Partitioned Coffee Bean Hopper for Visible Reserve Level
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee bean hoppers fail to effectively indicate when the coffee bean level has dropped below a reserve level, as the transparent portion only shows zero level when a significant amount remains inside the funnel, making it difficult for users and service technicians to determine the actual bean level.
Innovation Solution
A coffee bean hopper design featuring a partitioned inner chamber with sloping walls and a transparent transverse wall, where the bean level in one half-chamber remains stable until the other is empty, providing a visible reserve signal when the beans in the second half-chamber are depleted, allowing for accurate level indication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a transparent lateral wall is used to show bean level, then visibility of bean level is improved, but the indication is inaccurate because it shows zero level when beans still remain in the funnel
Solution Approach 1:
The hopper is divided into two separate half-chambers (16 and 17) by a vertical partition (18). One half-chamber (17) is dedicated to discharge while the other (16) serves as a reserve chamber. This segmentation allows the transparent wall to accurately indicate when the active chamber is empty while the reserve chamber still contains beans, solving the false zero-level indication problem.
Solution Approach 2:
A vertical partition (18) with a bottom portion (19) projecting into the chamber acts as an intermediary structure. It physically separates the two half-chambers and creates a passage (21) that controls bean flow from the reserve chamber to the discharge chamber. This intermediary ensures that beans only flow when needed and maintains the reserve level indication accuracy.
2Productivity
If beans are allowed to flow freely from reserve to discharge, then continuous supply is improved, but the reserve level becomes invisible and unpredictable
Solution Approach 1:
The sloping wall (9) is divided into two portions with different angles: portion (10) slopes at substantially the same angle as wall (8) to facilitate bean flow to discharge, while portion (11) slopes at less than the coffee bean static friction angle to prevent unwanted flow. This local differentiation of slope angles controls bean movement precisely where needed while maintaining reserve visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition bottom portion (19) is positioned at a specific height to control the flow parameter. Beans only flow from the reserve chamber when the discharge chamber is empty and beans reach the partition edge, changing the flow state from blocked to active. This parameter control ensures predictable reserve level indication while maintaining continuous supply capability.
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
Enables a clear and accurate visual indication of the reserve coffee bean level from outside, ensuring timely refilling and reducing maintenance efforts by clearly showing when the level has dropped below a certain threshold.
Implementation Method 1
a flat transverse wall (14) extending upwards from the free top end of sloping wall (9)... only transverse wall 14 or a strip of or adjacent to it need be transparent
Implementation Method 2
Sloping wall 8 is shorter than sloping wall 9, and slopes, with respect to the horizontal, at a constant angle approximately equal to but no smaller than the 'coffee bean static friction angle'
Implementation Method 3
slopes, with respect to the horizontal, at a constant angle approximately equal to but no smaller than the 'coffee bean static friction angle' (normally about 22-25°)
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A coffee bean hopper (1) having a bottom funnel (3) terminating in a discharge duct (5); a top wall (6); at least one top fill opening (23); a lateral wall (7) having at least one transparent portion (14) and connecting the top wall (6) to the funnel (3); and an inner partition (19) extending from the top wall (6) towards the funnel (3) and dividing an inner chamber (15) of the hopper (1) into a first and second half-chamber (16, 17) communicating through a passage (21) between the partition (19) and the funnel (3); the first half-chamber (16) being bounded laterally by the partition (19) and by part of the lateral wall (7) containing the transparent portion (14); and the second half-chamber (17) communicating with the discharge duct (5), and the first half-chamber (16) communicating with the discharge duct (5) solely via said passage (21) and the second half-chamber (17).