Coffee Machine Housing Grip for Safe One-Hand Carrying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee machines are inconvenient to move and clean due to their design, often leading to accidents when users attempt to lift them by unreliable gripping points, resulting in potential damage or parts falling off.
Innovation Solution
A coffee machine with downwardly extending sidewalls forming a grip that can be seized by a human hand, allowing single-handed lifting and carrying, with an anti-skid surface and ergonomic design to support the machine's weight safely, and a center of gravity positioned below the grip for balance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the machine is designed with a compact housing and functional components, then the machine size is reduced and it can be placed in convenient locations, but the machine becomes difficult to move and clean
Solution Approach 1:
The machine housing is segmented into functional components and a base structure, allowing the functional block to be removable from the support base. This segmentation enables easy separation for cleaning and relocation while maintaining a compact overall size when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The machine incorporates movable parts including a rotatable functional block mounted on the support base, and removable components such as the drip tray and waste ingredient container. These dynamic elements allow the machine to transition between stationary operation and easy relocation/cleaning states.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the machine is made stationary for stable operation, then operational stability is improved, but cleaning and relocation become difficult and dangerous
Solution Approach 1:
The machine is divided into a stable support base and a removable functional block. During operation, the functional block is securely mounted providing stability. For cleaning, the functional block can be removed from the base, allowing easy access to clean both components separately without risking damage to movable parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The support base acts as an intermediary between the stationary installation location and the movable functional block. It provides a stable mounting platform during operation while facilitating easy removal and reattachment of the functional block for cleaning and relocation purposes.
3Ease of operation
If users grip the machine at apparent components like outlet nozzle or drip tray, then the machine can be moved, but damage or part detachment may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The machine provides its own dedicated carrying handle as an integral part of the housing structure. This self-provided gripping means eliminates the need for users to improvise grip locations on inappropriate components, ensuring safe and reliable movement without risk of damaging outlet nozzles, drip trays, or other functional parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrying handle serves as an intermediary gripping element that transfers the user's lifting force to the machine's main structure without passing through fragile functional components. This dedicated handle is specifically designed to bear the machine's weight, preventing damage to other parts while enabling easy relocation.
Data Source
AI summary
A machine for preparing a liquid food or beverage has an outermost housing that includes a top part and downwardly extending sidewalls which cover and shield at least part of a liquid food or beverage module. The downwardly extending sidewalls have a portion that forms, optionally together with a portion of the top part, a grip seizable by a human hand such that the machine can be carried and displaced single handed by seizure of the grip.