Coffee Bean Dosing Chamber for Residue-Free Variety Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fully automatic coffee machines face challenges in automating the selection of different bean containers and ensuring single-variety portioning of coffee beans, leading to residual volumes and flavor inconsistencies when switching between bean types, along with increased complexity and maintenance needs.
Innovation Solution
A coffee machine with a stationary dosing chamber and movable wall section allows for preselection and precise metering of coffee beans, ensuring complete grinding without residues, and uses gravity for discharge, minimizing contamination and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If manual selection means are used to select between bean containers, then the device remains structurally simple and robust, but automation is only possible with increased effort and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a sensor to automatically detect which bean container is present and activates the dosing chamber accordingly, eliminating the need for manual selection while keeping the mechanism simple. The bean container essentially selects itself by being placed in the designated position.
2Adaptability or versatility
If bean containers are frequently switched, then variety selection is improved, but residual or dead volumes of beans occur in the inlet area of the grinding unit
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the bean dosing function from the grinding unit inlet area by introducing a separate dosing chamber. Beans are first dosed into this isolated chamber and then transferred to the grinder, preventing residual beans from mixing with the next batch and eliminating dead volumes.
Solution Approach 2:
The bean handling process is segmented into two distinct stages: dosing in the dosing chamber and then transferring to the grinder. This segmentation ensures that each bean type is completely processed in the dosing chamber before switching, eliminating residual volumes.
3Measurement precision
If grinding time is controlled for dosing ground coffee, then dosing precision is improved, but several brewing processes are necessary until residual volumes are used up
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary dosing of the exact required bean quantity in the dosing chamber before grinding begins. This preliminary measurement ensures that the grinder receives precisely the right amount of beans, eliminating the need for multiple brewing cycles to clear residual volumes.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a movable dosing chamber is used, then bean type selection is improved, but structural complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the dosing chamber movable to switch between bean types, the invention inverts the approach by keeping the dosing chamber stationary and using a sensor to detect which bean container is present. The system adapts to the bean type rather than physically reconfiguring the dosing chamber.
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
This solution enables efficient, automated, and controlled processing of single-variety coffee beans, preventing flavor variations and reducing maintenance costs by ensuring complete grinding and minimizing residual volumes, resulting in improved taste and process quality.
Implementation Method 1
pouring or sliding along an inclined plane or the like, according to the development, the introduction of the bean dosing volume into the (relevant) dosing chamber is also used uses the corresponding gravitational effect
Implementation Method 2
the discharge according to the invention from a (respective) dosing chamber to the grinding unit in the discharge position uses the effects of gravity
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a coffee machine comprising a first bean container (10) and a second bean container (10) which is separate from the first bean container, a grinding unit designed to grind beans from the first and the second bean containers, a brewing unit, downstream of said grinding unit, for ground beans, and conveyor means (32, 34, 18, 20) for selectively feeding beans from the first and the second bean containers into said grinding unit. According to the invention, the conveyor means, which are designed as a metering unit, comprise at least one stationary metering chamber (38) the volume of which can be altered using a drive unit (30), the bean-metering volume thereof being able to be set and/or determined using a wall section (18, 20) which is associated with the metering chamber and which can be moved into a variable feed position. Said metering unit has discharge means (18;20) for emptying the metering chamber to the grinding unit, these means causing the discharge of the bean-metering volume by moving the moveable wall section out of the feed position.