Beverage machine with separable fluid module
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage preparation machines face challenges in efficiently preparing and dispensing beverages with varying volumes and temperatures without complex control systems or active thermal conditioning, and require user-friendly maintenance and servicing of fluid modules.
Innovation Solution
A beverage machine with a centrifugal processing unit and a modular fluid module that allows user-friendly assembly and disassembly, enabling the preparation of beverages by mixing water with flavoring ingredients through centrifugation, with optional thermal conditioning and adjustable flow control, and supports user-reversible assembly of components for servicing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a thermal conditioner is used to heat water for beverage preparation, then beverage temperature quality is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-heats water in a thermal conditioner before storage in a water reservoir, so that when beverage preparation occurs, pre-heated water is already available without requiring additional heating energy at the moment of use. This preliminary thermal conditioning resolves the contradiction by preparing the thermal state in advance.
Solution Approach 2:
The water reservoir maintains thermal insulation to keep water at desired temperatures without continuous external energy input. The system serves itself by maintaining thermal conditions through passive insulation rather than active heating, reducing ongoing energy consumption while preserving beverage temperature quality.
2Ease of operation
If a pump is used to deliver water through the system, then water flow control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces an active pump mechanism with a passive gravity-based water delivery system. Water flows from the reservoir to the processing unit through gravity-driven flow paths, eliminating the need for mechanical pumps while maintaining adequate water flow control for beverage preparation.
3Productivity
If the beverage processing unit is kept assembled, then beverage preparation speed is improved, but cleaning and maintenance difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The beverage processing unit is designed as a separable module that can be detached from the water reservoir and other system components. This segmentation allows the processing unit to remain assembled during beverage preparation for efficiency, while enabling easy disassembly for cleaning and maintenance by separating it into manageable parts that can be accessed and cleaned individually.
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 efficient preparation of beverages with user-friendly maintenance and flexible volume/temperature control, reducing the need for complex control systems and active thermal conditioning, while allowing easy servicing and assembly/disassembly of fluid modules.
Implementation Method 1
preparing a beverage by mixing water with the flavouring ingredient, e.g. by centrifugally driving such flavouring ingredient with water
Data Source
AI summary
A machine (1) for preparing a beverage has a beverage processing unit (10,20) formed of a first processing unit member (10) and a second processing unit member (20) that delimit a chamber (21) and that are movable between a distant configuration in which the ingredient (2) is received in the chamber (21) and a proximate configuration in which the ingredient (2) is held and mixed with the water (4) in the chamber (21). The machine includes: a water source for delivering the water (4) towards the beverage processing unit (10,20); and a fluid module (15) having a water guide (30) for guiding the water (4) between the water source and the chamber (21), the fluid module (15) comprising the first processing unit member (10) of the processing unit (10,20). The fluid module (15) is assemblable by a user as a unit to the water source and to the second processing unit member (20) and is disassemblable by a user as a unit from the water source and from the second processing unit member (20).