Beverage Dispensing Device Additive Timing Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage preparation methods allow consumers to accumulate excessive intake of additives like caffeine by mixing all ingredients simultaneously, leading to undesirable health effects due to high concentrations, especially when the preparation is interrupted.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that dispense water, flavor, and additives separately over a defined time, allowing consumers to taste samples with minimal additive intake, with the additive dispensing deferred until the latest possible time to ensure safe and acceptable concentrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If all beverage ingredients (water, flavor product, and additive) are mixed and dispensed simultaneously, then the beverage preparation is quick and simple, but the consumer may accumulate excessive intake of additives like caffeine leading to undesirable health effects
Solution Approach 1:
The beverage preparation process is segmented into distinct phases: water dispensing phase, flavor product dispensing phase, and additive dispensing phase. Each component is dispensed separately at different time intervals rather than all simultaneously, allowing control over additive concentration while maintaining efficient preparation
Solution Approach 2:
Water and flavor product are dispensed before the additive is introduced. This preliminary action allows the consumer to receive the bulk of the beverage volume and flavor without the additive first, then the additive is added in a controlled manner for the remaining portion, ensuring acceptable concentration levels
2Ease of operation
If the beverage preparation is interrupted after some additive has been dispensed, then the consumer can taste the beverage sample, but the additive concentration may be excessive and cause health issues
Solution Approach 1:
The system completes water and flavor product dispensing before introducing the additive. This ensures that if the consumer interrupts the preparation, they receive a beverage sample with minimal or no additive intake, eliminating health concerns while still allowing tasting
Solution Approach 2:
The additive dispensing is made dynamic and conditional based on the preparation progress and consumer behavior. The system adjusts when to start additive dispensing based on the remaining water volume and flow rate, optimizing the timing to prevent excessive concentration regardless of when the consumer stops the preparation
3Quantity of substance
If the additive is dispensed early in the beverage preparation, then the full beverage recipe is achieved, but the consumer cannot sample without excessive additive intake
Solution Approach 1:
Water and flavor product are dispensed in advance before the additive is introduced. This preliminary action ensures that the consumer receives the majority of the beverage volume without additive, and the additive is added only for the remaining portion, guaranteeing acceptable concentration levels at any interruption point
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the additive dispensing parameters (flow rate, start time, duration) based on the remaining water volume and dispensing speed. This ensures that the total additive amount matches the full beverage recipe requirements while maintaining safe concentration levels throughout the preparation process
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method (1) for preparing a beverage by dispensing a defined amount of a beverage product (10) over a defined time, the method (1) comprising: •—starting the dispensing of the beverage product by dispensing water (2) during the defined time such that a defined amount of water (2) is dispensed over the defined time, •—at the start of the dispensing of the water (2), starting dispensing at least one flavor product (4) so as to reach a defined amount of the at least one flavor product (4) by the end of a defined adjunction time, said defined adjunction time being equal to or smaller than the defined time, and •—during the dispensing of the water (2), starting dispensing at least one additive (6) so as to reach a defined amount of the at least one additive (6) at the end of the defined adjunction time.