Hot Beverage Mixer with Tangential Injection for Fast, Clean Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hot beverage vending machine mixers face difficulties in servicing and cleaning due to numerous components and slow beverage dispensing, which can lead to clogging when producing large quantities.
Innovation Solution
A compact mixer design with a reduced number of components, incorporating a two-point suction system and dual injection tubes for efficient steam and volatile product management, and a tangential pump mechanism for fast beverage outflow, allowing for easy maintenance and preventing clogging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mixer with a larger number of component parts is used to achieve good-quality beverage mixing, then mixing performance is improved, but servicing and cleaning become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single integrated mixing chamber structure. The mixing chamber incorporates both the mixing function and the steam collection function within one unified component, eliminating the need for separate steam collection devices. This merging reduces the total number of components while maintaining effective beverage mixing and steam management, thereby improving ease of servicing and cleaning without compromising beverage quality.
2Device complexity
If beverage dispensing is effected purely by gravity, then the structure is simple, but dispensing is slow and clogging occurs when producing large amounts of beverage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a pump mechanism to assist the gravity-driven flow. The pump creates positive pressure to push the beverage through the dispensing system, overcoming the limitations of gravity alone. This hydraulic assistance enables faster dispensing speeds and prevents clogging when producing large quantities of beverage, while the overall structure remains relatively simple by using a single pump unit rather than complex multi-component systems.
3Productivity
If a larger-capacity mixer is used to eliminate clogging when producing large amounts of beverage, then clogging is prevented, but beverage outflow time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamically adjustable pump system that can vary its operating speed and pressure output based on the dispensing requirements. When producing large amounts of beverage, the pump operates at higher speeds and pressures to prevent clogging. When normal dispensing occurs, the pump operates at lower settings to maintain appropriate flow rates. This dynamic adjustment prevents clogging without unnecessarily extending beverage outflow time during normal operation.
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 enables faster beverage dispensing, reduces clogging risks, and simplifies maintenance by confining steam and volatile components within the mixer, ensuring effective operation and cost competitiveness.
Implementation Method 1
a tangential pump mechanism for fast beverage outflow
Implementation Method 2
The steam from the hot water, and the more volatile, intangible portion of the powdered product escaping the mixing process remain confined within the mixer
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A beverage vending machine mixer (14) for mixing a soluble product and hot water, wherein a first injection means (24) injects water directly onto the bottom (31) of a mixing chamber (16), a second injection means (30) injects water tangentially into the top of the mixing chamber (16), and, mixing means being located between the bottom (31) of the mixing chamber (16) and an outflow chamber (33) connected to outflow means (34), the beverage is pushed to the outflow point.