Electric brewing machine comprising an infusion accessory provided with a mobile gripping device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electric brewing machines face challenges in ensuring a simple, ergonomic, and economical design while maintaining high safety, particularly in the handling and sealing of infusion accessories, which can lead to boiling water leakage and user burns.

Innovation Solution

An electric brewing machine with a movable gripping device that transitions between raised and lowered configurations, combined with a cover that presses against the gripping device to maintain it in the lowered position, ensuring easy handling and sealing, and includes features like steam evacuation circuits to prevent water spillage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the gripping part extends outside the container to facilitate removal of the infusion accessory, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to increased risk of boiling water flowing outside the container

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of removal of infusion accessoryVSAvoidsealing reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The gripping device is made movable between a raised configuration (when lid is open) and a lowered configuration (when lid is closed). This dynamic adjustment allows the gripping part to extend outside the container during removal operations while retracting inside during sealed operation, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and sealing reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the gripping part is arranged entirely under the lid to prevent water leakage, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to reduced accessibility for manipulation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidease of manipulation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The gripping device transitions from a static position to a dynamic one, allowing it to extend outward when needed for manipulation and retract when sealing is required. This dynamic behavior simultaneously achieves both reliability and ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the gripping part is kept outside the water to prevent contamination and user burns, then the safety is improved, but the device complexity increases to achieve the movable configuration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser safetyVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A simple movable mechanism allows the gripping device to dynamically adjust its position, keeping it outside the water during operation for safety while avoiding the need for complex sealing structures or multiple components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The lid itself provides the pressing force to move the gripping device into the lowered configuration, utilizing the existing closing motion to achieve the safety function without additional actuators or complex mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 provides a safe and efficient brewing experience by preventing water leakage and user burns, while maintaining a compact design and easy handling of infusion accessories.

Implementation Method 1

when the cover is in the closed position, the cover is configured to exert a pressing force against the gripping device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 2

the infusion accessory comprises a biasing device configured to elastically bias the gripping device towards the raised configuration

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4623765A1Electric brewing machine comprising an infusion accessory provided with a mobile gripping device
Publication Date: 2025.10.01 SEB SA
  • EP4623765A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4623765A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4623765A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The electric brewing machine comprises a container (4) delimiting an internal volume (5); an infusion accessory (39) comprising a main body (41) configured to be arranged in the internal volume (5) and delimiting an infusion volume (43) configured to contain a product to be infused, and a gripping device attached to an upper part of the main body (41); and a cover (11) configured to close the container (4) and cover the infusion accessory. The gripping device (49) is mounted movably relative to the main body (41) between a raised configuration and a lowered configuration, and the cover (11) is configured to exert a pressing force against the gripping device (49) so as to maintain the gripping device (49) in the lowered configuration.