Backlit Front Panel for Custom Food Dispensing Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing apparatuses for preparing and dispensing food products, such as hot beverages and refrigerated desserts, lack customization options and have a non-innovative design, requiring a solution for enhanced user interaction and aesthetic appeal while maintaining reliability and economic viability.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus features a polycarbonate front panel backlit with LED lighting, which can be uniformly distributed to create a customizable and visually appealing interface, combined with a mixing device for product circulation and a cooling system, allowing for efficient preparation and dispensing of both hot and cold food products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional apparatus structures are used, then reliability and ease of manufacture are maintained, but customization options and aesthetic appeal are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The front panel is segmented into multiple independent lighting zones that can be individually controlled, allowing different customization options without redesigning the entire apparatus structure. This enables versatile customization while maintaining the traditional reliable structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a backlit panel with LED lighting that can change colors and lighting patterns, providing aesthetic customization and user interaction options without altering the fundamental apparatus structure, thus maintaining reliability while enhancing adaptability.
2Illumination intensity
If LED backlighting is added to the front panel, then aesthetic appeal and user interface are enhanced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The LED backlighting system operates with periodic or intermittent activation rather than continuous operation, and can switch between different lighting intensities and patterns. This reduces overall energy consumption while maintaining aesthetic appeal and user interface quality during active use periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts lighting parameters such as intensity, color temperature, and illumination patterns based on operational conditions and user preferences, optimizing energy consumption while maintaining adequate aesthetic appeal for different usage scenarios.
3Illumination intensity
If a deflector member is added to spread light uniformly, then lighting uniformity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deflector member acts as an intermediary optical element that simply redirects and distributes light from the LED source to achieve uniform illumination across the panel. This passive optical component adds minimal complexity while effectively solving the lighting uniformity issue.
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 high level of customization, secure operation, versatile use, and economic benefits by offering a visually engaging and user-friendly interface, while ensuring reliable and efficient food preparation and dispensing processes.
Implementation Method 1
backlit by lighting means, preferably of LED type
Implementation Method 2
a deflector member is arranged predisposed to spread the light emitted by said lighting means... Said deflector spreads the light emitted by said lighting means so as to obtain a uniform lighting on the whole front panel
Implementation Method 3
a cooling device for cooling the product to the appropriate temperature... The cooling device is usually constituted by a coil evaporator arranged inside a tubular body
Implementation Method 4
a mixing device that causes the continuous circulation of the product inside the tank... The screw member of the mixing device winds on the tubular body of the evaporator
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for preparing and dispensing food products includes at least one containment tank (2) predisposed to contain the product to be prepared and mounted on a base body (10) which is closed at the front by a panel (12) of transparent or opaque material, backlit through LED lighting structure (13).