Beverage machine with an arrangement for maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Beverage preparation machines face challenges in efficiently handling and mixing solid flavoring ingredients with water, particularly in terms of crushing and mixing mechanisms, which affect 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 cylindrical shape, a closure part, and a wall part actuated by motors, allowing for the crushing and mixing of solid flavoring ingredients with water under controlled compression forces, and featuring a maintenance guide for easy access and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a complex crushing and mixing mechanism is used to handle solid flavoring ingredients, then the beverage quality and consistency are improved, but the device complexity and difficulty of maintenance increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing unit is divided into separable components including a removable seat, closure part, and wall part that can be accessed individually through the maintenance guide. This segmentation allows complex functions to be maintained while simplifying maintenance operations by enabling component-by-component access without disassembling the entire mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
A maintenance guide is introduced as an intermediary structure that provides access to internal components through a user-friendly interface. The maintenance guide acts as a mediator between the operator and the complex crushing-mixing mechanism, allowing maintenance without requiring direct access to complex internal parts.
2Productivity
If the mixing unit is designed with multiple movable parts for effective crushing and mixing, then the beverage preparation function is improved, but the ease of maintenance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing unit incorporates movable parts including a rotatable seat and movable wall parts that can be actuated by motors during beverage preparation. During maintenance, these dynamic components can be positioned in accessible configurations or removed entirely through the maintenance guide, allowing efficient operation during use and easy access during maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The maintenance guide is designed to be opened and components accessed before actual maintenance is needed. This preliminary arrangement of access paths and component positions allows operators to prepare for maintenance activities in advance, reducing the time and complexity of actual maintenance operations.
3Ease of repair
If the seat is made movable for maintenance access, then the ease of maintenance is improved, but the stability of the mixing chamber configuration deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The seat is designed with controlled mobility - it can be moved when needed for maintenance access through the maintenance guide, but can be securely positioned and locked in the stable brewing configuration during beverage preparation. This dynamic design allows the seat to transition between stable operational state and accessible maintenance state as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The design includes provisions for securing the seat in its brewing configuration before maintenance activities. This prior arrangement of securing mechanisms ensures that the mixing chamber configuration remains stable during operation, while allowing controlled access when maintenance is required.
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 machine effectively crushes and mixes flavoring ingredients with water to produce consistent beverages, while the maintenance guide facilitates easy maintenance and cleaning, enhancing the machine's operational efficiency and longevity.
Implementation Method 1
a wall part (14) that is movable inside the seat (12) and that is configured to exercise a compression force onto the solid portion (2)
Implementation Method 2
via a liquid driver, such as a pump
Implementation Method 3
via a thermal conditioner, e.g. a water heater and/or a cooler
Data Source
AI summary
A machine (1) for preparing a beverage (7) has a mixing unit (10) that includes: a stationary support (11); a seat (12); a closure part (13) configured to close and open the seat (12); a wall part (14) that is movable inside the seat (12). The seat (12), the closure part (13) and the wall part (14) are relatively movable between an ingredient transfer configuration and a mixing chamber configuration. The mixing unit (10) has a maintenance guide (111a,112c) and a gate (111b) configured to open and close the maintenance guide (111a,112c). At least one of the frame (11), the seat (12), the closure part (13) and the wall part (14) is/are configured to enter the maintenance guide (111a,112c) when the gate (111b) is open and to be relatively moved into a maintenance configuration for carrying out a maintenance operation.