A beverage preparation apparatus comprising a foaming device and method therefor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage foaming devices are costly, prone to manufacturing difficulties due to small orifice dimensions, easily clog, and pose hygiene issues due to complex structures that are hard to clean, limiting their effectiveness and customer satisfaction in producing high-quality crema for coffee and other beverages.
Innovation Solution
A beverage preparation apparatus with movable plates and baffles that create a turbulence-generating fluid flow path, allowing for efficient foaming at lower pressures, easy cleaning, and reduced manufacturing complexity, using materials like stainless steel and resilient plastics to ensure effective foam generation and hygiene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If restrictors with very small orifices are used to generate fine foam, then high-quality crema is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases and manufacturing precision requirements become extremely high
Solution Approach 1:
The single restrictor with very small orifices is segmented into multiple channels with larger individual orifices. The foaming device comprises a first channel with first orifices and a second channel with second orifices, where each orifice has dimensions substantially greater than conventional restrictors. This segmentation maintains total flow restriction while using manufacturable orifice sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
A gas injection system acts as an intermediary to introduce gas into the beverage stream at the restrictor outlet. This gas injection enables foam generation without requiring extremely small orifices, as the gas-liquid mixing occurs in the chamber rather than through restrictive passages.
2Reliability
If restrictors with very small orifices are used, then fine foam is generated, but the device is prone to clogging from dried beverage residue
Solution Approach 1:
The single small orifice is divided into multiple larger orifices across two channels. The larger individual orifice dimensions reduce susceptibility to clogging from dried beverage residue while maintaining the necessary flow restriction through the multi-channel configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates a movable partition wall that can shift between positions to dynamically adjust the distribution of flow between the first and second channels. This dynamic adjustment allows optimization of flow patterns to prevent residue accumulation and clogging in any single channel.
3Reliability
If complex tube structures with beads are used for foaming, then foam generation is achieved, but cleaning becomes difficult and hygiene issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The foaming device is segmented into distinct, separable components including a removable partition wall and defined channels. This segmentation allows complete disassembly and access to all internal surfaces for thorough cleaning, eliminating the hidden crevices present in bead-filled tubes.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a closed tube structure with internal beads that traps residue, the invention uses an open-channel configuration with defined flow paths. The beverage flows through exposed channels that are easily accessible for cleaning, inverting the conventional enclosed tube approach.
4Stress or pressure
If high fluid flow rate is used through restrictors, then necessary pressure drop is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure drop requirement is distributed across multiple channels with multiple orifices each. While individual orifices are larger and simpler to manufacture, the collective arrangement of first channel with first orifices and second channel with second orifices achieves the necessary total pressure drop without complex single-orifice restrictors.
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 apparatus effectively generates high-quality foam with improved crema stability and ease of cleaning, reducing manufacturing costs and preventing cross-contamination, while being suitable for various beverages.
Implementation Method 1
In the cavity left between the two plates a turbulence generating path is created where the beverage is foamed
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3b
Figure 3c~3d
AI summary
A foaming device comprising a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet spaced apart from said fluid inlet and a fluid conduit extending from said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet, the fluid conduit defining a cavity characterised in that said fluid conduit comprises first and second plates at least one of which comprises a plurality of baffles projecting into the cavity of the fluid conduit, and wherein at least one plate is movable with respect to the other to vary the distance between said plates.