Cartridge Delivery Assembly With Fixed Jaws to Prevent Jamming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing delivery assemblies for liquid product preparation machines are cumbersome, inconvenient for cartridge supply and removal, and pose hygiene issues due to mechanical interference and potential jamming, especially when not in use.
Innovation Solution
A compact delivery assembly with a movable injector and fixed jaws that support the cartridge laterally, using a toggle-like mechanism for linear displacement, allowing for easy cartridge insertion, retention, and extraction without the need for complex cam paths or elastic elements, ensuring smooth operation and reduced wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a stationary gripper device with hinged jaws is used for cartridge retention, then the cartridge can be securely held during infusion, but the device becomes cumbersome and complex with potential mechanical interference and jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional gripper mechanism by making the jaws fixed and stationary instead of movable, while using a movable support element to achieve cartridge retention. This inversion eliminates the need for hinged joints and elastic elements, reducing mechanical complexity and potential points of failure while maintaining reliable cartridge holding during infusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the movable component (support element) from the retention mechanism, separating the function of cartridge support from the fixed jaw structure. This allows the jaws to remain simple, stationary guide elements while the movable support element provides the necessary retention force, reducing overall device complexity and eliminating jamming issues associated with complex gripper mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If the user must exert a push downwards to cause divarication of the jaws, then cartridge insertion is possible, but the operation becomes inconvenient and requires substantial user force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by allowing the cartridge's own downward insertion motion to automatically activate the retention mechanism. As the cartridge is inserted, it naturally pushes the movable support element into position, causing the fixed jaws to diverge and then lock onto the cartridge flange without requiring the user to exert additional force to divaricate any jaws. The system uses the user's simple insertion action to trigger the entire retention sequence.
3Ease of operation
If the infusion chamber moves back to enable reclosing of jaws on exhausted cartridge, then cartridge extraction is possible, but the mechanism becomes more complex with additional movement requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the extraction function from the infusion chamber's movement, separating it from the main chamber's reciprocating motion. The fixed jaws with their specific geometry automatically perform the extraction function as the chamber moves, with the jaws' extraction portion engaging the cartridge flange and guiding it to the discharge passage. This separation simplifies the overall mechanism by eliminating the need for the chamber to perform multiple specialized movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixed jaws serve multiple functions: they guide the cartridge during insertion, provide retention during infusion, and enable extraction during discharge. This multi-functionality is achieved through the jaws' specific geometry and their fixed position, allowing a single component to handle all cartridge handling operations without requiring additional specialized mechanisms for each function.
4Device complexity
If stationary jaws are used instead of movable gripper device, then mechanical interference and wear are reduced, but the mechanism for cartridge retention and extraction becomes simpler
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamics through the movable support element that can shift position to engage and disengage from the cartridge flange. This dynamic component works in conjunction with the fixed jaws to provide reliable cartridge retention during infusion while allowing easy extraction. The movable element's ability to change position provides the necessary reliability without requiring the fixed jaws themselves to be complex or movable.
Data Source
AI summary
A delivery assembly for a machine for preparing liquids product by means of cartridges includes:an injector device, to let water and/or steam under pressure in the cartridge,an infusion chamber, facing the injector device and capable of receiving one said cartridge,retention element, capable of maintaining the cartridge in a position substantially coaxial to the infusion chamber and the injector device. The retention elements having:a support element of the cartridge, sustained in a displaceable way by the injector device in a part thereof that generally faces towards the outlet passage; andguiding elements mounted in a fixed position at generally opposite side parts of the injector device, that frontally protrude from the injector device and are capable of laterally constraining the cartridge to guide it until a position substantially coaxial to the infusion chamber.