System for dispensing individual portions of beverages precursor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage portion dispensers are excessively voluminous due to the design requirements for storing used bands, which limits the volume available for precursor portions and necessitates a deep dispenser dimension, making them inefficient in size and functionality.
Innovation Solution
A beverage portion dispenser with a band drive assembly that progressively pulls the flexible portioning band out of the casing, a separating assembly to individually separate portions, and a collecting chamber that compresses and stores the used band, allowing for efficient use of space and compact design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the waste container is designed to store the whole used band, then the band can be collected, but the dispenser volume becomes excessively large
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the band collection function from a dedicated large waste container and relocates it to the smaller casing. The casing is pushed into the collecting chamber to collect the used band, separating the collection function from the main dispenser body and eliminating the need for a large dedicated waste container.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements nesting by pushing the casing into the collecting chamber to collect the used band. The casing acts as a nested container within the dispenser body, allowing compact storage of the used band without increasing the overall dispenser volume.
2Reliability
If the casing is pushed deep into the waste container, then the band can be forced inside, but the dispenser requires excessive depth
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the band containment function from a deep waste container and relocates it to the shallower casing. The casing is designed to be pushed into the collecting chamber, providing containment in a shallower configuration that reduces the overall dispenser depth.
3Reliability
If the waste container volume is increased to accommodate the casing, then the casing can be inserted, but the precursor portion storage volume is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The collecting chamber serves multiple functions: it acts as the primary waste container for the band and simultaneously serves as the receiving chamber for the casing. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for a separate large waste container, maximizing the volume available for precursor portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the waste container and receiving chamber into a single collecting chamber. The casing is pushed into this combined chamber to collect the band, eliminating the need for separate containers and optimizing the use of dispenser volume for precursor portion storage.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention concerns a beverage portion dispenser (1) arranged for dispensing beverage precursor portions (3), said portions being individually contained in a flexible portioning band (2), said band being held in a casing (6), said dispenser comprising: —a receiving area (11) for receiving and holding the casing (6), —a band drive assembly (12) arranged for taking the band (2) out of the casing (6) and for moving successively each sealed beverage precursor portion to a separating assembly, —a separating assembly (13) configured to individually separate each portion (3) from the band (2), —a collecting chamber (15) configured to store the band separated from the portion, wherein said dispenser comprises: —a pushing member (16) configured to push the whole band (2) out of the collecting chamber (15) to the receiving area (11).