Beverage machine with draining means for residual water
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage preparation machines face issues with efficiently extracting residual water from the brewing process, leading to potential backflow of brewing material particles into the fluid system, which can cause problems throughout the machine.
Innovation Solution
The machine incorporates a piston that moves between brewing and ejection positions to also function as a drainage valve, with a drainage outlet at the lowest point of the brewing pot, allowing residual water to flow out due to gravity, and a perforated piston surface for water escape, ensuring air access and preventing backflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a drainage valve unit is provided in the brewing water supply line to extract residual water, then residual water can be drained from the brewing unit, but brewing material particles can get into the drainage valve and cause problems throughout the fluid system
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage outlet is separated from the brewing water supply line and positioned at the lowest point of the brewing pot, extracting the drainage function to a location where brewing material particles cannot reach, thus preventing contamination of the fluid system while maintaining reliable drainage
2Reliability
If additional drives are added to remove residual water from the brewing pot, then residual water extraction can be improved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage outlet is positioned at the lowest point of the brewing pot, utilizing gravity to create a natural flow path for residual water extraction without requiring additional drives or energy input, thereby maintaining simple device architecture while achieving reliable drainage
Solution Approach 2:
The brewing material itself serves the dual function of being the product and the squeezing mechanism - when the piston compresses the brewing material, the material's own structure and compression force facilitate the extraction of residual water through the drainage outlet at the lowest point, eliminating the need for separate pumping mechanisms
3Device complexity
If the piston is designed to both eject brewing material and drain residual water, then device complexity is reduced, but the piston must perform multiple functions which may compromise its primary ejection function
Solution Approach 1:
The piston is designed with a perforated surface that enables it to perform both its primary function of ejecting brewing material and a secondary function of draining residual water, without compromising either function - the perforations allow water passage while the piston's mechanical action remains effective for material ejection
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
This solution effectively removes residual water without additional drives, prevents backflow into the fluid system, and maintains a simple, space-saving design, ensuring reliable drainage and reduced maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
The drainage outlet can be arranged in the installation position of the brewing pot at its lowest point, so that the residual water can flow off completely, at least favored by gravity
Implementation Method 2
A piston surface of the piston is preferably perforated with at least one residual water hole and preferably with a large number of residual water holes, so that residual water that has been squeezed out of the brewing material can escape through the piston surface during squeezing
Implementation Method 3
A sufficient access of air into the discharge channel is ensured, so that the piston can be described as an aerated sieve in the drainage position
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a beverage preparation machine with a brewing pot (30) for receiving the brewing material (K) and a piston (50) that is movable relative to the brewing pot (30) for ejecting the brewing material (K). The brewing pot (30) has a drainage outlet (36) for draining residual water from the brewing pot (30). The piston (50) is configured to i) open the drainage outlet (36) in a drainage position (P) of the piston (50) and ii) close the drainage outlet (36) in a brewing position of the piston (50).