Height-Adjustable Cup Pedestal With Non-Rotating Plunger
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern coffee machines often have cup pedestals that are not adjustable in height, limiting the use of taller latte macchiato glasses and causing splashing when using shorter espresso cups due to a fixed dispensing point, which requires complex design and hose routing adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A non-rotatable and height-adjustable plunger for the beverage container storage device, featuring a spiral link and lever system that allows easy height adjustment without twisting, enabling the use of containers of varying heights without splashing, and simplifying the design and hose routing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the cup pedestal height is fixed, then the structure is simple, but taller latte macchiato glasses cannot be used and shorter espresso cups cause splashing
Solution Approach 1:
The cup pedestal is made height-adjustable through a spiral link mechanism that converts rotational movement of a lever into vertical displacement. This dynamic adjustment allows the pedestal to adapt to different container heights while maintaining structural simplicity through the use of a compact mechanical linkage system integrated into the housing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the dispensing point height is made variable, then containers of different heights can be used, but the design effort and hose routing complexity increase considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The dispensing point is integrated with the height-adjustable cup pedestal, moving vertically together with it. This dynamic coupling allows the dispensing point to automatically adapt to different container heights without requiring separate adjustment mechanisms or complex hose routing, as the hose connection point moves with the pedestal.
Solution Approach 2:
The cup pedestal and dispensing point are combined into a single integrated assembly that moves together. This merging eliminates the need for separate adjustment mechanisms for the dispensing point, simplifying the overall design and hose routing while maintaining adaptability to different container heights.
3Ease of operation
If a rotatable plunger is used for height adjustment, then the mechanism can be simple, but the container may be twisted which is undesirable for containers with handles
Solution Approach 1:
The plunger is designed to move only vertically through a guide mechanism that constrains its motion to a linear path. This dynamic constraint prevents rotational movement while maintaining ease of operation through the spiral link lever mechanism, ensuring that containers are adjusted in height without being twisted.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the plunger height is adjustable, then different container sizes can be accommodated, but the mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The height adjustment mechanism uses a spiral link connected to a lever that converts rotational movement into vertical displacement of the plunger. This dynamic mechanism provides smooth, continuous height adjustment while maintaining relative simplicity through the use of a compact mechanical linkage integrated into the housing structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The spiral link mechanism serves multiple functions: it provides height adjustment, acts as a locking mechanism through its self-locking spiral geometry, and integrates into the housing structure as a space-efficient design. This multi-functionality reduces overall mechanism complexity while achieving the desired adaptability.
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
Enables convenient and user-friendly height adjustment of the cup pedestal, allowing for the use of different beverage container sizes without splashing, and simplifies the design and installation of the dispensing device, reducing complexity and costs.
Implementation Method 1
a spiral link (5) mounted rotatably thereto and the stamp (3) interacting with the spiral link (5), wherein the lower part (4) has a bottom-side, ring-segment-like slot (6) through which a lever (7) connected to the spiral link (5) protrudes, so that twisting of the spiral link (5) and thus a raising or lowering of the stamp (3) takes place by means of a horizontal movement of the lever (7)
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4a~4c
AI summary
The invention relates to a beverage container storage device (1), in particular to a cup repository for a beverage machine (2). It is essential to the invention that the beverage container storage device (1) comprises a rotationally fixed, height-adjustable ram (3) on which a beverage container can be stored. In particular a complex and expensive height-adjustable dispensing device can thus be omitted on the beverage machine (2).