Beverage Dispenser Chassis for Precise Hot and Cold Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage dispensers lack the capability to efficiently mix and dispense both hot and cold beverages with precision and customization, and often require complex and cumbersome maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A beverage dispensing unit with separate hot and cold beverage chassis, a flash heater and chiller, and a control system that integrates mixing manifolds, actuators, and a CAN bus for recipe creation and cleaning, allowing for customizable beverage preparation and maintenance without detaching individual ingredient tubes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If separate hot and cold beverage chassis are used, then temperature control precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The beverage dispenser is divided into separate hot and cold beverage chassis, each with dedicated heating and cooling systems. This segmentation allows independent temperature control for hot and cold beverages, achieving precise temperature control while organizing complexity into manageable modules.
2Adaptability or versatility
If mixing manifolds with multiple ports are used, then beverage customization capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing manifolds are designed with multiple ports to handle various liquid bases, flavorings, and gases through a single component. This multi-functional design enables extensive beverage customization without requiring separate mixing systems for each beverage type, thus avoiding increased device complexity.
3Productivity
If flash heater and chiller are integrated, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flash heater and flash chiller are integrated into a single temperature control system that can rapidly heat or cool beverages as needed. This combination allows the system to quickly adapt to different temperature requirements, improving beverage preparation efficiency while consolidating temperature control functions into one unified device.
4Ease of repair
If removable beverage chassis are used, then ease of repair is improved, but reliability may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The beverage chassis are designed to be removable for easy maintenance and cleaning. This segmentation allows quick access to internal components without disassembling the entire dispenser, significantly improving ease of repair while maintaining system reliability through proper connection interfaces.
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 efficient mixing and dispensing of hot and cold beverages with customizable recipes and precise temperature control, while facilitating easy maintenance and sanitation.
Implementation Method 1
a flash heater including a boiler configured to heat water and one or more beverage coils configured to be submerged in the hot water to heat one or more beverages respectively disposed in the beverage coils
Implementation Method 2
a flash chiller configured to chill water and circulate cold water to the cold exchange unit to fill the water tank
Implementation Method 3
a cold exchange unit containing a water tank and a second beverage coil contained within the water tank to chill a beverage contained with the beverage coil
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage dispensing unit is provided. The beverage dispensing unit may include an upper cabinet configured to house a first plurality of beverage containers, a cold beverage chassis, a hot beverage chassis, and one or more user interfaces configured to receive a beverage request from a user, a lower cabinet configured to house a second plurality of beverage containers, a flash heater including a boiler configured to heat water and one or more beverage coils configured to be submerged in the hot water to heat one or more beverages respectively disposed in the beverage coils, a cold exchange unit containing a water tank and a second beverage coil contained within the water tank to chill a beverage contained with the beverage coil, and a flash chiller configured to chill water and circulate cold water to the cold exchange unit to fill the water tank.