Coffee Machine Pressing Force Detection via Elastic Force Chain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fully automatic coffee machines struggle to consistently achieve optimal pressing force on coffee grounds independently of the powder amount, leading to variations in coffee quality due to fluctuations in coffee bean quality and machine wear.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an elastically deformable element with a defined spring rate in the force chain between the brewing head and T-piston, which is detected by a detection device to ensure equal opposing forces are applied, allowing for precise measurement of compression force at various points, including the housing and spindle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a pressure measuring element is integrated into the brewing head or piston, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an elastically deformable element as an intermediary component between the brewing head and T-piston. This element indirectly transmits the compression force through its deformation, allowing measurement without direct integration of complex pressure sensors into the brewing chamber components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct mechanical pressure measurement with elastic deformation measurement. Instead of using complex pressure measuring elements integrated into the brewing head, the system uses the elastic properties of a deformable element to convert force into measurable displacement.
2Measurement precision
If the detection device is positioned close to the brewing chamber, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of manufacture worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the detection device from the brewing chamber assembly and positions it externally on the housing. The elastically deformable element serves as a force transmission bridge, allowing the detector to be located away from the brewing chamber while still measuring the compression force accurately.
3Measurement precision
If the elastically deformable element is made more compliant, then measurement precision is improved, but reliability of force transmission worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully selects and adjusts the elastic properties (spring constant) of the deformable element to achieve an optimal balance. The element is designed to be sufficiently compliant for accurate measurement while maintaining adequate stiffness to reliably transmit the compression force from the brewing head through the housing to the T-piston.
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 precise control of compression force, improving coffee quality by ensuring consistent brewing pressure across different coffee amounts and machine operational states, enhancing measurement accuracy and simplifying the design.
Implementation Method 1
an elastically deformable element with a defined spring rate, which is formed in a force chain
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a fully automatic coffee machine, in particular for household use, for preparing a plurality of different coffee beverages, having a housing (20) of a brewing unit for receiving a brewing chamber (10), having a brewing head (12), having a T-piston (14) for pressing ground coffee (16) in the brewing chamber (10) and for receiving a detecting device (22) for detecting a pressing force on the ground coffee (16), wherein said fully automatic coffee machine is further refined by an elastically deformable element (24) having a defined spring hardness and disposed in a force chain from the brewing head (12) through the housing (20) to the T-piston (14), the deformation thereof being detected by the detecting device (22) when the machine is operating.