhaust fan according to one possible implementation.

[0103] 1. A batch of coffee beans is ground in a separate external machine or on a close-coupled grinder integrated with the filter device. This process produces a batch of coffee grounds.

[0104] 2. Introduce these coffee grinds into a hopper or similar equivalent assembly. The function of the hopper is to contain the coffee grinds and purify the coffee grinds in stages.

[0105] 3. After the hopper vibration motor is turned on, the coffee grounds are agitated on the discharge plate. This vibration-assisted agitation process causes the grounds to flow through the holes in the discharge plate and into the filter chamber. The vibration force applied by the vibration motor also helps to loosen the grounds and prevent the grounds from sticking to each other in the next stage of the process.

[0106] 4. Once in the filter chamber, the grinds will fall to the bottom surface of the chamber under the action of gravity.

[0107] 5. Also in the filter chamber, the grounds are exposed to airflow generated by the action of the inlet fan (if present) or the action of the outlet fan.

[0108] 6. This airflow can be considered as a constant speed airflow within the filter chamber. The speed of the airflow is variable and can be adjusted by a potentiometer or via algorithmic control by a microcontroller / microprocessor on the device or remotely by a server. Each speed value corresponds to the maximum weight (threshold weight) of coffee grounds that this airflow is capable of moving out of the filter chamber into the chamber's vacuum or exhaust fan housing.

[0109] 7. Grinds heavier than the threshold weight will fall under gravity and be collected in the purified coffee grounds collector. Grinds and particles lighter than the threshold weight continue to the exhaust fan housing.

[0110] 8. In the exhaust fan housing, some of the grounds will be carried directly into the waste collector by the combined effect of the airflow from the intake fan (if present) and the exhaust fan. Some of the particles and grounds will be affected by the ionizer and fall into the waste collector. The remaining grounds will reach the outlet fan screen where particles larger than the outlet fan screen size will be captured. Those particles smaller than the screen size will continue on to the outlet fan filter where they will be captured in the filter and prevented from exiting the device. Some of these particles will fall from the screen and filter assembly into the waste collector.

[0111] 9. The cleaned grounds are collected in the cleaned grounds collector and retrieved by the operator when the cleaning process is completed.

[0112] 10. When the waste collector is full or the operator requires, the waste grounds can be retrieved. These waste grounds can be reused by the operator to make espresso-like beverages and should not be considered as waste. The waste particles are only the residue of the purification process and can be used to brew coffee using other processes.

[0113] integrated

[0114] The filter device may expose wireless or wired interfaces that allow other devices to communicate with the filter device. Important variables and parameters may be exchanged through these interfaces, which allows the filter device to understand its inputs. The filter device may also interface with other devices downstream and pass important variables and parameters to them. This section describes some of these integrations.

[0115] Grinding Machine

[0116] The grinder can confirm its brand and model to the filter device over an interface exposed by the filter device. The grinder can also exchange information about the grind settings used to grind the coffee beans. This information can be sent by the grinder to the filter device. The filter device can also request this information from the grinder.

[0117] Once the filter device knows the brand / model of the grinder and the grind setting used to grind the coffee, it can infer the operating parameters required to perform the purification (such as the inlet and outlet fan settings and the hopper vibration motor settings, etc.) and may not require operator intervention to perform the purification process.

[0118] In addition, there is the possibility of physical integration with the grinder. The filter device can actually be integrated with the grinder so that after the coffee is ground but before it is discharged and available to the grinder operator, a purification process can be performed according to the principles and / or embodiments described in this document.

[0119] Weighing scale

[0120] Once the coffee grounds are purified, the filter device knows the weight of the purified grounds via a weight sensor. This information can be sent to an external weighing scale via an appropriate networking interface.

