Beverage Machine Sealing Device with Displaceable Peripheral Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Beverage preparation machines face limitations in efficiently handling and mixing solid flavoring ingredients with water, particularly in terms of mechanical handling and thermal conditioning, which affects the quality and consistency of beverages like coffee, tea, and chocolate.
Innovation Solution
A machine with a mixing unit that includes a stationary support, a movable seat with a piston, and a closure part, capable of receiving unwrapped solid flavoring ingredients, and equipped with a thermal conditioner, actuators, and a control unit to manage the mixing process, ensuring precise control over the mixing and dispensing of beverages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a piston is used to compress solid flavoring ingredients in a mixing chamber, then the mixing efficiency and ingredient breakdown are improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional mechanical components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the compression function with the mixing function by integrating the piston directly into the mixing chamber structure. The piston serves dual purposes: compressing the solid flavoring ingredient to break it down and simultaneously mixing it with water, thereby improving mixing efficiency while avoiding the need for separate compression and mixing mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston is designed as a multi-functional component that performs multiple operations within the mixing chamber. It not only compresses the solid ingredient to facilitate breakdown but also agitates and mixes the resulting mixture with water. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of components needed, addressing the device complexity issue while maintaining high productivity.
2Reliability
If a movable seat with closure part is used to contain the mixing chamber, then the sealing and containment of ingredients are improved, but the ease of operation decreases due to additional moving parts
Solution Approach 1:
The seat is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to adapt its position during the mixing process. The closure part can move to accommodate the piston's motion and maintain effective sealing throughout the compression and mixing cycles. This dynamic design ensures reliable containment while the automated actuation minimizes the operational effort required by the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure part is equipped with an actuator that automatically controls its movement and sealing action. The system self-regulates the opening and closing of the mixing chamber based on the operational cycle, eliminating the need for manual intervention to maintain sealing. This automation improves reliability while simplifying operation, as the user only needs to initiate the process rather than manually manage each sealing action.
3Temperature
If thermal conditioning is applied to water before mixing, then the beverage temperature control is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal conditioner pre-heats or pre-cools the water before it enters the mixing chamber, preparing it in advance for the mixing process. This preliminary thermal conditioning ensures that the correct temperature is achieved efficiently, as the water is already at the desired temperature when mixing begins, reducing the need for additional energy input during the mixing phase and optimizing overall energy consumption.
4Manufacturing precision
If a control unit with actuators is used to automate the mixing process, then the manufacturing precision of beverage volume and temperature is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor the mixing process parameters such as volume, temperature, and mixing duration. Based on this feedback, the control unit automatically adjusts the actuator operations to maintain precise control over the beverage preparation. This closed-loop control system ensures high manufacturing precision while the automation reduces manual intervention, effectively managing the complexity through intelligent control rather than purely mechanical means.
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 efficient preparation and dispensing of various beverages by effectively crushing and mixing solid flavoring ingredients with water, providing adjustable serving volumes and temperatures, thereby enhancing the quality and consistency of beverages.
Implementation Method 1
a piston 14 movable inside the seat 12, the piston 14 being dimensioned to be in sliding contact along and over inner boundaries of the inner shape of the seat at a seal 141 that is stationary relative to the piston and that seals the piston against the inner shape
Implementation Method 2
via a thermal conditioner, e.g. a water heater and/or a cooler
Implementation Method 3
which pumps the liquid from a source of water that is cold or indeed heated through heating means
Data Source
AI summary
A machine (1) for serving a beverage (7) via a dispensing outlet (8) to a consumer receptacle (9) by mixing water (3) from a water source (3) with a flavouring ingredient (2), has a mixing unit (10) that comprises: a stationary support (11); a seat (12) having an ingredient opening (120); a closure part (13) configured to close and open the ingredient opening (120); and a wall part (14) that is movable inside the seat (12). The seat (12), the closure part (13) and the wall part (14) are: mounted to the support (11); and relatively movable between a transfer configuration and a mixing chamber configuration in which the seat (12) and the closure part (13) and the wall part (14) form a mixing chamber (12′) fluidically connected with the water source (3) The closure part (13) comprises a closure holder (131) and a peripheral sealing member (130) displaceably mounted on the holder (131) and urged away from the holder (131) against the seat (12) while the flavouring ingredient (2) is mixed with the water (3) in the mixing chamber (12′).