Self-Cleaning Beverage Apparatus with Dosing Ball
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drinking water dispensing systems fail to produce water with a predetermined concentration of additives accurately and consistently, often leading to scale build-up and fouling, and require compressed gas for cleaning, which is costly and complex.
Innovation Solution
A self-cleaning beverage apparatus that uses removable cartridges with a dosing system and micro-dosing channels to precisely add minerals, vitamins, and flavors to purified water, featuring a dosing ball mechanism for self-cleaning without the need for compressed gas or drains, and a controller for precise additive dispensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If minerals and additives are added to drinking water via dispensing devices, then the water becomes enhanced with nutritional value, but scale build-up and fouling occur reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the beverage itself to clean the dosing lines and prevent scale build-up. The controller directs a portion of the beverage flow through the dosing lines in reverse or alternative flow paths, allowing the liquid to flush away deposits without requiring external cleaning agents or compressed gas.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers and reuses beverage flow for cleaning purposes. Instead of discarding the beverage after dispensing, the controller redirects it through the dosing lines to serve as a cleaning medium, then returns it to the beverage stream, effectively recycling the fluid for dual purposes.
2Reliability
If compressed air is used to clean dosing lines, then scaling and fouling are prevented, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The beverage system cleans itself using its own output flow. The controller directs beverage flow through the dosing lines to remove scale and fouling, eliminating the need for separate compressed air tanks, valves, and drainage systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The beverage flow serves multiple functions: it is the product being dispensed, and simultaneously it serves as the cleaning medium for the dosing lines. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated cleaning equipment.
3Quantity of substance
If minerals are added to water, then the water becomes enhanced, but the rate of dissolution cannot be regulated creating variability
Solution Approach 1:
The controller monitors and regulates the dosing process by controlling the timing and duration of additive dispensing relative to the water flow rate. This feedback mechanism ensures consistent mineral concentration despite variations in water flow or temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the dosing parameters based on real-time conditions. The controller modulates the dosing pump operation and valve timing to maintain optimal dissolution rates and consistent mineral concentration in the effluent.
4Reliability
If RO or distillation devices are used to purify water, then contaminants are removed, but beneficial minerals are lost and pH becomes elevated
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using aggressive purification methods that remove all minerals, the system applies localized filtration and then selectively adds back beneficial minerals through the dosing system. This allows different parts of the water to have different qualities - purified base water with targeted mineral additions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the chemical parameters of the water by controlling the type, amount, and timing of mineral additives. The controller adjusts these parameters to restore and maintain beneficial mineral content and appropriate pH levels after purification.
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 production of customized beverages with high precision and consistency, reducing environmental impact by eliminating single-use plastics and minimizing maintenance, while maintaining the nutritional value of the water.
Implementation Method 1
a dosing ball disposed within the chamber and between the opening, the fluid inlet, and the outlet. The dosing ball is configured to rotate from a first position to a second position and has a tubular port substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the dosing ball, wherein in the first position the port permits fluid to flow from the fluid inlet to the outlet and in the second position the dosing ball permits additive to flow from the fitting to the outlet
Implementation Method 2
with the dosing ball in the first position, the fluid upon exiting the port flows across a surface of the fitting exposed in the opening thereby cleansing the exposed surface of any additive disposed on it
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage apparatus and system is disclosed. The beverage apparatus is configurable to add flavors, minerals, vitamins, or other such additives to a source fluid, such as purified water, in response to a user's selection of settings, to provide a customized beverage. Advantageously, the beverage apparatus uses the purified water to cleanse the components that come into contact with the additive as part of the preparation of each beverage and includes this cleansing wash as part of the beverage itself, thus providing a self-cleaning apparatus that does not require a separate drain.