Adjustable Infusion Chamber Control for Ground Coffee Dosing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drip coffee machines are prone to residue buildup and require frequent manual cleaning, and the frequent replacement of paper filters contributes to environmental issues, hindering their widespread commercial distribution.
Innovation Solution
A coffee machine with a dosing system that includes a grinder for loading predefined doses of ground coffee, an adjustable infusion cylinder, and a control method that adjusts the infusion chamber volume based on the coffee dose to prevent compression, allowing for precise control of the brewing process and automatic handling of spent coffee grounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a simple drip coffee machine construction is used, then production costs are reduced, but the machine requires frequent manual cleaning due to residue buildup
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the problematic percolating chamber and paper filter system from the coffee machine, replacing them with a capsule-based infusion system. The capsule contains the coffee grounds in a sealed container, eliminating the need for a percolating chamber that accumulates residue and a paper filter that requires frequent replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses disposable coffee capsules instead of reusable percolating chambers and paper filters. Each capsule is a low-cost, single-use component that contains the coffee grounds and is discarded after one use, eliminating cleaning requirements while maintaining simplicity.
2Ease of operation
If a paper filter is used in drip coffee machines, then coffee brewing is simplified, but environmental impact increases due to frequent replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the coffee grounds, filter, and serving container into a single integrated capsule unit. This eliminates the need for separate paper filters that require frequent replacement and disposal, reducing environmental impact while maintaining brewing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The capsule system allows for complete disposal of the coffee grounds container after use, eliminating the need for separate filter disposal. The sealed capsule design prevents contamination and allows for easy, clean disposal without additional environmental burden from separate filter waste.
3Device complexity
If the infusion chamber volume is fixed, then device complexity is reduced, but coffee dose compression occurs affecting brewing quality
Solution Approach 1:
The invention makes the infusion chamber volume dynamic rather than fixed. The chamber volume automatically adapts to match the size of the coffee capsule inserted, ensuring optimal brewing conditions for each capsule type without requiring complex manual adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system uses feedback from the capsule detection means to automatically adjust the infusion chamber volume. The controller receives information about the capsule size and positioning, then adjusts the chamber volume accordingly to prevent compression and ensure proper brewing, creating a self-regulating system.
4Device complexity
If manual cleaning is required frequently, then machine construction is simplified, but user time and maintenance effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements a self-cleaning mechanism where spent coffee grounds are automatically ejected from the infusion chamber by an ejection piston after brewing. The chamber is then automatically rinsed with water, eliminating the need for manual cleaning while adding only minimal complexity to the machine construction.
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 reduces the need for frequent cleaning, minimizes environmental impact by reducing paper filter usage, and provides a precise control over coffee brewing, enabling efficient production of American-style coffee with improved maintenance and user convenience.
Implementation Method 1
the closing piston exerts a predefined level of compression on the dose of ground coffee
Implementation Method 2
a boiler (unillustrated) for heating the flow of infusion water
Implementation Method 3
The frame supports a pump (unillustrated) for supplying a flow of infusion water to the infusion unit 3
Implementation Method 4
the dosing means comprises a grinder
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The coffee machine (1) comprises a controller, an infusion cylinder (100) that can be loaded, with a dose of ground coffee (32), an ejection piston (9) slidably supported inside the infusion cylinder (100), a closing piston (8) that is engageable in the infusion cylinder (100) so as to create a closed infusion chamber (4) for the dose of ground coffee (32) delimited between the lateral wall of the infusion cylinder (100), the ejection piston (9) and the closing piston (8), and electrical actuation suitable for moving the infusion cylinder (100) between a lower travel limit stop where the dose of ground coffee (32) is loaded, and an upper travel limit stop where the infusion process (4) is carried out, an adjustment means also being provided for adjusting the position of the upper travel limit stop based on the size of the dose of ground coffee (32) loaded, so that in the position of said upper travel limit stop, said infusion chamber (4) is of a volume sufficient to contain the dose of ground coffee (32) without compressing it.