Coffee Container Fill-Level Display Using OLED Luminous Sections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee-making devices face challenges in providing a simple, cost-effective, and clear fill level indication for water and coffee containers, often requiring complex optoelectronic displays or misinterpreted markings, which can lead to user confusion and neglect of filling levels.
Innovation Solution
Integration of a luminous section on the container wall, activated by a filling level sensor, using organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) that can be excited by voltage, providing a clear and aesthetically appealing visualization of the fill level without the need for additional text or symbols, with optional OLED surfaces for different fill states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If optoelectronic displays with microcontrollers are used for fill level indication, then information display capability is improved, but device complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the fill level indication function from the complex optoelectronic display system with microcontroller and text display capabilities, isolating only the essential fill level sensing and visualization components. This reduces device complexity while maintaining the core information display function.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a complex display system to show fill level information, the patent inverts the approach by using simple markings on the container wall that passively indicate fill level through their visibility or illumination state, eliminating the need for active electronic display components.
2Loss of information
If optoelectronic displays with text information are used, then information completeness is improved, but manufacturing cost and programming complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive optoelectronic display components with inexpensive static markings on the container wall. These markings are simple to manufacture and require no programming, significantly reducing production costs while still conveying essential fill level information.
3Ease of manufacture
If simple unchangeable markings are used for fill level indication, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but signaling effect and user attention decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms static markings into dynamic indicators by making them responsive to fill level changes. The markings can change their visibility, color, or illumination state based on the actual fill level, creating an active signaling effect that captures user attention while remaining simple to manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses color-changing markings that transition between different states (e.g., visible/hidden, different colors) to indicate fill level. This provides a strong visual signaling effect that is immediately noticeable to users while keeping the manufacturing process simple.
4Loss of information
If optoelectronic displays are used for fill level indication, then information clarity is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses simple markings on the container wall that replicate or represent fill level information without requiring complex electronic display hardware. These markings serve as a visual copy or representation of the actual fill state, providing clear information at low cost.
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
The solution provides a technically uncomplicated, cost-effective, and clear fill level indication that ensures users are aware of the filling status, reducing the risk of neglect and enhancing user experience through precise and conspicuous visualization.
Implementation Method 1
at least one luminous section which can be activated as a function of the filling level... configured as a thin-film light-emitting diode made of an organic semiconducting material
Implementation Method 2
OLED surfaces... which can be excited by voltage
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
The device i.e. espresso machine (1), has water- and coffee bean containers (2, 8) comprising a container wall (3) with a level indicator on a front side of the containers. The wall or a container cover has filling level-dependent activatable illuminant sections i.e. organic LED (OLED) surfaces, as the indicator. The illuminant sections are activated by filling level sensors (5) that are arranged adjacent to, at or in the water container. The sections are made of light-scattering transparent acrylic glass, and are coupled with light coupling edges of the wall in a light-conductive manner.