Coffee machine drip tray
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee machine drip trays do not provide an easy and convenient method for emptying and cleaning the coffee grounds container, and the shape and form of coffee grounds change during collection, making the process more difficult.
Innovation Solution
A drip tray with a removable coffee grounds container featuring a height-adjustable shelf within the container, utilizing a compression spring to maintain the shape of coffee grounds and prevent them from sticking to the sides, facilitated by a gasket to keep grounds from falling under the shelf.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If coffee grounds fall from a great height into the container, then they are collected effectively, but they disintegrate and stick to the container walls making cleaning difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf is positioned at the top of the container before coffee grounds are deposited, creating a controlled receiving surface that prevents grounds from falling freely and disintegrating. This preliminary positioning structure ensures grounds maintain their form upon arrival, facilitating easier removal and cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The shelf acts as an intermediary element between the coffee grounds and the container bottom/walls. By providing this intermediate surface, the shelf controls the deposition process, preventing grounds from directly contacting and sticking to the container walls, thus solving the cleaning difficulty.
2Shape
If the shelf is fixed at the highest position, then coffee grounds retain their shape, but the shelf cannot adapt to different loads
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf is designed with dynamic positioning capability through the spring mechanism, allowing it to move vertically in response to load changes. This dynamic adjustment enables the shelf to maintain optimal position for shape retention while adapting to varying coffee grounds quantities, combining both shape preservation and load adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The shelf position parameter is made variable through the spring mechanism, allowing automatic adjustment based on load conditions. This parameter change enables the system to optimize coffee grounds shape retention for light loads while accommodating heavier loads, achieving both shape preservation and adaptability.
3Ease of operation
If a height-adjustable shelf with spring mechanism is added, then coffee grounds shape is retained and cleaning is easier, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring mechanism provides self-adjusting functionality, automatically positioning the shelf according to load conditions without requiring external control systems or complex mechanisms. This self-service approach achieves shape retention and cleaning ease while minimizing the addition of complex controlled systems.
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 height-adjustable shelf retains the shape of coffee grounds, making them easier to remove and clean, as they fall in a controlled manner, preventing sticking and simplifying the cleaning process.
Implementation Method 1
The height of the shelf is adjusted by a compression spring
Implementation Method 2
The elastic gasket is provided on the perimeter of the shelf in order to prevent the coffee grounds particles from getting under the shelf
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
A drip tray for a coffee machine comprising a coffee grounds container consisting of a bottom wall and side walls, wherein a shelf for receiving coffee grounds, which is located substantially entirely within the coffee grounds container and which is height-adjustable is provided. The present invention provides a drip tray with a coffee grounds container equipped with a movable shelf thanks to which the shape of the portions of the coffee grounds is retained so the cleaning of the coffee grounds container is much easier.