Coffee Grinder Control Using Wireless Brewing Machine Flow Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-end commercial coffee brewing environments require separate control over coffee grinders and brewing machines, as integrated machines lack flexibility and reliability in producing consistent coffee quality, especially without experienced baristas to coordinate their operation.
Innovation Solution
A method for controlling a separate coffee bean grinder using a flowmeter sniffer element that captures water flow-through information from a coffee brewing machine, allowing the grinder to adapt its operation wirelessly without interfering with the brewing machine's controls, using existing sensors and protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate coffee brewing machines and coffee bean grinders are used in high-end commercial environments, then flexibility and reliability are improved, but coordination between the two devices becomes complex and requires experienced baristas
Solution Approach 1:
The brewing machine transmits water flow information to the grinder control unit, creating a feedback loop that enables automatic coordination. The grinder receives real-time data about brewing parameters and adjusts grinding accordingly, eliminating the need for manual barista coordination while maintaining reliable coffee quality consistency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the coffee brewing machine's controls are not influenced by the grinder, then the brewing machine's operation scheme is preserved, but the grinder cannot adapt to brewing parameters
Solution Approach 1:
A wireless communication system acts as an intermediary between the brewing machine and grinder. The brewing machine's existing controls remain unchanged, while the grinder receives water flow information through wireless transmission and adapts its operation accordingly, achieving adaptability without adding complexity to the brewing machine's control system.
3Ease of operation
If direct data exchange between brewing machine and grinder is implemented, then coordination is improved, but the brewing machine requires alterations and additional controls
Solution Approach 1:
The data exchange functionality is extracted from the brewing machine itself and implemented as a separate wireless communication system. The grinder receives water flow information through wireless transmission without requiring any physical alterations or additional controls on the brewing machine, enabling automatic coordination while preserving the brewing machine's original design.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling an automatic coffee bean grinder (2) which is separate from an automatic coffee brewing machine (1) using ground coffee produced by said coffee bean grinder (2), is shown, wherein a flowmeter sniffer element (15) is located in or at a housing (3) of said coffee brewing machine (1) is capturing the water flow-through information measured by a water flowmeter (5) of said coffee brewing machine (1), and transmits the water flow-through information to a grinder control unit (26) located in the automatic coffee bean grinder (2), and the grinder control unit (26) controls the grinder module (24) as a function of the water flow-through information transmitted from said flowmeter sniffer element (15).