Coffee filter qualification apparatus and methodology
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inconsistent coffee brewing quality due to variations in filter hole size and geometry, leading to inconsistent extraction yields and taste defects, as filters of the same type and model can have significant variations, causing issues with uniformity and flow rates, resulting in bitter or sour taste defects.
Innovation Solution
A filter qualification system using a machine vision camera and light source to image and evaluate the apertures of coffee filters, determining if they meet predetermined criteria for total cumulative area, aperture count, and circularity, ensuring uniformity and consistency across filters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional filter manufacturing methods are used, then production cost and ease of manufacture are maintained, but filter aperture uniformity and brewing consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary quality assessment by imaging and measuring filter apertures before the filters are used in brewing. This allows defective filters to be identified and removed from service beforehand, ensuring that only filters meeting uniformity specifications are deployed, thereby improving brewing consistency without changing the manufacturing process itself.
2Reliability
If filter aperture variations are not monitored, then device complexity and measurement time are minimized, but brewing quality consistency and extraction yield uniformity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex manual inspection methods with an automated machine vision system that uses digital imaging and software analysis to assess filter aperture characteristics. This substitution of mechanical/manual processes with automated optical measurement simplifies the overall qualification process while improving measurement consistency and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy (image) of the filter aperture structure and analyzes this copy to determine filter quality. By working with digital images rather than physically measuring each aperture, the system achieves high measurement precision without requiring complex physical measurement apparatus.
3Measurement precision
If manual filter inspection is used, then equipment cost is minimized, but measurement precision and detection accuracy of aperture characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection with an automated machine vision system that captures digital images of filter apertures and uses software to precisely measure aperture diameter, area, and distribution. This automated optical measurement system achieves superior measurement precision compared to manual methods while maintaining reasonable automation levels.
4Productivity
If filters with aperture variations are used, then filter production cost is reduced, but extraction yield consistency and taste quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary qualification of filters using machine vision imaging to measure aperture characteristics before the filters are installed in brewing equipment. Filters that fail to meet uniformity specifications are identified and removed from service beforehand, preventing them from causing extraction yield variability and taste defects during brewing operations.
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
Ensures consistent coffee brewing by identifying and accepting only filters that meet specific criteria, reducing the need for frequent grind adjustments and improving the quality of brewed coffee by maintaining uniform extraction yields and flavor profiles.
Implementation Method 1
illuminating, by a light source, the plurality of apertures in the liquid brewing filter
Implementation Method 2
imaging, by a machine vision camera, the liquid brewing filter to generate an image including the plurality of apertures
Data Source
AI summary
A coffee filter qualification system receives user-specified filter criteria relating to acceptable attributes for a plurality of apertures included in a liquid brewing filter. A light source illuminates the apertures of the liquid brewing filter and a machine vision camera images the apertures of the filter. A filter qualification information handling system (IHS) determines if the liquid brewing filter meets the predefined user-specified filter criteria. The filter qualification IHS accepts the liquid brewing filter if the filter meets the filter criteria, and otherwise rejects the filter. The filter criteria may include the total cumulative area of the apertures, individual aperture area, aperture count and aperture acircularity information.