Beverage maker
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage makers, such as French presses and filtering presses, are not self-contained, require external vessels for collection, and are inconvenient to use, clean, and maintain due to complex filter systems and incomplete separation of beverage from the brewing material.
Innovation Solution
A self-contained beverage maker with an outer receptacle and inner housing that allows for the separation of liquid from solid brewing material through a filter element, enabling direct consumption and easy cleaning, featuring a filter element that seals with the receptacle to prevent fluid flow and a sliding inner housing to increase pressure and filter the mixture into a connected conduit for the beverage receptacle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a filter member is used to separate beverage from brewing material, then the beverage can be filtered, but the filter member requires specialized bendable filters with pull tabs and an elaborate superstructure, increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate functional components: an outer housing for holding the mixture, an inner housing that slides to apply pressure, and a filter member that remains stationary. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex bendable filters with pull tabs, as each component performs its specific function independently.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a complex bendable filter that requires pull tabs for detachment, the invention inverts the approach by using a simple stationary filter member and a sliding inner housing. The filtration function is achieved through the stationary filter combined with pressure application, eliminating the need for elaborate filter support structures.
2Device complexity
If the beverage maker allows contact between made beverage and mixture through the filter member, then the structure is simple, but further liquid passes into the beverage causing undesirable flavors
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the made beverage from contact with the brewing mixture by using a stationary filter member that completely separates the two. The inner housing slides to apply pressure and force liquid through the filter, but once filtered, the beverage is held in the inner housing away from the remaining mixture, preventing any further contact that could cause undesirable flavors.
Solution Approach 2:
The stationary filter member acts as an intermediary that completely separates the brewing mixture from the made beverage. It allows liquid to pass through during filtration but prevents any further passage of liquid or contaminants from the mixture into the finished beverage, thus eliminating flavor contamination while maintaining structural simplicity.
3Device complexity
If an external vessel is used to collect filtered liquid, then the filtering press can be simple, but a separate device is required for drinking, which is highly inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the filtering press function with the beverage collection and consumption function into a single self-contained device. The inner housing serves dual purposes: it applies pressure during filtration and simultaneously collects the filtered beverage. This eliminates the need for a separate external vessel, making the device convenient to use and allowing direct consumption from the inner housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner housing is designed with multi-functionality: it acts as a plunger to apply pressure during filtration, serves as a collection vessel for the filtered beverage, and functions as the drinking container. This universal design eliminates the need for separate devices for each function, greatly improving ease of operation and convenience.
4Ease of operation
If the inner housing slides within the outer housing to filter the mixture, then the beverage can be collected in the inner housing, but the filter element must remain substantially stationary requiring sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The filter member is pre-positioned in a stationary location within the outer housing before the inner housing is inserted. This preliminary positioning ensures that the filter is already in place to receive the mixture, and the sealing arrangement is pre-established between the filter member and outer housing, simplifying the overall operation while enabling beverage collection in the sliding inner housing.
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 provides a convenient, easy-to-clean, and self-contained beverage maker that allows direct consumption of the beverage while preventing further flavor contamination, ensuring a clean and efficient brewing process.
Implementation Method 1
the filter element configured to remain substantially stationary and to filter the mixture to provide the beverage in the fluid flow space
Implementation Method 2
the inner housing configured to be received in and slide in the outer receptacle... as the inner housing slides in the outer receptacle toward the closed bottom
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage maker, particularly for coffee or tea, includes an outer receptacle for containing a mixture of a liquid and a solid beverage making material. A filter element mountable within the outer receptacle divides the outer receptacle into a fluid flow space between the filter element and a closed bottom of the outer receptacle, and a holding space between the filter element and a top of the outer receptacle where the liquid and solid material are mixed to form a beverage. An inner housing having a beverage receptacle may slide in the outer receptacle to filter the beverage through the substantially stationary filter element to provide the beverage in the fluid flow space. Under continued pressure, the beverage is forced into at least one fluid flow conduit fluidly connecting the fluid flow space to the beverage receptacle to fill the beverage receptacle.