Improved manually operated coffee machine

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing manually operated coffee machines do not allow for easy changes in appearance color, forcing customers to purchase multiple units when different colors are desired, resulting in unnecessary burden.

Innovation Solution

A detachable coffee machine design featuring a cup body, water-pressing base body, and coffee brewing base body with interchangeable outer housings, a lock sleeve mechanism, and additional features like a coffee powder cup adaptation ring and water guiding block for improved functionality and cleaning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the coffee machine uses a fixed appearance color design, then the structural integrity and simplicity are maintained, but the customer cannot change the appearance color and must purchase multiple machines for different colors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveappearance color changeabilityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The coffee machine is divided into modular components including a detachable cup body, water-pressing base body, coffee brewing base body, and interchangeable outer housing. This segmentation allows customers to replace only the outer housing to change appearance color without affecting other functional components, thereby improving adaptability while maintaining structural simplicity of core functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The outer housing is designed as a universal interchangeable component that can be detached and replaced with different colored housings. The standardized interface and locking mechanism ensure that a single set of functional components can support multiple appearance variations, making one machine serve multiple aesthetic purposes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If the cup body is permanently attached to the base body, then the structural stability is maintained, but the machine cannot be easily cleaned and disassembled

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisassembly and cleaning convenienceVSAvoidstructural stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The cup body is designed with a detachable connection to the base body through standardized interfaces. This allows the cup body to be easily separated from the base body for cleaning or replacement, improving ease of operation while the locking mechanism ensures stable connection during normal use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The connection between cup body and base body transitions from a fixed static state to a dynamic state where it can be easily assembled and disassembled. The locking and unlocking mechanisms enable the structure to switch between stable (locked) and flexible (unlocked) states, accommodating both stability and ease of operation requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If the coffee machine uses a simple single-color design, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the product lacks variety and customer choice

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveappearance varietyVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The appearance customization is achieved by segmenting the housing into interchangeable outer shells that can be manufactured separately in different colors. This allows each color variant to be produced independently using standard manufacturing processes, avoiding the need for complex multi-color manufacturing while providing product variety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The functional components are designed with universal interfaces that work with any outer housing color variant. This enables a single production line to manufacture the core functional components once, while separate simpler processes can produce various colored outer housings, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while increasing appearance variety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Reliability

If the machine components are permanently fixed together, then the reliability is improved, but the adaptability and ease of maintenance are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidcomponent interchangeability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The connection system between components is designed to be dynamic rather than static, featuring locked and unlocked states. During normal operation, the locking mechanism ensures reliable stable connection. When maintenance or replacement is needed, the system can be easily unlocked and reconfigured, providing both reliability and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The machine is segmented into independently replaceable modules with standardized connection interfaces. This segmentation allows individual components to be replaced or upgraded without affecting the entire system, maintaining reliability through proven modular designs while enabling adaptability through easy interchangeability of parts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

Enables customers to easily change the appearance color of the coffee machine by using multiple outer housing accessories, facilitates efficient washing, increases coffee powder capacity, and prevents water splashing through the water guiding block, while the detachable cup sleeve provides insulation and versatility.

Implementation Method 1

a spring that supports the coffee flowing-out control valve is disposed in the coffee flowing-out nozzle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the water-pressing base body is provided with a lock sleeve that inserts from the outer housing into the inner housing and locks the outer housing and the inner housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP3360448B1Improved manually operated coffee machine
Publication Date: 2019.09.18 HUA KU (SHUNDE) TECH ELECTRIC CO LTD
  • EP3360448B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3360448B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3360448B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to an improved manually operated coffee machine. The improved manually operated coffee machine includes a cup body, a water-pressing base body, and a coffee brewing base body that are detachably connected together, and a water storage cavity in communication with the cup body is disposed in the water-pressing base body. Technical essentials are: The water-pressing base body includes an inner housing and an outer housing sleeved over the inner housing, the water-pressing base body is provided with a lock sleeve that inserts from the outer housing into the inner housing and locks the outer housing and the inner housing, and a hand-pressing power rod that extends into the water storage cavity is disposed in the lock sleeve. The present invention is simple in structure, and may be equipped with multiple outer housing accessories for customers to select and use.