[0121] kettle

[0122] The filter device can communicate critical or important water settings to the kettle. Once the coffee is purified, the filter device can send information to the kettle indicating the recommended brewing temperature. In a touchscreen or app-enabled filter device, the user can provide the filter device with actual examples of coffee products. The filter device can not only know in detail how the grinds were purified, but also where the grinds were produced and the nature of the roast. With this knowledge, it should be possible to recommend brewing temperatures very accurately. Such calculations will be performed on a remote server and sent to the filter device, which can then choose to forward this information to the kettle.

[0123] Coffee machine

[0124] As with the kettle, the filter device can send key brewing criteria to the coffee machine for brewing the grounds that have been purified by the filter device. The filter device can also inform the coffee machine of all grind purification specific information, including but not limited to: the coffee product being purified and subsequently brewed, water temperature, recommended water volume, weight of purified coffee powder, recommended brewing time, etc.

[0125] Pod device

[0126] The filter device described in this dossier can support a capsule device that takes a coffee capsule as input and brews from the contents of the capsule. Furthermore, given the richness of information in the software stack, it should be possible to refine the resulting brew to a near-optimal state, thereby implementing the capsule brewing process. The purified coffee grounds collector of the filter device can be molded into an alternative collector so that all purified grounds are collected in a disposable coffee capsule. This disposable coffee capsule can be extracted from this modified collector and placed directly into an appropriate capsule brewing device for brewing. The filter device can also share specific recipes to the capsule brewing device based on information at the end of the purification step.

[0127] Software and system level integration

[0128] Fig.10 A schematic diagram illustrating various hardware and software components of an ecosystem in which the filtering device described herein may operate.

[0129] Coffee AI

[0130] The functionality of this system can be used to build a structured superset of all coffee product information for all coffee products sold around the world.

[0131] Purification AI

[0132] Coffee beans from different origins have different physical properties, including but not limited to size, color, density, etc. These differences in the properties of green coffee are further distinguished by the infinite changes that green coffee may undergo during the roasting process. The same batch of green coffee can produce roasted coffees with different flavor characteristics, colors, and densities in the hands of different roasters using different roasting techniques and protocols. The physical properties of coffee are very important in the grinding and brewing process because the interaction of water and ground coffee must comply with a specific set of physical and chemical constraints in order for the brewed beverage to achieve the promise of roasted beans. Given the number of variables at play, it is almost impossible for anyone to fully consider these variables to fully enjoy a randomly selected coffee product. This inherent complexity prevents consumers from enjoying a wide variety of coffees and, therefore, from discovering the truly wide range of products available on the market. Many consumers, through a process of trial and error, grind coffee from a specific origin from a specific roaster and brew it using a specific technique, which gradually forms their daily coffee habits. Unfortunately, this prevents them from experiencing the joy of a large number of innovative coffee farmers and roasters constantly entering the market. The lack of such discovery further hinders consumers from realizing their true preferences for coffee. The lack of such discovery and the subsequent lack of understanding of preferences artificially limits the coffee market, which is an economic loss for all participants in the coffee trade, all the way from farmers to the end consumer.

[0133] Server-side purification

[0134] Software engineering and statistical modeling techniques are well suited to modeling and solving problems of this complex nature.Once a user has identified the coffee product they wish to grind and consume, the identified entity will contain structured data describing the properties and characteristics of the product.

[0135] At this stage, the user who wants to brew and consume the product has also been identified (either through a mobile application or a logged-in status on the filtering device), and the user's profile will contain information that informs the system of the user's preferences. In addition, various pieces of information can be derived from the feedback that the user has provided to the system from examples of coffee he has brewed and consumed in the past. This preference information combined with the structured information in the coffee entity will be passed to a set of algorithms that will build a set of parameters to be passed to the filtering device for the purification process.

[0136] The parameters of the purification process have a direct impact on the properties of the brewed beverage. The same batch of roasted coffee beans can yield several brews that meet different 'in the cup' characteristics. For example, it may be possible to produce a cup of coffee that is full-bodied and full-flavored at the expense of all the delicate flavors in the roasted beans. Alternatively, extraction and the presentation of delicate flavors may be achieved at the expense of the body of the brewed coffee, resulting in a light, delicate, silky mouthfeel. These variations are primarily achieved by shaping the grind size distribution first, which is one of the goals of the filter unit.

