Coffee Grinder Impeller Design for Compact Bean Descent Without Noise
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing grinders for automatic coffee machines face issues with user safety, noise, and compactness due to vibration-based bean descent mechanisms, which either result in material wastage or increased height, or require complex solutions to manage bean flow effectively.
Innovation Solution
A grinder design featuring a hopper with a reduced vertical dimension, equipped with a finger guard impeller that rotates via friction coupling with the internal grinder's shaft, limiting its angle of rotation to ensure complete bean unloading without discharge during reintegration, thus ensuring safety and silence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If a vibration generator is added to the hopper to enable coffee beans to descend by gravity in a compact design, then the height dimension is reduced, but noise emissions are amplified and the machine operation is adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanical vibration through a cam mechanism that converts rotational motion of the grinder shaft into periodic vertical movements of the hopper bottom. This vibration agitates the coffee beans to facilitate their descent through the grinding gap without requiring an additional vibration generator, thereby avoiding noise amplification and adverse effects on machine operation while maintaining compact dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the function of the grinder shaft with the vibration generation function by using the existing rotating shaft to drive a cam mechanism that vibrates the hopper bottom. This eliminates the need for a separate vibration generator, reducing noise emissions and simplifying the overall structure while achieving compact hopper design.
2Reliability
If a fixed finger guard device is used to protect users in compact hoppers, then user safety is improved, but coffee beans cannot descend effectively without a vibration generator
Solution Approach 1:
The cam mechanism generates vibrations that agitate coffee beans against the fixed finger guard device, enabling effective bean descent and feeding into the grinding gap while maintaining the protective function of the fixed guard structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam mechanism produces periodic vibrations at specific frequencies that enhance bean flow dynamics, allowing beans to overcome the barrier of the fixed finger guard and descend efficiently into the grinding area.
3Productivity
If the hopper walls are made very inclined to enable bean descent by gravity, then bean flow is improved, but the height dimension increases limiting field of use
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration generated by the cam mechanism compensates for less inclined hopper walls, enabling effective bean descent and flow without requiring excessive height. The vibration agitates the beans to overcome gravity limitations in compact geometries.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and movement characteristics of coffee beans through vibration, transforming them from a static gravity-dependent flow to a dynamically agitated flow that can effectively descend in compact, less inclined hopper configurations.
4Length of stationary object
If a rotatable finger guard device with coffee bean movement organs is used, then bean descent is achieved in compact hoppers, but coffee beans can be thrown out of the hopper creating material waste and safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the bean movement function from the finger guard device itself and transfers it to the hopper bottom through the cam mechanism. The finger guard remains a fixed protective barrier while the vibration at its base agitates beans downward, preventing them from being thrown out while maintaining compact dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The vibration generated by the cam mechanism acts as an intermediary force that agitates coffee beans at the base of the fixed finger guard, directing them downward into the grinding gap without requiring the guard itself to rotate or move, thereby preventing bean ejection while achieving compact design.
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 safe, silent, and compact grinder that effectively manages bean descent within a reduced vertical space, preventing material loss and noise, while simplifying construction by integrating the impeller's rotation with the internal grinder's shaft.
Implementation Method 1
the impeller is activated in rotation by the rotation shaft of the internal grinder through a friction coupling
Implementation Method 2
Hoppers of the known type have very inclined walls that allow the coffee beans to descend by gravity
Data Source
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AI summary
The grinder (1) for an automatic coffee machine, comprising an internal grinder (2) and an external grinder (4) separated by a gap (5), a hopper (13) equipped with an opening (14) for unloading the coffee beans in the gap (5) in order to perform the grinding, a finger guard impeller (15) positioned at said unloading opening (14) and having organs (16) for moving the coffee beans, and interception means of the impeller (15) configured and arranged to limit its angle of rotation.