Coffee machine and cleaning device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee machines with cleaning devices have complex housing constructions that make retrofitting with a cleaning device economically unfeasible and inflexible, as the cleaning device is intricately coupled with the flow line system, making it inaccessible and difficult to add or remove.
Innovation Solution
A coffee machine design where the cleaning device is positioned externally between the water tank and fluid connection, allowing for minimal modifications and enabling easy retrofitting without special tools or knowledge, with features like a fluid line, electrical connection elements, and actuator for automated cleaning processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cleaning device is integrated inside the housing part coupled to the flow line system, then the cleaning function is reliable and connected to the brewing system, but the housing construction becomes complex and retrofitting becomes economically unfeasible
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device is separated from the main housing part and placed on the water tank exterior. This segmentation allows the cleaning device to be an independent module that can be added or removed without modifying the main housing structure, thus reducing construction complexity while maintaining functional reliability through dedicated coupling elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The water tank serves as an intermediary carrier for the cleaning device. By placing the cleaning device on the water tank exterior with coupling to the flow line system through the water tank, the invention creates a flexible intermediate connection that simplifies housing construction while ensuring reliable fluid connection for cleaning operations.
2Reliability
If the cleaning device is integrated inside the housing part, then the fluid connection is secure, but the device becomes inaccessible and difficult to add or remove
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device is segmented from the main housing and positioned on the water tank exterior, making it easily accessible to operators for installation, removal, and maintenance while maintaining secure fluid connection through dedicated coupling mechanisms that interface with the flow line system.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning device is moved from the interior dimension (inside housing part) to the exterior dimension (on water tank exterior), providing operator accessibility while maintaining functional connection to the flow line system through the water tank interface.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the cleaning device is positioned on the water tank exterior between the water tank and fluid connection, then retrofitting becomes economical and flexible, but the housing construction must accommodate this external arrangement
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device is designed as a separate modular unit that attaches to the water tank exterior, allowing it to be added to existing coffee machines without modifying the main housing structure. This segmentation enables economical retrofitting while the housing requires only minimal adaptations.
Solution Approach 2:
The water tank is designed to serve multiple functions: water storage for brewing and as a mounting platform for the cleaning device. This multi-functionality allows the same water tank structure to support the cleaning device externally, enabling versatile machine configurations without requiring housing modifications.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1c
Figure 2a~2c
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a cleaning device (2) or a coffee machine (1) comprising the cleaning device (2), a housing part (3), a water tank (4) and a flow line system (5), wherein the water tank (4) is removable from an outside of the housing part (3), wherein a fluid connection (6) for the flow line system (5) is arranged on the outside of the housing part (3), and wherein the flow line system (5) is arranged on an inside of the housing part (3), and is characterized in that the cleaning device (2) can be arranged on the outside of the housing part (3) between the water tank (4) and the fluid connection (6).