[0137] On-device purification

[0138] Some embodiments of the filtration device are equipped with a camera sensor module. This module looks towards the cleaned grounds collector and can observe not only the grounds that have fallen into the cleaned grounds collector, but also the grounds as they are discharged from the hopper and in flight (either as they are blown towards the exhaust fan, or as they fall into the cleaned grounds collector).

[0139] This observation process allows the filtering device to see particles as they are discarded and to micro-optimize device parameters to make the actual instance of the purification process more closely match the expected purification process implied by the purification parameters sent by the server.

[0140] There are several environmental conditions that can cause a purification instance to deviate from ideal conditions. For example, any degradation of the inlet filter can cause more air to pass through the inlet than is ideal. Any degradation of the outlet filter due to clogging can prevent air from being discharged through the outlet fan and therefore cause the outlet fan to apply a pressure less than implied by its functional parameters. Ambient air pressure and temperature can also prevent the device from complying with ideal purification parameters. Observing the purification process in real time and adjusting the device in real time can help mitigate some of these phenomena.

[0141] Not all embodiments of filtration devices need to be equipped with camera modules. In most cases, unless the functionality of the device has been detrimentally degraded, the parameters set by the server should produce meaningful improvements in the grind size distribution achieved by the filtration device. Certain high-end consumer devices or commercial devices subject to heavy workloads may benefit from continuous device-side monitoring and adjustments on a per-cleaning basis. Such devices are more likely to be equipped with these camera modules. Even for devices equipped with camera modules, use of the camera modules and their associated artificial intelligence capabilities may be dependent on the operator / user purchasing premium access rights to these features.

[0142] Brewing AI

[0143] Performing a correction to the grind size distribution is the first step to ensuring a high quality brew. The filter device not only effects a positive change to the grind size distribution, but also assists the user in the brewing process and provides all possible technical and informational support to ensure a successful brewing result. Once the grind size has been corrected by the filter device, the device or any visual interface associated with the device (such as a smartphone app) can be used to ask the user which brewing technique the user will use with the purified grounds. Most users use a limited and small number of brewing techniques on a regular basis, such as French Press, AeroPress, V60, Chemex or other filtered brewing techniques. Once the brewing technique is confirmed, algorithmic techniques are used to calculate the ideal brewing variables, such as water volume, water temperature, etc., and these are communicated to the user in the form of a 'recipe'.

[0144] Integration of the brewing platform will allow the filter device to instrument and observe the brewing process as it occurs, and provide corrective feedback to the user in real time to compensate for deviations from the recipe. Once the brew is complete, the user will be asked to provide feedback on the qualitative results of the brew. This information is used to build and fine-tune the user's preferences over time, resulting in more accurate brewing results.

[0145] Although the present disclosure may not explicitly disclose that some embodiments or features described herein can be combined with other embodiments or features described herein, the present disclosure should be interpreted as any such combination that will be practiced by a person of ordinary skill in the art. Unless otherwise indicated herein, the term "including" shall mean "including but not limited to", and the term "or" shall mean a non-exclusive "or" in the manner of "and / or".

[0146] Those skilled in the art will recognize that in some embodiments, some operations described herein may be performed by human implementation or by a combination of automated and manual means. When an operation is not fully automated, appropriate components of embodiments of the present disclosure may, for example, receive the results of human execution of the operation rather than generating the results through their own operational capabilities.

[0147] All references, articles, publications, patents, patent publications, and patent applications cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes to the extent that they are not inconsistent with the embodiments of the present disclosure explicitly described herein. However, no reference, article, publication, patent, patent publication, or patent application cited herein is mentioned, and should not be regarded as an admission or any form of suggestion that it constitutes valid prior art or forms part of the common general knowledge in any country in the world or discloses material matters.

