Beverage preparation system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage preparation systems with oscillating piston pumps face challenges in maintaining consistent beverage quality and user comfort due to varying flow resistances across different preparation unit variants, leading to inconsistent delivery volume flows and pressures.
Innovation Solution
A beverage preparation system with an oscillating piston pump and a flow limitation unit that provides a flow resistance greater than 50% of the preparation unit variants, decoupling delivery volume flow from dynamic pressure, ensuring a substantially constant delivery volume flow across a wide pressure range, and featuring a compact, robust design with adjustable flow cross-sections to prevent clogging and enhance user convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If different preparation unit variants with different flow resistances are used, then beverage preparation versatility is improved, but delivery volume flow consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A flow limitation unit is introduced as an intermediary component between the pump and the preparation unit. This flow limiter acts as a mediator that standardizes the flow characteristics regardless of the preparation unit variant used, ensuring consistent delivery volume flow across all compatible units while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow limitation unit changes the flow resistance parameter of the system to a standardized value that dominates over the variations in preparation unit flow resistance. By setting the flow limiter's resistance significantly higher than that of any preparation unit variant, the system achieves parameter standardization that ensures consistent flow delivery across all variants.
2Reliability
If flow resistance is increased to limit delivery volume flow, then beverage quality consistency is improved, but system pressure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow limitation unit applies excessive flow resistance relative to the preparation units, deliberately creating a bottleneck that dominates the flow characteristics. This excessive action ensures that the flow limiter's resistance overwhelms any variations from preparation units, guaranteeing consistent delivery volume flow and beverage quality while the pump compensates for the pressure requirement.
3Reliability
If flow limitation unit with high flow resistance is added, then delivery volume flow control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow limitation function is extracted as a separate, dedicated component rather than being integrated into the pump or preparation units. This extraction allows the flow limiter to be designed as a simple, standalone element with a single function, minimizing its structural complexity while maximizing its impact on flow control reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow limitation unit is designed with localized flow restriction features (such as restricted flow passages or orifices) concentrated at specific critical points in the fluid path. This local quality approach achieves effective flow control with minimal structural intervention, avoiding the need for complex system-wide modifications.
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 system achieves a consistently high beverage quality and user comfort by maintaining a stable delivery volume flow, reducing pressure variations, and allowing for flexible operation across different preparation unit variants, ensuring reliable performance and ease of use.
Implementation Method 1
the flow limitation unit has a flow resistance which limits a delivery volume flow corresponding to a flow resistance that is greater than the flow resistance of at least 50% of the preparation unit variants
Implementation Method 2
an oscillating piston pump with a pump chamber
Implementation Method 3
a pump element, for example a working piston, accelerates a liquid to be pumped
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a beverage preparation system, in particular a beverage machine system, comprising a plurality of preparation unit variants (12a, 4a, 16a; 12b, 14b, 16b; 12c, 14c, 16c) which have different values for a flow resistance and comprising a domestic appliance (18a) which has an oscillating piston pump (20a; 20b; 20c) with a pump chamber (22a) and at least one flow limiting unit (24a; 24b; 24c) which is arranged fluidically at least substantially in front of the pump chamber (22a). The flow limiting unit (24a; 24b; 24c) has a flow resistor which limits a dispensing volume flow in accordance with a flow resistance which is greater than the flow resistance of at least 50% of the preparation unit variants (12a, 14a, 16a; 12b, 14b, 16b; 12c, 14c, 16c).