Capsule-Based Beer Maker for Automated Brewing and Simplified Reuse
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional beer brewing methods require users to purchase and manage separate beer materials and control the mixing ratios, involving a complex and time-consuming process that can be difficult to execute correctly, leading to potential failures in beer production.
Innovation Solution
A beer maker device that automates the brewing process by using capsules containing pre-formulated beer materials, where only water and a capsule are needed, eliminating the need for users to handle individual ingredients and control mixing ratios, and allowing for easy replacement of capsules after brewing, minimizing additional cleansing or sterilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users purchase and manage separate beer materials and control mixing ratios manually, then beer brewing can be performed with full control over ingredients, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate beer materials (malt, hops, yeast, and other brewing ingredients) into a single integrated capsule. This merging eliminates the need for users to purchase and manage separate materials, significantly simplifying the brewing operation while maintaining the complete set of necessary ingredients for beer production.
Solution Approach 2:
The beer materials are pre-formulated and pre-packaged in capsules before use. The capsule contains pre-measured and pre-combined ingredients in the correct ratios, eliminating the need for users to perform mixing ratio control during the brewing process. This preliminary preparation resolves the contradiction by making operation easier without sacrificing brewing quality.
2Productivity
If users directly ferment beer materials without automation, then the brewing process can be flexible and adaptable, but it requires significant user time and attention
Solution Approach 1:
The brewing system is designed to perform fermentation automatically once the capsule is inserted and water is added. The yeast and other materials in the capsule self-initiate and sustain the fermentation process without requiring continuous user intervention or monitoring. This self-service capability dramatically improves brewing efficiency while reducing the time users need to dedicate to the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations (stirring, temperature control, monitoring) with an automated system that uses biological processes (yeast fermentation) to perform the brewing work. The system automatically manages the fermentation environment, substituting user labor with an automated biological-mechanical system that operates independently.
3Ease of manufacture
If separate beer materials are used, then ingredient quality can be individually controlled, but cleaning and sterilization become more extensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs single-use capsules containing all beer materials. After one brewing cycle, the entire capsule is discarded and replaced, eliminating the need for extensive cleaning and sterilization of the brewing apparatus. This disposable approach significantly reduces the cleaning effort required while ensuring ingredient quality through factory-sealed packaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The brewing materials are extracted from the apparatus in the form of a removable capsule. By taking out all ingredients in a single encapsulated unit, the apparatus itself remains relatively clean and free from residue, making subsequent brewing cycles quick to prepare without extensive sterilization procedures.
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 device simplifies beer brewing, maximizing user convenience by automating the process, enabling users to produce various beers with different tastes without manual intervention, and allowing for quick reuse of the brewing apparatus without the need for extensive cleaning or sterilization.
Implementation Method 1
a pressurization flow path connected to the container; and a first air pump configured to pressurize the accommodating apparatus by supplying air between the container and the accommodating apparatus through the pressurization flow path
Implementation Method 2
The yeast may be called as leaven, and is injected into the wort to ferment the wort and generate alcohol and carbonic acid, thereby forming a main material of the beer
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~2(c)
Figure 3
AI summary
A beer maker includes: a container including an opening, the container providing a storage space; an accommodating apparatus attachably/detachably provided in the storage space through the opening, the accommodating apparatus providing a space in which wort is stored; a capsule mounting part communicating with the accommodating apparatus; and a capsule attachably/detachably provided in the capsule mounting part, wherein the capsule includes a yeast capsule supplying yeast to the accommodating apparatus.