Beverage machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage vending machines are bulky and costly due to the need for multiple storage containers for cleaning and descaling agents, which are often designed as disposable items or require pumps, leading to high production and acquisition costs and environmental waste.
Innovation Solution
A compact beverage vending machine design with a single receiving space for interchangeable reservoirs, where the electronic control device automatically selects the appropriate cleaning or descaling program based on the inserted container, and the flow line system is flushed with fresh water to prevent residue buildup, allowing for flexible adaptation to user needs and regional water hardness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple storage containers for cleaning and descaling agents are provided, then the beverage vending machine can perform comprehensive maintenance functions, but the machine becomes bulky and complex
Solution Approach 1:
A single storage container is designed to hold multiple different maintenance agents (cleaning agent, descaling agent, and rinse agent) through interchangeable cartridges or compartments. The electronic control device automatically identifies the inserted cartridge type and selects the appropriate maintenance program, allowing one physical container to serve multiple maintenance functions that previously required separate containers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple storage containers into a single integrated storage container structure. Instead of providing separate physical containers for cleaning agent, descaling agent, and rinse agent, the invention merges them into one container that can hold different agent types, reducing the overall number of components and simplifying the machine structure.
2Ease of operation
If disposable storage containers with pumps are used, then cleaning and descaling agents can be automatically delivered, but production and acquisition costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pump mechanism is extracted from the storage container and relocated to the beverage vending machine's main body. Instead of incorporating expensive pumps into disposable containers, the invention uses the machine's existing pump system to deliver maintenance agents from simple, pump-free storage containers, significantly reducing production costs while maintaining automatic delivery capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage containers are designed to work passively with the machine's existing fluid delivery system. The containers simply store the maintenance agents, and the machine's pump and control systems handle all active delivery functions, allowing the containers to be simple, low-cost components that rely on the machine's infrastructure for automated operation.
3Ease of operation
If disposable storage containers are used, then ease of use is improved, but environmental waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding entire disposable storage containers after use, the invention enables recovery and reuse of the container structure. The same physical container can be emptied, refilled with different maintenance agents, and reinserted into the machine multiple times, transforming a single-use component into a reusable vessel that reduces waste while maintaining ease of operation.
4Device complexity
If a single storage container is used, then the machine becomes compact and cost-effective, but the ability to store multiple agents simultaneously is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The storage container is designed with dynamic, reconfigurable internal structure. Instead of fixed compartments for different agents, the container can be configured to hold different types of maintenance agents in different arrangements. The electronic control device dynamically selects which agent to use based on the inserted cartridge type and the selected maintenance program, allowing a single physical container to provide the storage capacity of multiple fixed containers.
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 results in a more compact, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly machine that maintains hygiene and comfort standards by optimizing cleaning and descaling processes based on user-specific requirements and water conditions, reducing waste and production costs.
Implementation Method 1
the flow line system is flushed with fresh water to prevent residue buildup
Data Source
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AI summary
A beverage dispenser (1) is presented, comprising: - a housing (2) with at least one side freely accessible from the outside, - a flow line system (3) with a water source (4), fluid lines (6, 7, 8, 9) and units (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16) for flow control and production of at least one infusion beverage as well as for the preparation or supplementation of the infusion beverage by means of steam or available beverage additives and with dispensing devices (17, 18, 19, 20) for dispensing the steam, the at least one infusion beverage and/or the beverage additives, - an electronic control device (21) designed to activate and deactivate the fluid lines and units for flow control and production of at least one infusion beverage and to carry out the control and monitoring processes of the beverage dispenser (1).According to the invention, the beverage vending machine is characterized in that the housing (2) of the beverage vending machine (1) has a receiving space (22) on a side freely accessible from the outside with a coupling device for the detachable receiving of a suitable carrier (23, 24) and in which one of at least two interchangeable storage containers (25, 26) can be alternately inserted into and removed from the carrier (23, 24).