Capsule Receptacle with Movable Bottom to Prevent Pod Jamming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Used capsule or pod receptacles in liquid food or beverage machines often jam due to accumulated capsules or pods forming a heap that exceeds the receptacle's opening, leading to conflicts with the machine's housing when trying to empty the receptacle, and existing solutions like optical level detectors or counting systems are either expensive or result in inefficient space usage.
Innovation Solution
The machine incorporates a receptacle with a mechanism to reduce storage space during insertion and increase it during removal, using a movable body or elevator system to prevent jamming by redistributing the capsules or pods, ensuring they do not interfere with the housing when the receptacle is pulled out, and includes features like through-openings and movable walls to enhance space utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If capsules or pods are collected in a receptacle without space adjustment mechanism, then the receptacle can be simple in structure, but the capsules form a heap that exceeds the receptacle opening and causes jamming when the receptacle is removed
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacle incorporates a movable bottom that can transition between a first position (during insertion) and a second position (during removal). This dynamic adjustment allows the storage space to change configuration, preventing capsules from blocking the opening during removal while maintaining structural simplicity without requiring complex mechanical systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable bottom mechanism is integrated within the receptacle structure itself, with the bottom forming part of the receptacle's internal configuration. This nested design allows the space-adjusting mechanism to be inherent to the receptacle rather than an external addition, reducing overall device complexity while achieving the jamming prevention function.
2Quantity of substance
If the receptacle storage space is increased to accommodate more capsules, then the receptacle can collect more capsules before emptying is needed, but the capsules may form a heap that extends above the receptacle and interferes with the housing during removal
Solution Approach 1:
The movable bottom allows the receptacle to provide increased storage capacity during the collection phase (when bottom is in first position) while automatically adjusting the storage configuration during removal (when bottom moves to second position). This dynamic transformation enables the receptacle to accommodate more capsules without creating jamming conditions during removal operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable bottom mechanism is configured to adjust the storage space configuration in advance of the removal operation. By positioning the bottom at the appropriate position before removal begins, the receptacle pre-prevents the formation of blocking heaps, ensuring smooth removal without requiring corrective actions during the removal process itself.
3Reliability
If a level detector system is used to monitor capsule accumulation, then the receptacle can be emptied at the optimal time to avoid jamming, but the system becomes expensive due to the use of electronic detectors
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacle's movable bottom mechanism provides automatic jamming prevention through mechanical means rather than electronic detection. The system self-regulates the storage space configuration based on the removal operation itself, eliminating the need for external level detectors or control systems while maintaining reliable operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the proposed electronic level detector system with a purely mechanical solution. The movable bottom mechanism uses mechanical forces and geometry to prevent jamming during removal, substituting complex electronic detection and control systems with a simple, reliable mechanical arrangement that achieves the same reliability goal.
4Ease of operation
If the receptacle storage space is reduced to prevent jamming, then the receptacle can be easily removed without capsule interference, but the receptacle fills up quickly and requires frequent emptying
Solution Approach 1:
The movable bottom enables the receptacle to dynamically adjust its storage capacity based on the operational phase. During collection, the bottom is in the first position providing maximum storage space for high productivity. During removal, the bottom moves to the second position preventing jamming. This dynamic adaptation allows the receptacle to achieve both high utilization efficiency and easy removal without compromise.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3a~5b
AI summary
A machine for preparing liquid food or beverage from a beverage or food ingredient contained in a capsule or pod, comprises: a liquid food or beverage preparation unit (2) arranged to receive capsules or pods for use and evacuate capsules or pods upon use; a housing (9) having an opening (5') leading into a seat (5) to which capsules or pods are evacuated from the preparation unit; and a receptacle (30) having a cavity (30') forming a storage space for collecting capsules or pods evacuated to the seat into the receptacle to a level of fill. The receptacle is insertable into the seat for collecting capsules or pods and is removable from the seat for emptying the collected capsules or pods. The prepration machine further comprises means for reducing the storage space of the receptacle of insertion into the seat and for increasing the storage space of the receptacle at removal from the seat.