A coffee bean grinding apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee bean grinders face challenges in accurately detecting the level of coffee beans due to issues with light reflection and contamination by coffee bean powder, leading to incorrect detection of bean levels.
Innovation Solution
A coffee bean grinding apparatus with a transmitter and receiver configuration where the coffee beans are located between the transmitter and receiver, allowing direct signal detection, and a controller that determines the bean level and provides alerts when the threshold is met, using inductive coils for signal transmission and user feedback devices for notification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single detection device with LED and photodetector is used to detect coffee bean level, then the device can detect insufficient coffee beans, but the light reflection magnitude makes accurate measurements difficult and coffee bean powder on the internal surface inhibits light reflection causing incorrect detection
Solution Approach 1:
The single detection device is divided into two separate devices: a transmitter that emits light and a receiver that detects light. This segmentation allows the system to measure the intensity of light emitted and received separately, enabling accurate calculation of light attenuation caused by coffee beans without being affected by reflections from the hopper interior surface.
Solution Approach 2:
Coffee beans act as an intermediary medium between the transmitter and receiver. The beans attenuate the light signal passing through them, and this attenuation is measured by the receiver. This intermediary approach allows detection of bean level without direct contact with the beans, avoiding interference from powder accumulation on surfaces.
2Ease of operation
If the hopper internal surface is used for light reflection detection, then the system can detect coffee bean levels, but over time coffee bean powder covers the surface inhibiting light reflection and causing incorrect detection
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses coffee beans themselves as the detection medium rather than relying on the hopper interior surface. Light passes through the beans directly from transmitter to receiver, and the attenuation is measured. This eliminates the problem of powder accumulation on surfaces since the detection path goes through the beans rather than reflecting off contaminated surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the mechanical/optical reflection-based detection with a transmission-based detection method. Instead of measuring light reflected from the hopper surface, the system measures light transmitted through the coffee beans, substituting one detection mechanism with another that is not susceptible to surface contamination issues.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances detection accuracy and provides reliable alerts for refilling, reducing the impact of coffee powder on the sensing process and ensuring consistent operation.
Implementation Method 1
a transmitter for emitting a signal; a receiver for receiving at least a portion of the signal; a hopper for containing coffee beans, wherein at least a portion of the coffee beans contained by the hopper is located between the transmitter and receiver
Implementation Method 2
a first inductive coil in electrical communication with the controller; and a second inductive coil in electrical communication with the transmitter; wherein the controller is configured to generate a first electrical current in the first inductive coil which passively induces a second electrical current in the second inductive coil
Data Source
AI summary
There is disclosed herein a coffee bean grinding apparatus including: a transmitter for emitting a signal; a receiver for receiving at least a portion of the signal; a hopper for containing coffee beans, wherein at least a portion of the coffee beans contained by the hopper is located between the transmitter and receiver; a grinding mechanism for grinding coffee beans fed by the hopper; and a controller, in electrical communication with the transmitter, the receiver and the grinding mechanism, configured to: receive, from the receiver, a measurement indicative of a proportion of the signal received from the transmitter; determine, based on the measurement, whether the hopper contains at least a threshold amount of coffee beans; and in response to determining that the hopper contains less than the threshold amount of coffee beans, perform one or more detection functions.