Coffee Dosing Chamber With Movable Wall for Variable Cup Doses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee machines and vending machines face challenges in accurately dosing coffee powder for single or multiple cups, requiring complex and expensive systems to manage variable coffee doses due to limitations in grinder motor control and dosing chamber designs.
Innovation Solution
A device with a dosing chamber partly delimited by a movable wall that opens based on volume variation, controlled by an electronic system using a position detector and actuator, allowing user-friendly selection of coffee quantity and type, enabling variable coffee doses from 6 to 18 grams per cup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If motor rpm control is used to determine coffee dose, then dosing range can be adjusted, but system complexity and cost increase due to expensive electronic control motors and management algorithms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex electronic motor control systems with a simple mechanical dosing chamber system. The dosing chamber with movable wall provides direct mechanical measurement of coffee volume, eliminating the need for expensive electronic control motors and management algorithms while maintaining dosing accuracy across a wide range.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a simple, inexpensive mechanical dosing chamber instead of expensive electronic control systems. The dosing chamber can be easily replaced or adjusted, providing a cost-effective solution for achieving wide dosing range without complex electronics.
2Device complexity
If single dosing chamber is used, then device structure is simple, but coffee dose can only be adjusted within limited range (6-9 grams)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a movable wall in the dosing chamber that can be positioned at different locations to define different chamber volumes. This dynamic adjustment mechanism allows a single dosing chamber to provide a wide dosing range (6-18 grams) while maintaining simple device structure, eliminating the need for multiple dosing chambers.
3Adaptability or versatility
If dual dosing chambers are used to achieve wide dosing range, then dosing flexibility improves, but device becomes cumbersome and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes a single dosing chamber universal by allowing its volume to be adjusted through the movable wall mechanism. The same dosing chamber can accommodate different coffee doses (6-18 grams) by repositioning the movable wall, eliminating the need for multiple specialized dosing chambers and reducing device complexity.
4Measurement precision
If micro-switch with manual adjustment is used, then dosing precision can be adjusted, but dosing range is limited (7-9 grams) and cannot support single or double cup dispensing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the fixed micro-switch adjustment mechanism with a dynamic movable wall system. The movable wall can be positioned at multiple locations to define different chamber volumes, allowing the same mechanism to provide both precise dosing (through controlled wall positioning) and wide dosing range (6-18 grams) to support both single and double cup dispensing.
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
Enables precise adjustment of coffee doses for single or double cups, offering a wide range of coffee strength options, simplifying the dosing process and reducing costs by eliminating the need for dual dosing chambers and expensive motor control systems.
Implementation Method 1
the coffee powder produced by the coffee grinder through the beans grinding is fed by the effect of the centrifuge force generated by the rotation of the coffee grinders
Implementation Method 2
The dosing chamber is partly delimited by a flexible sheet, which becomes deformed, that is, moves by the effect of the build up of coffee powder in the same dosing chamber
Implementation Method 3
From the latter, the ground coffee falls by gravity into a hopper associated to the infusion unit
Data Source
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AI summary
The dosing device comprises: a coffee grinder (5) for making coffee powder from coffee beans; a motor (9) for actuating the coffee grinder (5); a dosing chamber (21) wherein the coffee powder produced by said coffee grinder (5) is discharged, said dosing chamber being at least partly delimited by a first wall (33), which may be opened on command for discharging the coffee powder from the dosing chamber, and by a second wall (31), mobile by the effect of a volume variation of the coffee powder in said dosing chamber (21); an actuator (37) for controlling an opening movement of said first wall (33); an electronic control device (59 that based on the position of the second wall, causes the stop of the actuating motor (9) of the coffee grinder and the actuation of said actuator (37) for controlling the opening movement of said first wall and the discharge of the coffee powder from the dosing chamber. The second wall (31) is associated to a detection system (45) of a plurality of dosing positions of the second wall. The opening of the first wall (33) is set through the electronic control device (50), in connection with the detection system (45) and with the actuator (37), when the second wall (31) has reached one of the above dosing positions.