Handheld Beverage Dispenser for Custom Multi-Ingredient Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bar guns are limited in dispensing custom beverages and do not allow users to create specific flavor combinations, restricting the variety of drinks available.
Innovation Solution
A dispensing system with a central ingredient system and piping network that connects to a handheld device, enabling users to select and combine multiple beverage ingredients, including syrups and flavor shots, through a user interface to create custom beverages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional bar guns use dedicated buttons for each beverage, then the device structure is simple, but the beverage variety is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the beverage dispensing function into separate ingredient streams (soda, syrups, flavorings) that can be independently controlled. Each ingredient has its own supply line and flow control mechanism, allowing flexible combination to create various beverages without requiring dedicated buttons for each drink formulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The bar gun incorporates electronic flow control valves that dynamically adjust the flow rate of each ingredient based on user selection. The system can adaptively control the proportion and amount of each ingredient dispensed, enabling a wide range of beverage combinations from a single device without fixed mechanical configurations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional bar guns have fixed beverage options, then the device is easy to operate, but custom beverage creation is not permitted
Solution Approach 1:
The bar gun is designed as a universal dispensing device that can create multiple beverage types including carbonated drinks, teas, coffees, and custom flavor combinations. A single device replaces multiple dedicated dispensers by providing multi-functional ingredient mixing capabilities through electronic control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates a user interface that receives user selections and provides feedback control to the flow valves. The controller monitors user input and automatically adjusts the flow rates of various ingredients to produce the desired beverage formulation, simplifying the operation while enabling custom beverage creation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple beverage ingredients are dispensed simultaneously, then custom flavor combinations are enabled, but flow rate control becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mechanical flow control with electronic flow control valves actuated by a microcontroller. This substitution enables precise digital control of multiple ingredient flow rates simultaneously, managing the complexity of multi-ingredient dispensing through electronic rather than mechanical means.
Solution Approach 2:
The system controls the flow rate parameter of each ingredient independently through electronically adjustable valves. By changing the flow rate parameters digitally based on user selection, the system can precisely control the proportion and amount of each ingredient mixed in the beverage, enabling custom flavor combinations with controlled complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosure concerns a liquid dispensing system having a handheld liquid dispense device with a body portion and a dispensing head. The dispensing system includes an ingredient system located remotely from the handheld liquid dispense device, piping extending from the ingredient system to the handheld liquid dispense device, the ingredient system having a plurality of beverage ingredient sources and configured to supply beverage ingredients to the piping for the dispensing of a beverage from the handheld liquid dispense device. The dispensing system may also include a user interface device configured to receive a first user selection for a beverage and a second user selection for an ingredient modifying the beverage.