Coffee machine and operating method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Coffee machines with integrated grinders face issues of uncontrolled ground coffee flow and contamination due to high kinetic energy and electrostatic charging, leading to permanent sticking in channels and biological pollution.
Innovation Solution
An active storage device is implemented downstream of the grinder, with a damming element that accumulates and compacts ground coffee before releasing it into the brewing chamber, using a drive to control the flow and prevent uncontrolled injection during critical grinding phases, reducing static charging and contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ground coffee is conveyed directly from the grinder to the brewing chamber, then the coffee flow is continuous, but the ground coffee leaves with high kinetic energy and causes uncontrolled flow and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
A storage device with a storage space is introduced as an intermediary between the coffee grinder and the brewing chamber. This storage device receives ground coffee from the grinder, accumulates it in the storage space, and then delivers it to the brewing chamber in a controlled manner. The storage device acts as a buffer that decouples the grinding process from the brewing process, preventing direct high-speed injection of ground coffee into downstream components while maintaining continuous coffee flow availability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a storage device is introduced to control ground coffee flow, then contamination is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage device is segmented into distinct functional components: a storage space for accumulating ground coffee, a damming element for controlling the outlet opening, and a drive mechanism for adjusting the damming element. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while keeping the overall design manageable and maintainable.
Solution Approach 2:
The damming element is designed to be dynamically adjustable between different positions (closed and open) through a drive mechanism. This dynamic control allows the system to switch between accumulating ground coffee and delivering it to the brewing chamber as needed, providing flexible flow control without requiring complex permanent structures.
3Manufacturing precision
If the damming element is adjusted frequently to control ground coffee delivery, then flow control precision is improved, but the loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage device accumulates ground coffee in advance in the storage space before it is needed for brewing. By pre-accumulating the coffee grounds during the grinding phase, the system prepares the material ahead of time, allowing for smooth and timely delivery to the brewing chamber without last-minute adjustments or delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage device maintains continuous availability of ground coffee by accumulating it during grinding and then delivering it continuously to the brewing chamber. The drive mechanism adjusts the damming element to ensure uninterrupted flow, eliminating idle time and maintaining continuous productive action throughout the coffee preparation process.
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 ensures controlled and compacted delivery of ground coffee, reducing contamination and biological pollution, while maintaining hygiene and preventing uncontrolled coffee flow, thus improving the coffee machine's operational efficiency and cleanliness.
Implementation Method 1
with the damming element (9) being adjustable by means of a drive (not shown)
Implementation Method 2
ground coffee can be accumulated in a storage space arranged in the conveying direction of the ground coffee in front of a one-part or multi-part retaining element of the retaining device and preferably thereby compacted
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a coffee machine (1), in particular an automatic coffee machine, having a coffee mill (3) for grinding coffee beans into ground coffee (4), and having a brewing unit (5), which comprises a brewing chamber (6) and by means of which a coffee beverage is brewed by using water to leach out the ground coffee (4) produced by means of the coffee mill (3). The invention provides for a stowage device (7) to be arranged between the coffee mill (3) and the brewing chamber (6), said stowage device comprising a stowage element (9) which can be adjusted by means of an in particular electromotive drive, which can be activated via a control unit, between a stowage position, in which ground coffee (4) is stowed in a stowage space (8) before being discharged into the brewing chamber (6), and a release position, in which the stowed ground coffee (4) is discharged into the brewing chamber (6).