Beverage Maker Sensor-Based Flushing to Reduce Water Consumption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage makers consume excessive water during cleaning cycles to ensure complete removal of cleaning agents, leading to inefficiencies in water usage and prolonged downtime before the next beverage dispensing, while also posing a safety risk due to residual cleaning agents.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a sensor in the discharge channel to detect cleaning agents and a control unit that regulates water removal based on measured values, allowing for precise flushing with only the required amount of water to ensure agent removal, thereby reducing water consumption and ensuring user safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an excessively large amount of flushing liquid is used to ensure complete removal of cleaning agent, then user safety is ensured, but water consumption increases and time for next beverage dispensing is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism by placing a sensor in the discharge channel that continuously monitors cleaning agent concentration in real-time. The control unit receives signals from the sensor and dynamically adjusts the flushing process, stopping water supply when the sensor detects that cleaning agent concentration has fallen below a predetermined threshold. This closed-loop feedback system replaces the open-loop approach of using fixed excessive amounts of water, thereby reducing water consumption while ensuring user safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/manual approach of determining flushing duration with an automated sensor-based detection system. Instead of relying on predetermined flushing times or excessive water volumes, the system uses electronic sensors to detect cleaning agent presence and automatically controls the flushing termination, substituting mechanical judgment with precise electronic measurement and control.
2Reliability
If an excessively large amount of flushing liquid is used to ensure complete removal of cleaning agent, then user safety is ensured, but time for next beverage dispensing is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The real-time feedback from the sensor allows the system to terminate flushing as soon as the cleaning agent concentration drops below the safety threshold, rather than continuing for a predetermined extended period. This dynamic adjustment based on actual conditions minimizes the downtime between cleaning cycles and beverage dispensing while maintaining user safety standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic control to the flushing process, where the water supply rate and duration are adjusted in real-time based on sensor feedback. Instead of using a static, overly conservative flushing time, the system adapts the flushing parameters to the actual cleaning agent concentration, thereby reducing unnecessary waiting time while ensuring safety.
3Reliability
If a multiple of the amount actually required for flushing is used, then complete removal of cleaning agent is ensured, but water consumption increases unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor provides continuous feedback on cleaning agent concentration, allowing the system to stop flushing precisely when the concentration falls below the safety threshold. This eliminates the need to use a multiple of the required water amount, as the feedback mechanism ensures complete removal with the minimum necessary water consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from a fixed water volume (multiple of required amount) to a dynamic parameter based on real-time concentration measurement. By monitoring and responding to actual cleaning agent levels, the system adjusts water consumption to match the precise requirements of each flushing cycle, eliminating unnecessary water usage.
4Ease of operation
If flushing is carried out with a fixed amount of water, then the process is simple, but it cannot adapt to different usage frequencies and dirt accumulation levels
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor-based feedback system automatically adapts the flushing process to different usage frequencies and dirt accumulation levels without requiring user intervention or complex programming. The sensor detects the actual cleaning agent concentration regardless of how often the machine is used or how dirty it was, and the control unit adjusts the flushing accordingly, maintaining simplicity while achieving adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-adjustment based on sensor feedback, automatically adapting to varying conditions without external control. The sensor and control unit work together to monitor and regulate the flushing process in real-time, allowing the beverage maker to adapt to different usage patterns autonomously while keeping the operation simple for the user.
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 approach significantly reduces water consumption, shortens downtime between beverage dispensing, and ensures safety by accurately monitoring and controlling cleaning agent residues, offering both economic and ecological benefits.
Implementation Method 1
the discharge channel has a sensor suitable for detecting a cleaning agent in water
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage maker and a method for operating a beverage maker are provided, wherein the. beverage maker includes a discharge channel having a sensor configured to detect a cleaning agent in water and a control unit configured to receive measured values from the sensor and to take the received measured values as a basis for regulating a water intake from the water source. The method includes regulating water intake from the water source based upon the measured values from the sensor in the dis-charge channel to ensure that only an amount of water necessary for re-moving remaining cleaning agent from the beverage maker is utilized for flushing.