Bean grinder and automatic coffee pot equipped with the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automatic coffee pots with integrated bean grinders face difficulties in cleaning and powder discharge, leading to blockages and residual coffee powder, which affect user experience and coffee taste.
Innovation Solution
A bean grinder design featuring a dynamic grinding wheel, static grinding wheel, and residue removing plate, with a powder discharge channel inclined at an angle and a stepped structure, facilitating easy cleaning and reduced powder accumulation through centrifugal force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the bean grinder is fixed to the coffee maker body by fasteners, then the structure is stable and secure, but the bean grinder cannot be easily detached for cleaning and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The bean grinder is segmented into a removable module that can be separated from the coffee maker body. The grinding chamber, grinding wheels, and related components form a detachable assembly that can be easily removed for cleaning without requiring disassembly of the entire coffee maker, thus resolving the contradiction between structural stability and ease of detachment.
2Ease of operation
If an opening is provided at the upper part of the powder discharge channel, then blocking coffee powder can be removed, but the partial opening at the starting portion is hard to clean and requires enlarging the channel which increases remaining coffee powder
Solution Approach 1:
The problematic starting portion of the powder discharge channel, where blockages occur and cleaning is difficult, is extracted as a separate removable component. This allows direct access to the previously inaccessible area for easy cleaning without enlarging the channel, thus removing blockages effectively while minimizing remaining coffee powder.
3Ease of operation
If the powder discharge channel is enlarged to facilitate cleaning, then cleaning becomes easier, but the amount of remaining coffee powder increases and coffee taste is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The powder discharge channel is segmented into a removable section that can be detached for cleaning. This allows thorough cleaning of the channel without enlarging its dimensions, thus facilitating easy cleaning while minimizing the amount of remaining coffee powder that would affect taste.
4Productivity
If a powder discharge channel is arranged at the bottom of the bean grinding chamber, then coffee powder drops directly by gravity and no clean-up is required, but blocking powder remains at the opening and is still difficult to clean up
Solution Approach 1:
The powder discharge channel and grinding chamber are segmented into removable modules. The channel is designed as a detachable component that can be easily removed and cleaned, allowing access to the opening where blockages occur. This maintains the gravity-based automatic discharge functionality while enabling easy cleaning of blocking powder.
5Device complexity
If the bean grinder is designed as an integrated unit, then the structure is compact and simple, but cleaning and maintenance require disassembly of the whole equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The bean grinder is designed as a modular integrated unit that maintains structural simplicity while incorporating removable components. The grinding chamber and powder discharge channel form a detachable assembly that can be easily separated from the coffee maker body for cleaning, thus preserving the benefits of integration while enabling easy maintenance without requiring disassembly of the entire equipment.
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 design enables efficient removal of coffee powder blockages and reduces residual coffee powder, improving maintenance and coffee quality by leveraging centrifugal force for easy cleaning and efficient powder discharge.
Implementation Method 1
the requirements of consumers for a easy clean-up, easy maintenance automatic coffee pot equipped with a bean grinder can be satisfied
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The present invention discloses a bean grinder and an automatic coffee pot equipped with the bean grinder. The bean grinder comprises a bean grinding chamber part (10), a dynamic grinding wheel (30), a static grinding wheel (20), and a residue removing plate (40). The bean grinding chamber part comprises a bean grinding chamber (11) and a powder discharge channel (14). An inner wall (12) of the bean grinding chamber is provided with a planar first inner wall (12a). The first inner wall is disposed close to a powder discharge port (13) and located at a rear side of the powder discharge port in a rotation direction of the dynamic grinding wheel. The first inner wall is tangent to a circle of the inner wall of the bean grinding chamber. An inner wall of the powder discharge channel comprises a second inner wall located at the side of the powder discharge port provided with the first inner wall, and the second inner wall is inclined outwards at a given angle α with respect to the first inner wall. Powder discharge will be facilitated due to the first inner wall tangent to the circle of the inner wall of the bean grinding chamber. Moreover, the second inner wall is inclined outwards at a given angle with respect the first inner wall, so blocking powder can be pushed out by the centrifugal thrust generated due to the rotation of the residue removing plate such that removal of blocking powder can be realized by the autorotation of the bean grinder.