Beverage Maker Fluid Supply Control via Flow Rate Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Beverage makers lack a reliable mechanism to detect fluid shortages during operations, leading to potential degradation of beverage quality and hygiene issues due to incomplete fluid supply.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a flow rate detection sensor to monitor fluid flow velocity and flow rate, triggering a fluid replenishment request when insufficient fluid is detected, and automatically stopping operations until the fluid level is restored.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a beverage maker operates without a fluid level detection mechanism, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of beverage quality and hygiene is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where a flow rate detection sensor continuously monitors fluid flow during operations. When the sensor detects that fluid flow falls below a predetermined threshold, it sends a signal to the controller, which then generates a fluid replenishment request. This closed-loop feedback system ensures reliable beverage quality and hygiene by automatically detecting fluid shortages and prompting timely replenishment.
2Reliability
If the beverage maker automatically stops operations upon detecting fluid shortage, then the beverage quality is protected, but the productivity is reduced due to operation interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of fluid shortages before they critically affect beverage quality. The flow rate detection sensor continuously monitors fluid availability, and the controller proactively stops operations or generates replenishment requests before fluid levels drop to dangerous thresholds. This preliminary action prevents quality degradation while minimizing operational interruptions.
3Ease of operation
If the beverage maker requires manual fluid level checking, then the device complexity is minimized, but the ease of operation is degraded due to user burden
Solution Approach 1:
The beverage maker performs self-service by automatically monitoring its own fluid levels through the flow rate detection sensor. The system independently detects when fluid is needed, generates replenishment requests, and notifies users without requiring manual intervention. This eliminates the burden of manual fluid level checking while maintaining reasonable device complexity through a straightforward sensor-controller architecture.
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
Prevents beverage quality degradation and hygiene issues by ensuring adequate fluid supply during operations, reducing user inconvenience by automatically managing fluid levels and prompting replenishment as needed.
Implementation Method 1
a flow rate detection sensor to detect a flow velocity or a flow rate
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage maker may include a fermenter having a space therein to make a beverage; a fluid tank configured to contain fluid; a fluid supply pump connected with the fluid tank; a flow rate detection sensor disposed in a channel connected with the fluid supply pump to detect a flow velocity or a flow rate of fluid which is discharged through the channel by the fluid supply pump; and a controller configured to perform a plurality of operations related to making of a beverage or cleaning of an inside of the beverage maker. The controller may be configured to when an operation requiring a supply of fluid is ongoing from among the plurality of operations, turn on the fluid supply pump to discharge fluid contained in the fluid tank; detect a lack of fluid in the fluid tank based on a first flow velocity or a first flow rate detected by the flow rate detection sensor; and generate a fluid replenishment request for the fluid tank based on a result of detecting.