Coffee Machine Brew-Count Display for Waste Bin Emptying Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fully automatic espresso machines lack effective methods to indicate when the waste bin and drip tray are full, particularly for non-liquid waste, leading to inconvenient cleaning times for users.
Innovation Solution
A coffee machine with a controller that counts brewing cycles and displays the number or fraction of brews since the last emptying, allowing users to anticipate when to empty the waste bin and drip tray without additional sensors, using existing brewing cycle data to estimate fill levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the waste bin and drip tray are designed to hold waste from multiple brews, then the frequency of emptying is reduced, but the user cannot determine when to empty them without additional sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical level sensors with a computational approach using existing brewing cycle data. The controller calculates the number of brews since last emptying and compares it to a predetermined threshold, substituting physical sensing mechanisms with information processing based on already-collected brewing data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual representation of the waste bin fill level by counting brewing cycles. Instead of directly measuring the physical state with sensors, it uses a computational model (brew count) that correlates with the actual fill level, providing sufficient information for user decision-making without direct physical measurement.
2Reliability
If a mechanical float device or level sensor is added to detect when the waste bin is full, then the user is notified in advance, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical float devices and level sensors with a computational brewing cycle counter. The system uses the controller's existing capability to track brewing cycles and compares the count against a predetermined threshold, eliminating the need for additional mechanical sensing components while providing reliable full-bin indication.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own existing brewing cycle data to determine waste bin fullness, rather than requiring external sensing systems. The controller leverages information it already collects and processes during normal operation to provide waste bin monitoring functionality.
3Loss of time
If the waste bin size is increased to reduce emptying frequency, then maintenance frequency is reduced, but the machine occupies more space and the user may not know when to empty it
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the display provides continuous information about the number of brews since last emptying. This feedback loop allows users to monitor the waste bin status and plan emptying based on usage patterns, enabling optimal waste bin sizing without excessive emptying frequency while maintaining compact dimensions.
4Reliability
If the machine provides a warning signal after a predetermined number of brews, then the user is notified when the bin is full, but this may come at an inconvenient time for the user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides preliminary information about waste bin status by displaying the brew count before the bin actually becomes full. Users can see how many brews have occurred since the last emptying and plan accordingly, allowing them to empty the bin at a convenient time rather than being forced to do so immediately when a full-bin warning appears.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2~4
Figure 5~7
AI summary
A coffee machine is for brewing coffee in a brewing chamber and has a waste bin for collecting coffee grinds after brewing and a drip tray for collecting waste water. A sensor system is provided for detecting manual removal of the waste bin and/or the drip tray and a count is made of the number of brews since the last removal of the waste bin and/or drip tray. Information is then displayed showing the number of brews, or the fraction of brews compared to a nominal maximum number of brews, since the last removal.