Coffee Machine Drip Tray with Closing Element for Drain Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee machines with drainage systems connected to the house drain often clog due to particles from coffee and milk, leading to costly sewage system failures, as users frequently forget to properly reattach filtration components during cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A coffee machine with a drip tray equipped with a closing element that automatically prevents waste flow when the filtration system is not properly installed, featuring a pivotally mounted lever arm and a sieving portion with a concave shape for easy sediment collection and recycling, and a settling device with weirs to manage water flow and prevent clogging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a filtration device is arranged in the drip tray to prevent clogging, then the drainage system reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filtration device is segmented into a covering element with sieving portion and a closing element that operates independently. The closing element is pivotally mounted and can function autonomously to close the drainage opening when the covering element is removed, separating the filtration function from the safety function.
Solution Approach 2:
The closing element is designed to automatically close the drainage opening when the covering element is not properly installed, without requiring user intervention. The system self-monitors and self-protects by detecting the absence of the covering element through the lever arm mechanism and automatically preventing waste flow.
2Reliability
If a closing element with lever arm is used to prevent waste flow when filtration is misaligned, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The closing element automatically detects and responds to misalignment or removal of the covering element without requiring user action. The lever arm mechanism self-activates to close the drainage opening when the covering element is not properly installed, making the system self-monitoring and self-protecting.
Solution Approach 2:
The lever arm provides mechanical feedback between the covering element position and the closing element state. When the covering element is properly installed, the lever arm is engaged and holds the closing element open; when removed or misaligned, the lever arm disengages and allows the closing element to close automatically, providing real-time status feedback.
3Ease of operation
If a sieving portion with concave shape is used for sediment collection, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sieving portion features a concave, curved surface that naturally collects and concentrates sediment at the lowest point. This curved geometry passively directs waste particles toward a centralized collection area, facilitating easy removal without requiring additional mechanical components or complex mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The sieving portion with concave shape combines multiple functions into a single component: filtration, sediment collection, and waste concentration. The curved surface serves both as the filtering surface and as a collection basin, eliminating the need for separate collection containers or mechanisms.
4Ease of operation
If the covering element is detachably connected to allow easy removal, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into detachable components (covering element and drip tray) for easy cleaning and maintenance, while the closing element remains integrated and pivotally mounted to provide continuous safety protection. The segmentation allows easy removal for cleaning while maintaining reliability through the independent closing mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The closing element provides preliminary protective action by automatically closing the drainage opening before any waste can escape when the covering element is removed or misaligned. This pre-emptive safety mechanism ensures that even if the detachable covering element is not properly installed, waste flow is prevented from the outset.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A coffee machine in particular a fully automatic coffee machine with a water tank, a pump, a brewing unit, a heater, a removable drip tray (1) with a filtration means (2) and a drainage device (3) with an opening (19), wherein the filtration means (2) is arranged in the drip tray (1) upstream of the drainage device (3) and the filtration means (2) comprises a covering element (4) that is detachably connected to the drip tray (1), characterized in that the coffee machine comprises a system which secures an operation of the coffee machine without a properly installed the covering element (4) in the drip tray (1), wherein the system is equipped with a closing element (5) which cooperates with the covering element (4).