Coffee grinder with varying speed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee grinders fail to ensure precise and reliable supply of ground coffee due to empirical regulation, inefficiencies in automatic grinders, and inability to adjust grinding speed, leading to suboptimal aroma preservation and drink balance.
Innovation Solution
A coffee grinder with a varying speed motor, controlled by an inverter and user-adjustable via a control panel, along with environmental sensors and an encoder, to optimize grinding speed based on coffee blend, workload, and environmental conditions, ensuring precise dosing and quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If coffee is ground at high speed to increase productivity, then the grinding time is reduced, but the coffee aroma is lost due to overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the grinding speed variable rather than constant. The control unit adjusts the motor speed dynamically based on operational parameters, allowing the system to optimize between productivity and aroma preservation. The speed can be increased for routine grinding and decreased when aroma preservation is critical, resolving the contradiction between speed and quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of grinding speed from a fixed value to a variable parameter controlled by the control unit. By modifying the speed parameter in real-time based on workload, coffee type, and aroma preservation requirements, the system can adapt to different conditions and resolve the contradiction between high-speed productivity and low-speed aroma preservation.
2Reliability
If automatic coffee grinders use a preset actuation time to ensure correct dose supply, then operator responsibility is eliminated, but the system becomes inefficient due to factors affecting coffee supply quantity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using sensors to detect actual grinding conditions (such as motor current, temperature, and vibration) and feeding this information back to the control unit. The control unit adjusts the actuation time and speed based on this feedback, maintaining dose accuracy while compensating for factors like blade wear and coffee hardness, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the actuation time and grinding speed based on real-time conditions rather than using a fixed preset time. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain reliable dosing while optimizing efficiency by reducing actuation time when conditions are favorable and increasing it when necessary.
3Ease of manufacture
If the grinding assembly operates at constant factory-set speed, then the device is simple to manufacture, but the user cannot vary the speed to improve ground coffee quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by making the grinding system capable of multiple functions: it can operate at different speeds for different coffee types, adjust speed based on aroma preservation needs, and adapt to various workload conditions. The control unit and variable speed motor transform a simple single-function device into a multi-functional system that maintains ease of manufacture while gaining adaptability.
4Ease of operation
If empirical regulation by operator is used to control ground coffee supply, then the system is simple to operate, but mistakes are easily made and dose accuracy is approximate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the system to automatically control and monitor the grinding process without requiring operator intervention for dose measurement. The control unit manages the motor speed and actuation time based on programmed parameters and sensor feedback, allowing the system to self-regulate for accurate dosing while maintaining ease of operation through automatic control.
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 allows for precise control of grinding speed and dose, preserving coffee aroma and balance by adapting to workload and environmental factors, ensuring consistent quality and quantity of ground coffee.
Implementation Method 1
an inverter connected to the electric motor to vary the speed of the electric motor
Implementation Method 2
an encoder connected to the electric motor to count the number of revolutions of the electric motor
Implementation Method 3
a coffee grinder having a varying speed motor with the purpose of ejecting the residues of ground coffee by means of the centrifugal force in order to clean the grinding chamber
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
Coffee grinder (1) comprising: a grinding assembly (3) to grind coffee beans, a container or hopper (2) to feed coffee beans to the grinding assembly (3), an electric motor (4) connected to the grinding assembly (3), a feeding conduit (5) connected to the grinding assembly (3) to feed coffee into a filter (6) supported by a filter-holder (60), an inverter (7) connected to the electric motor (4) to vary the speed of the electric motor, a control unit (C) connected to the inverter (7) to control the inverter, and a control panel (P) connected to the inverter (7) by means of the control unit (C) so that the user can vary the speed of the electric motor (4).