Coffee Cartridge Flow Design for Short and Long Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee extraction systems struggle to deliver both short and long coffee cups with consistent quality, as they either result in watery, bitter beverages due to prolonged extraction times or inadequate crema, due to the limitations of pressure and cartridge design.
Innovation Solution
A dual-cartridge system where one cartridge is designed for short coffee extracts and another for long extracts, with the long coffee cartridge containing a higher amount of ground coffee to facilitate faster water flow and improved extraction quality, maintaining the same external configuration and allowing for extraction in the same device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a higher amount of water is sent through the cartridge to deliver a long cup of coffee, then the volume of coffee extract increases, but the delivery time exceeds one minute and the beverage becomes bitter and harsh
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the cartridge system by providing different cartridge types (first cartridge for short coffee, second cartridge for long coffee) with different internal configurations. The second cartridge is designed with parameters optimized for higher water flow rates, allowing long coffee extraction in under one minute while maintaining quality attributes.
2Device complexity
If the same cartridge is used for both short and long coffee extraction, then device simplicity is maintained, but the beverage quality becomes inconsistent and watery for long extracts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing cartridges with specific internal configurations tailored to their intended use. The second cartridge for long coffee extraction has a different internal structure compared to the first cartridge, optimizing water flow and extraction characteristics for long beverages while maintaining the same external cartridge format for device simplicity.
3Reliability
If higher pressure extraction is used to maintain crema quality in long coffee, then crema formation is improved, but the extraction time increases and the beverage becomes over-extracted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the extraction parameters by using cartridges with different internal configurations. The second cartridge is designed to allow higher water flow rates while maintaining appropriate pressure, enabling long coffee extraction with good crema formation in under one minute, avoiding over-extraction bitterness.
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 reduces extraction time for long coffee extracts, ensures better quality attributes such as crema formation, and maintains the convenience of using the same extraction device for both short and long coffee preparations.
Implementation Method 1
retaining means to retain the liquid under pressure in the cartridge
Implementation Method 2
pumping means injecting water under pressure in the cartridge
Implementation Method 3
extracting coffee from filter pods in a closed chamber. The pressure is usually quite low, in the order of 2 bar or less
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage system for selectively delivering, in a same coffee extraction device, short coffee liquid extracts and long coffee liquid extracts comprising: cartridges containing ground coffee; a receiving device for receiving one cartridge at a time and pumping means or injecting water under pressure in the cartridge; means for opening the cartridge wherein these means comprises retaining means to retain the liquid under pressure in the cartridge and engaging means which engage the retaining means to open the cartridge and deliver the coffee liquid extract; wherein the system comprises at least a first cartridge adapted to deliver a short coffee liquid extract, wherein the system comprises at least a second cartridge which has substantially the same external configuration and shape as the first cartridge so as to be capable of being received in the same receiving device as the first cartridge and which is adapted to deliver a longer coffee liquid extract upon allowing a larger amount of water to flow there trough, wherein the second cartridge for the longer coffee liquid extract is configured so that water flows through it at a higher rate than in the first cartridge during extraction.