A liquid pumping device comprising a gear pump for beverage dispenser
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage dispensers face issues with the assembly and reliability of fluid circuit components, such as hoses and collars, which can be defective, wear out, or leak, affecting flow metering accuracy and compactness, especially in small appliances.
Innovation Solution
A compact liquid pumping device with an integrated flowmeter positioned between the gear pump and liquid outlet, using a non-deformable conduit to prevent wear and leakage, and a rotatable measuring member with a sensor to ensure accurate flow measurement, housed in multiple rigid blocks for optimal compactness and integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If hoses and collars are used to assemble fluid circuit components, then the device can be easily manufactured and assembled, but the assembly becomes unreliable with risks of wear, leakage, and bending
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the gear pump and flowmeter into a single unified housing structure, eliminating the need for separate hose connections between components. The pump and flowmeter are positioned adjacent to each other within the same housing, with direct fluid communication through internal passages, thereby combining multiple components into one reliable assembly that prevents leakage and wear issues associated with external hose connections
2Ease of manufacture
If hoses are used to connect pump and flowmeter, then the components can be assembled separately, but the assembly occupies more space and reduces compactness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the gear pump and flowmeter into a single integrated housing structure, placing both components adjacent to each other within the same spatial envelope. This merging eliminates the need for external hose connections and reduces the overall volume required for the fluid circuit assembly, achieving compactness while maintaining ease of manufacture through modular internal design
3Ease of operation
If hoses are used to connect fluid components, then the assembly is flexible in installation, but the flow metering accuracy is affected by hose length and deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the flowmeter directly into the housing with the gear pump, positioning the measuring member within the housing and connecting it to the pump inlet through internal fluid passages. This integration eliminates external hoses from the measurement circuit, ensuring that flow metering accuracy is not affected by hose length, deformation, or installation flexibility issues, while the entire assembly remains installable as a single unit
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
The solution provides a reliable, accurate, and compact liquid pumping device with reduced risk of wear and leakage, enhancing integration in small appliances and improving flow metering accuracy while maintaining precision across varying pressures.
Implementation Method 1
a measuring member (impeller) rotatably housed in the flow cavity... the measuring member being an impeller rotatably housed in the flow cavity
Implementation Method 2
a sensor for sensing a rotation-related parameter of the measuring member
Implementation Method 3
a gear pump positioned in the housing with the liquid inlet communicating with the gear pump... the gear pump comprising a pump cavity provided in a first housing block, a driving gear and a following gear housed in the pump cavity
Data Source
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AI summary
A liquid pumping device (1) for beverage dispenser comprising: - a housing (2) with a liquid inlet (3) and a liquid outlet (4); - a gear pump (5) positioned in the housing with the liquid inlet communicating with the gear pump; wherein a flowmeter (6) is fluidly positioned in the housing (2) preferably between the gear pump (5) and the liquid outlet (4).