A brewing unit and a beverage producing device including such brewing unit
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage producing machines, especially those in vending machines, face challenges in maintaining optimal brewing temperatures due to environmental conditions and prolonged inactivity, leading to poor beverage quality.
Innovation Solution
A brewing unit with a supporting structure, a brewing chamber, a hot water delivery duct, a beverage dispensing duct, and an electric heater separate from the water heater, which is in heat exchange relationship with the brewing chamber, allowing for efficient pre-heating and temperature maintenance using a PTC resistor for self-regulation and heat transfer through conduction or convection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the water heater is turned off after a predetermined time interval of inactivity to save energy, then energy consumption is reduced, but the brewing chamber cannot be properly pre-heated upon re-activation
Solution Approach 1:
The electric heater is activated before the brewing cycle starts to pre-heat the brewing chamber, ensuring the chamber reaches optimal temperature even after prolonged inactivity. This preliminary heating action resolves the contradiction by maintaining brewing reliability without requiring the water heater to remain continuously on.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating function is divided into two separate systems: the water heater for heating brewing water and the electric heater for pre-heating the brewing chamber. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, enabling energy-saving shutdown of the water heater while maintaining chamber temperature through the dedicated electric heater.
2Loss of energy
If the water heater is mounted adjacent the brewing chamber to recover dissipated heat, then thermal efficiency is improved, but design constraints are imposed and only a portion of the brewing chamber can be heated
Solution Approach 1:
The electric heater acts as an intermediary heating device that can be positioned independently of the water heater. It provides thermal energy to the brewing chamber through the enclosure without requiring direct adjacency to the water heater, thus avoiding the design constraints while still achieving thermal efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of relying solely on spatial proximity to the water heater for heat recovery, the solution introduces a third dimension: an electric heater that can be mounted on the enclosure structure. This allows heating capability to be distributed across the brewing chamber rather than concentrated in one location.
3Loss of energy
If ambient temperature varies due to environmental conditions, then energy saving is achieved, but brewing temperature stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A temperature sensor continuously monitors the brewing chamber temperature and provides feedback to the control unit. The control unit adjusts the electric heater operation accordingly, turning it on when temperature drops below the threshold and turning it off when the threshold is reached, thus maintaining stable brewing temperature despite ambient variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the brewing chamber's own thermal mass and the electric heater's on-demand operation to self-regulate temperature. The chamber retains heat during active brewing, and the electric heater supplements heating only when necessary, creating a self-sustaining thermal system that adapts to environmental conditions.
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
Ensures high beverage quality by maintaining optimal brewing temperatures even after prolonged inactivity, reducing waiting time for new brewing cycles, and improving organoleptic properties.
Implementation Method 1
an electric heater, separate from and in addition to the water heater, and which is in heat exchange relationship with the brewing chamber
Implementation Method 2
The electric heater is arranged for delivering heat generated thereby into the heat transfer volume
Implementation Method 3
which may comprise a PTC resistor
Implementation Method 4
The control unit may be arranged for switching on the electric heater when the actual temperature drops below a predetermined threshold value and for switching off the electric heater when the actual temperature reaches the threshold value
Implementation Method 5
a hot water delivery duct configured and arranged for delivering hot water from a water heater to the brewing chamber
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
A brewing unit (17) for preparing beverages is disclosed. The brewing unit comprises: a supporting structure (43); a brewing chamber (45); a hot water delivery duct (33, 33A), configured and arranged for delivering hot water to the brewing chamber (45); a beverage dispensing duct (39), configured and arranged for delivering a beverage from the brewing chamber (45); a driving mechanism (53) for opening and closing the brewing chamber (45); an electric heater (41) in heat exchange relationship with the brewing chamber (45); an enclosure (61), which at least partly surrounds the brewing unit (17) and defines a heat transfer volume (60) in heat exchange relationship with the brewing chamber (45). The electric heater (41) is arranged for delivering heat generated thereby into the heat transfer volume (60).