[0148] Several features and aspects of the present invention have been illustrated and described in detail with reference to specific embodiments only by way of example and not by way of limitation. It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that alternative implementations and various modifications of the disclosed embodiments are within the scope and contemplation of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present invention is intended to be considered limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A particle filtering device comprising a chamber defining a first region and a second region adjacent to the first region; a first fan operably connected to a first lateral side of the chamber and adjacent to the first zone to provide airflow into the filter chamber; a second fan operably connected to a second lateral side of the chamber opposite the first lateral side and adjacent the second zone to exhaust air from the chamber; a first collector operably connected to a bottom surface of the chamber, the first collector being installed below the first zone of the chamber to collect particles introduced into the chamber from a hopper; and A controller is configured to drive the first and second fans to discharge rejected particles introduced from the hopper into the chamber from the first zone before reaching the first collector, wherein the rejected particles have a weight less than a threshold value.

2. The particle filtering device according to claim 1 further includes a second collector operably connected to the bottom surface chamber and adjacent to the first collector, the second collector being installed below the second zone of the chamber, and wherein unqualified particles discharged from the first zone enter the second zone and are collected in the second collector. 3 . The particle filtration apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the chamber includes one or more air inlets that provide airflow to the second fan.

4. The particle filtration apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least one of the air inlets comprises a gap extending along at least one side of the chamber. 5 . The particle filtration apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a hopper connected to a top surface of the chamber.

6. The particle filtration apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a vibration motor operably associated with the hopper and providing a vibration force to the hopper.

7. The particulate filtration apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first air filter element positioned between the first fan and the first zone of the chamber.

8. The particle filtration apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a second air filter element positioned between the second fan and the second zone of the chamber.

9. The particulate filtration device of claim 8, further comprising a mesh element disposed between the second region of the chamber and the second air filter element.

10. The particulate filtration device of claim 8, wherein the first or second air filter element is removable.

11. The particulate filtration apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to vary operating speeds of the first fan and the second fan.

12. The particle filtration apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first collector is removable.

13. The particle filtration apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more pressure sensors operably interfaced to the first zone; and wherein the controller is operable to control operation of the first fan in response to pressure signals provided by the one or more pressure sensors.

14. The particle filtering apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a weight sensor disposed below the first collector to sense a weight of filtered particles disposed therein.

15. The particle filtration apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an air collimating element disposed between the first fan and the first zone.

16. The particle filtration apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an ionizer disposed in the second zone and configured to impart an electric charge to particles entering the second zone.

17. The particle filtration apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a camera mounted to capture an image within the chamber; and wherein the controller is configured to adjust operation of the first fan or the second fan based on an analysis of the image provided by the camera.

18. A particle filtering device comprising a chamber defining a first region and a second region adjacent to the first region; a hopper connected to a top surface of the chamber; a first fan operably connected to a first lateral side of the chamber and adjacent to the second zone to exhaust air from the chamber; a first collector operably connected to a bottom surface of the chamber, the first collector being mounted below the first zone of the chamber to collect particles introduced into the chamber from the hopper; and A controller is configured to drive the first fan to discharge rejected particles introduced from the hopper into the chamber from the first zone before reaching the first collector, wherein the rejected particles have a weight less than a threshold value.

19. A particle filtering device comprising Filter chamber; a hopper connected to a top surface of the chamber; one or more fans operably connected to the chamber; an air filtering / collimating element disposed between the one or more fans and the chamber to cause substantially laminar or pseudo-laminar flow of air across the filter chamber; a collector in fluid communication with the bottom of the chamber; and A control system for driving the one or more fans to discharge unacceptable particles introduced from the hopper into the chamber before they reach the collector, wherein the unacceptable particles have a weight or density less than a threshold value.

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