Bag-in-box Rotary Pump Dispensing Custom Beverages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage dispensing systems face challenges in accurately and efficiently dispensing beverages with different ingredient properties, requiring separate flavor chips for each combination and resulting in inconvenience when changing beverages, and struggle to adjust ingredients like sugar content in real-time.
Innovation Solution
A dispensing system that uses a bag-in-box package with a rotary pump and a touch screen interface allowing users to select beverage formulas, incorporating sensors and adjustable orifices to measure and adjust ingredient parameters, eliminating the need for multiple dispensing heads and flavor chips, and enabling real-time adjustments to sugar content and carbonation levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate flavor chips are used for each beverage combination, then beverage variety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single multi-functional dispensing head is used that can dispense multiple different concentrates through software control rather than requiring separate flavor chips for each beverage combination. The system achieves versatility through programmable control of a universal dispensing mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (flow rates, timing, sequences) of the single dispensing head to accommodate different beverage formulations. By varying dispensing parameters rather than hardware configuration, the system achieves multiple beverage varieties without increasing device complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple dispensing heads are used for different ingredients, then ingredient dispensing accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single dispensing head performs multiple functions by dispensing different concentrates sequentially or simultaneously under software control. This universal dispensing mechanism maintains ingredient accuracy while eliminating the need for multiple specialized dispensing heads.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts dispensing parameters (flow rate, duration, sequence) of the single dispensing head based on the specific ingredient being dispensed. This dynamic control enables accurate dispensing of various ingredients without requiring static hardware configurations for each ingredient type.
3Adaptability or versatility
If real-time ingredient adjustment is enabled, then beverage customization is improved, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables real-time adjustment of beverage parameters (sugar content, carbonation, flavor intensity) by dynamically changing dispensing parameters of the single dispensing head. Software control adjusts flow rates and timing to achieve customization without requiring complex hardware modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that provide feedback on dispensed beverage characteristics, allowing real-time adjustment of dispensing parameters to achieve desired customization levels. This feedback loop enables beverage customization while keeping control complexity manageable through software-based regulation.
4Device complexity
If a single dispensing head is used for all ingredients, then device complexity is reduced, but ingredient measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The single dispensing head dynamically adjusts its operational parameters (flow rate, dispensing duration, pulse frequency) based on the specific ingredient being dispensed. This dynamic adaptation maintains measurement precision for different ingredients with varying viscosities and flow characteristics while using a unified hardware platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces mechanical differentiation (multiple specialized dispensing heads) with software-based control and sensing. Electronic control and feedback mechanisms compensate for the lack of physical specialization, maintaining ingredient measurement precision through intelligent software algorithms rather than hardware diversity.
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 the efficient and accurate dispensing of custom beverages without the need for multiple flavor chips, allowing users to adjust sugar content and carbonation levels, reducing waste and improving user convenience by using a single dispensing head and real-time parameter adjustments.
Implementation Method 1
The rotary pump includes a resiliently deformable housing and a rotor that form a plurality of chambers
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for packaging beverage components and dispensing beverages are provided. Bag-in-box packages include connectors that contain rotary pumps. Each rotary pump includes a resiliently deformable housing and a rotor that form a plurality of chambers. The bag-in-box package may be incorporated into a dispenser system that includes a touch screen that allows users to input beverage selections.