Adaptive Coffee Roasting Recipe Calculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee roasting apparatuses struggle to maintain consistent roasting quality across varying quantities of coffee beans, often resulting in burnt or unevenly roasted beans due to fixed roasting parameters, which are not adaptable to different bean quantities.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that determine a customized roasting recipe by accessing a list of pre-determined quantities and applying a rule to calculate the optimal roasting parameters for any given quantity of coffee beans, ensuring consistent roasting regardless of the quantity, using a pre-existing roasting recipe adapted to a specific type of coffee beans.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fixed roasting parameters are used, then the roasting process is simple to operate, but the roasting quality becomes inconsistent when bean quantity varies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the roasting parameters adaptive rather than fixed. The control system dynamically adjusts temperature, time, and air flow parameters based on the detected bean quantity, allowing the roasting process to adapt to different quantities while maintaining consistent quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters (temperature, time, air flow) based on bean quantity. The control system modifies these parameters according to the detected quantity to ensure optimal roasting conditions are maintained regardless of how many beans are being roasted.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple pre-determined roasting recipes are stored for different quantities, then roasting quality consistency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the control system to automatically determine and adjust roasting parameters based on detected bean quantity. The system serves itself by using sensors to detect quantity and then autonomously selecting or calculating appropriate parameters without requiring manual recipe selection or complex pre-programming for every quantity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal control system that can handle any bean quantity through a single adaptive mechanism. Rather than requiring separate recipes for each quantity, the system uses a general approach that works across all quantities, reducing the need for multiple specialized configurations.
3Device complexity
If a single pre-determined roasting recipe is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to different bean quantities deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the single recipe dynamic by enabling real-time adjustment of parameters based on detected bean quantity. The control system takes a base recipe and dynamically modifies temperature, time, and air flow settings according to the actual quantity being roasted, maintaining adaptability while keeping recipe management simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes key process parameters (temperature, time, air flow) based on bean quantity detection. This allows a single recipe framework to adapt to different quantities by modifying parameters rather than requiring multiple complete recipes, maintaining simplicity while achieving versatility.
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
Ensures consistent roasting quality for coffee beans of the same type across different quantities by automatically adjusting roasting parameters, eliminating issues of burnt or unevenly roasted beans, and reducing the need for multiple pre-determined roasting recipes.
Implementation Method 1
heated air is forced through a screen or a perforated plate under the coffee beans with sufficient force to lift the beans. Heat is transferred to the beans as they tumble and circulate within this fluidized bed
Implementation Method 2
Heat is transferred to the beans as they tumble and circulate within this fluidized bed
Data Source
AI summary
The invention concerns a method to determine the recipe Rym for roasting a quantity m of a type Cy coffee beans in a particular type of roasting apparatus, said recipe Rym providing setpoints (Tym@ti; ti), wherein the method comprises the steps of:—getting access to: ⋅a rule to calculate the roasting recipe adapted to the roasting of a quantity of beans, said quantity being comprised in a list of pre-determined quantities (M, M±Δx), from any pre-existing roasting recipe adapted to the roasting of another quantity of beans in said particular type of roasting apparatus, said another quantity being comprised in the list of pre-determined quantities (M, M±Δx), and to at least one pre-determined original roasting recipe RyMoriginal adapted to the roasting of one original pre-determined quantity Moriginal of the type Cy coffee beans, and—based on the comparison between m, the accessible original pre-determined quantity Moriginal and the accessible pre-determined quantities of the list (M, M±Δx), determining the roasting recipe Rym to be applied on said quantity m of coffee beans.