Brew Chamber-Triggered Water Delivery for Fresh Beverage Brewing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Beverage forming devices, such as coffee brewers, often require users to manually provide and manage water, which can lead to inconsistent liquid volumes and quality, especially in applications like hotel rooms where precise control over water type and volume is desired, and may result in stale water between uses.
Innovation Solution
A beverage formation device with a reservoir that allows users to visually confirm emptiness and automatically delivers water to a heating tank when the brew chamber is opened, ensuring precise liquid control and freshness by allowing users to pour in the desired volume and type of liquid, and automatically stopping the flow when the brew chamber is closed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a user manually provides water to the brewer, then the user can control the volume and type of liquid used, but the user must remember to empty the brewer between uses to prevent stale water accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The brewer automatically empties water from the brew chamber into the waste container when the chamber is opened, eliminating the need for user intervention to prevent stale water accumulation. The system serves itself by detecting the open state and autonomously draining the chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The brewer performs the emptying action in advance of the next brewing cycle, automatically draining the chamber as soon as it is opened. This preliminary action ensures the chamber is ready for the next use without requiring user intervention.
2Productivity
If the brewer maintains water in the brew chamber between uses, then the device is ready for quick use, but stale water accumulates reducing beverage quality
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically manages water removal from the brew chamber, performing the emptying function without user intervention. This self-service mechanism ensures consistent beverage quality by preventing stale water accumulation while maintaining operational efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If the brew chamber is opened to add a cartridge, then the user can load the beverage medium, but water may be lost from the brew chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The brewer automatically drains water from the brew chamber into the waste container as soon as the chamber is opened, before any cartridge replacement occurs. This preliminary action prevents water loss during the cartridge loading process.
Solution Approach 2:
The waste container serves as an intermediary receptacle to receive and contain water that is automatically drained from the brew chamber when opened, preventing water loss and spillage during cartridge replacement operations.
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 solution enables precise control over beverage preparation, ensuring the use of fresh water for each brew cycle, maintaining device cleanliness, and improving beverage quality by ensuring the correct volume and type of liquid are used, while also preventing stale water accumulation.
Implementation Method 1
the liquid may flow under the force of gravity into the heating tank
Implementation Method 2
a heating tank for heating the beverage precursor liquid
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for forming a beverage using a beverage formation device. Opening of a brew chamber may automatically enable the provision of beverage precursor liquid from a reservoir to a heating tank that is used (heated or not) to form a beverage. For example, opening of the brew chamber may cause a valve to be opened or otherwise permit flow of beverage precursor liquid from the reservoir to the heating tank. The valve may open simultaneously and automatically with a brew chamber lid, and may close when the brew chamber lid is closed.