Beverage Dispensing System Using Segmented Storage and Single Nozzle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional beverage dispensing systems are limited in the variety of beverages they can offer due to the number of nozzles and flavor carry-over issues, restricting consumer choice and freshness of acid-degradable components during storage and consumption.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus that stores non-sweetener beverage component concentrates and a diluent separately, allowing for automatic dispensing in predetermined ratios to form a selected beverage, including acid and acid-degradable components, which mix just before consumption, enhancing freshness and variety without the need for multiple nozzles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple nozzles are used to dispense different beverage flavors, then beverage variety is improved, but device complexity and flavor carry-over increase
Solution Approach 1:
The beverage components are segmented into separate storage containers, with each container holding a specific concentrate or diluent. This segmentation allows multiple beverages to be created from a single nozzle by controlling which components are mixed, thereby increasing beverage variety without proportionally increasing the number of nozzles.
Solution Approach 2:
A single nozzle assembly is designed to be universal, capable of dispensing multiple different beverage formulations by receiving different combinations of concentrates and diluents from separate storage containers. This multi-functionality allows one nozzle to replace what would traditionally require multiple specialized nozzles.
2Device complexity
If acid and acid-degradable components are stored together, then storage simplicity is improved, but freshness and chemical stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is segmented into separate containers: one for acid components and another for acid-degradable components (such as flavor concentrates). This physical separation prevents unwanted chemical reactions during storage, preserving freshness and chemical stability, while the system remains relatively simple by using standard separate storage containers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary separation of components during storage, keeping acid and acid-degradable components apart before they are needed. This preliminary action prevents degradation and maintains component stability, with mixing occurring only at the point of dispensing when freshness is required.
3Ease of operation
If pre-mixed beverages are stored for long periods, then convenience is improved, but freshness and flavor quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary preparation by storing individual components (concentrates and diluents) in ready-to-mix states, but delays the actual mixing action until the moment of dispensing. This ensures that while the system is convenient for the user, the beverage components maintain their freshness and flavor quality by not being pre-mixed and stored for extended periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispensing system acts as an intermediary, holding and managing separate components until they are needed for mixing. This intermediary function allows the system to maintain component stability during storage while still providing the convenience of ready-to-dispense beverages, as the mixing occurs on-demand rather than in advance.
4Device complexity
If a single nozzle is used for multiple flavors, then device complexity is reduced, but flavor carry-over increases
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful element of flavor carry-over is extracted or eliminated by separating the beverage components into different storage containers and controlling their mixing at the point of dispensing. This allows a single nozzle to dispense different flavors without carry-over, as each flavor is created by mixing specific components on-demand rather than storing pre-mixed flavors in the nozzle.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces dynamics by allowing the nozzle to receive different combinations of components for each dispensing cycle, rather than being statically assigned to a single flavor. This dynamic component mixing enables a single nozzle to handle multiple flavors without carry-over, as the composition is adjusted in real-time based on the selected beverage.
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 the creation of a wide variety of beverages with enhanced freshness and flavor quality by separating acid and acid-degradable components for mixing on demand, reducing flavor carry-over and storage costs through efficient component usage.
Implementation Method 1
the second component may be capable of chemically reacting with the first component to form a chemically different composition
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus (10) for selectively preparing a selected beverage from a plurality of selectable beverages comprises: a number of beverage component storage containers (C 1 ,C 2 ,...C N ) for separately storing a corresponding number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates, the number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates being two or more; a user interface (18) for selecting the selected beverage from the plurality of selectable beverages; and a dispenser for automatically dispensing, continuously in a predetermined ratio for any volume of the beverage dispensed, into a container (22), in response to the user selecting the selected beverage through the user interface, any combination of at least two or more of the number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates from respective ones of the beverage component storage containers (C 1 ,C 2 ,...C N ) and a diluent such that the combination of the non-sweetener beverage component concentrates and the diluent mix together and form the selected beverage comprising the combination of the number of non-sweetener beverage component concentrates and the diluent.