Beverage fluid dispensing head and system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage apparatuses often experience discontinuous outlet streams at low flowrates, which can lead to undesirable beverage quality due to the collapse of the fluid stream into drops or cessation of the stream during dispensing.
Innovation Solution
A beverage fluid dispensing head with a tongue-shaped flow guide that guides the fluid as an integral beam, featuring a convex and concave surface curvature, upstanding edges that taper and converge, and a modular design for the housing and fluid track, allowing for separate assembly and maintenance, reducing disturbances and preventing the formation of drops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the outlet channel geometry is conventional, then the device is simple to manufacture, but the outlet stream becomes discontinuous at low flowrates below 2 ml/s
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet channel incorporates a tongue-shaped flow guide with specific surface curvatures: a first convex surface curvature in the direction of fluid flow and a second concave surface curvature orthogonal to the first. This curved geometry prevents stream disintegration at low flowrates while maintaining manufacturability through standard molding techniques.
2Quantity of substance
If the flow rate is reduced to dispense smaller beverage volumes, then the beverage quantity is controlled precisely, but the outlet stream collapses into drops
Solution Approach 1:
The flow guide geometry parameters (surface curvatures, tongue shape dimensions) are specifically designed to maintain stream integrity across a range of flowrates from 0.4-6 ml/s. The convex-concave curvature combination creates flow conditions that prevent drop formation even at the lowest operating flowrates.
3Reliability
If the outlet stream is continuous, then the beverage quality is maintained, but the device complexity increases due to specialized flow guide geometry
Solution Approach 1:
The tongue-shaped flow guide is integrated directly into the outlet channel structure, merging the flow guidance function with the channel itself. This eliminates the need for separate flow guide components while achieving continuous stream delivery and maintaining beverage quality.
4Ease of manufacture
If the housing and fluid track are made as separate parts, then the ease of manufacture and maintenance is improved, but the assembly precision must be higher
Solution Approach 1:
The dispensing head is divided into separate housing and fluid track components, allowing independent manufacturing and assembly. This segmentation enables easier production and maintenance while the tongue-shaped flow guide's integrated design within the fluid track minimizes the precision requirements for the interface between parts.
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
The solution ensures continuous fluid dispensing at low flowrates, preventing the formation of plunge bubbles and maintaining the foam layer, thereby enhancing the quality and consistency of beverages like coffee, milk, or water.
Implementation Method 1
the upper surface at least comprises a first surface curvature in a direction of fluid flow and a second surface curvature which is orthogonal to the first surface curvature, wherein the first surface curvature is convex, and the second surface curvature is concave
Implementation Method 2
The tongue-shaped flow guide is downwardly directed for, in use, guiding the received beverage fluid and submitting the received beverage fluid therefrom
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage fluid dispensing head comprising a housing; and a fluid track, at least in part, arranged inside the housing. The fluid track comprises: an inlet channel arranged for receiving a beverage fluid, such as coffee, from a beverage apparatus; a collection chamber, fluidly connected to the inlet channel, for receiving the beverage fluid therefrom; and at least one outlet channel. The at least one outlet channel is fluidly connected to the collection chamber for receiving the beverage fluid from the collection chamber. A downstream part of the at least one outlet channel is formed as a tongue-shaped flow guide which is downwardly directed for, in use, guiding the received beverage fluid and submitting the received beverage fluid therefrom in the form of an integral fluid beam for dispensing.