Coffee Capsule Infusion Chamber with Non-Interfering Ejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing infusion devices for preparing beverages from single serving capsules face challenges in efficiently holding and inserting capsules into the infusion chamber and extracting them after the infusion cycle, often resulting in interference between the capsule holding arms and the ejection mechanism.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves temporarily disabling the retaining members and arms during the opening phase of the infusion chamber after the beverage is prepared, allowing the ejector to facilitate the capsule's removal without interference, ensuring smooth ejection by separating the capsule holding and insertion functions from the ejection process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the oscillating arms are used to hold and insert the capsule into the infusion chamber, then the capsule insertion function is achieved, but the arms interfere with the ejection mechanism during the opening phase
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into two independent subsystems: one for capsule insertion (oscillating arms with guide channels) and one for capsule ejection (ejector mechanism). The insertion subsystem temporarily disables its retaining members during ejection, allowing the ejection subsystem to operate independently without interference from the arms.
Solution Approach 2:
The oscillating arms are made dynamically controllable through temporary disabling mechanisms that can deactivate the retaining members during specific phases of operation. This dynamic control allows the arms to transition between active (holding/inserting) and inactive (non-interfering) states, resolving the conflict between insertion and ejection functions.
2Reliability
If the retaining members remain active during the opening phase, then the capsule is securely held, but the ejection of the capsule is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining members operate periodically: they are active during capsule holding and insertion phases, then temporarily disabled during the ejection phase. This periodic activation and deactivation ensures that the capsule is securely held when needed while allowing smooth ejection when the retaining members are deactivated, resolving the contradiction between reliability and productivity.
3Manufacturing precision
If the arms and retaining members are always engaged, then capsule positioning is precise, but the ejection mechanism cannot operate smoothly
Solution Approach 1:
The oscillating arms perform preliminary action by positioning and inserting the capsule into the infusion chamber before the ejection phase. After completing this positioning function, the retaining members are temporarily disabled, allowing the ejection mechanism to operate smoothly without the arms' interference. This sequential operation maintains positioning precision while enabling smooth ejection.
Data Source
AI summary
An infusion device including an infusion chamber formed by portions movable with respect to each other along an opening and closing direction; a first duct for feeding an infusion liquid in the infusion chamber; a second duct for dispensing a food product from the infusion chamber; a pair of oscillating arms movable with respect to at least one of the portions forming the infusion chamber, along the opening and closing direction, and provided with retaining members for retaining a capsule in a space between the first and the second portion of the infusion chamber and for inserting said capsule inside the infusion chamber; divaricating members for causing the reciprocal divarication of the two arms and of the respective retaining members and the release of the capsule inside the infusion chamber; in one of the portions of the infusion chamber, an ejector for ejecting the capsule from the infusion chamber.