Beverage Brewing System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cold-brew brewing systems are time-consuming and require complex setups with large footprints, making them inconvenient and prone to bacterial contamination, while lacking flexibility for both hot and cold brewing.
Innovation Solution
A brewing device with a mesh brewing material holder and an internal filter element that increases the surface area of contact between the brewing material and water, allowing for quicker brewing by enhancing fluid flow through additional mesh surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional cold-brew steeping is used, then the brewing material can infuse the water to provide desired flavor, but the brewing time becomes excessively long
Solution Approach 1:
The brewing material holder is divided into multiple sections with mesh panels at different levels, creating multiple contact surfaces between the brewing material and water. This segmentation increases the effective surface area for extraction without requiring longer brewing time, allowing simultaneous contact of water with brewing material at multiple points.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a vertical dimension to the brewing process by suspending the brewing material holder within the container and using mesh panels that extend vertically. This creates multiple horizontal contact planes at different heights, transforming a single-surface extraction process into a multi-level extraction system that accelerates brewing.
2Productivity
If gravity feed percolator systems are used to increase fluid flow, then brewing time is reduced, but the device footprint and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential function of increased fluid flow from complex external gravity feed mechanisms and achieves it through the internal mesh structure of the brewing material holder. The mesh panels themselves create flow pathways that enhance water-brewing material contact without requiring separate motorized or gravity-driven pumping systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The brewing material holder structure serves dual purposes: it contains the brewing material while simultaneously providing the mesh surface area that enhances extraction. The container's own water volume and natural settling motion provide the fluid movement needed, eliminating the need for external pumps or complex flow control mechanisms.
3Ease of operation
If conventional cold-brew systems are used, then brewing can be accomplished, but the systems are prone to bacterial contamination and difficult to clean
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh panels used in the brewing material holder are made of fine mesh material that allows for thorough cleaning and sanitization. The mesh structure prevents bacterial buildup by allowing complete drainage and access to all surfaces during cleaning, while still maintaining effective brewing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The brewing material holder is designed as a removable component that can be easily taken out from the container for cleaning. This separation allows the brewing material holder to be washed and sanitized independently, reducing the risk of bacterial contamination in the main container and making maintenance simpler.
4Productivity
If a brewing system is designed for cold brewing only, then cold-brewing can be optimized, but the system lacks flexibility for hot brewing
Solution Approach 1:
The brewing material holder with its mesh panel structure is designed to function effectively with both cold and hot water. The mesh configuration provides sufficient surface area for cold extraction while also allowing rapid flow-through for hot brewing, making the system versatile for different brewing methods without sacrificing optimization for either.
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 device reduces cold-brewing time and provides a flexible brewing system capable of both hot and cold brewing, with improved cleanliness and reduced risk of contamination.
Implementation Method 1
The mesh can be a fine nylon mesh or a 75-micron opening nylon mesh or a metal mesh
Implementation Method 2
the brewing material comes into contact with the water through the mesh material, and over time the brewed beverage is steeped
Data Source
AI summary
A brewing material holder for a beverage brewer includes a filter housing, and an internal filter. The filter housing includes a housing sidewall defining a housing interior volume, and an open end configured to receive brewing material into the housing interior volume. The internal filter includes a filter sidewall having at least one filter opening, and at least one filter mesh element covering the at least one filter opening. The internal filter is configured to engage the filter housing such that the internal filter is arranged within the housing interior volume.