Coffee Machine Suction Pump Design to Prevent Beverage Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee machines cool freshly brewed coffee due to the high heat capacity of diverter valves in the outlet line, leading to a decrease in beverage quality.
Innovation Solution
A suction pump is used to fluidly connect the outlet line to a drain or collection container, suctioning coffee beverage before, during, or after the brewing process to prevent cooling, and a control system regulates the pump for targeted flavor manipulation and residue removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a diverter valve is used to connect the outlet line to the drain, then coffee residues can be diverted away from the beverage outlet, but the high heat capacity of the valve causes the freshly brewed coffee to cool down
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful function (diverting coffee) from the outlet line by introducing a separate suction pump system that removes coffee residues directly from the outlet line without requiring a diverter valve in the main flow path, thereby eliminating the cooling effect caused by the valve's heat capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The suction pump serves multiple functions: it removes coffee residues from the outlet line, prevents dripping after brewing, and can be used to clear the outlet line during downtime, replacing the need for a dedicated diverter valve while maintaining coffee temperature
2Loss of time
If the outlet line is left idle for a lengthy downtime, then coffee residues can accumulate and cool down, but when the next beverage is prepared, the cooled coffee mixes with the fresh coffee and degrades quality
Solution Approach 1:
The suction pump is activated before or during the brewing process to preemptively remove any cooled coffee residues from the outlet line, ensuring that only freshly brewed coffee reaches the beverage outlet and maintaining consistent quality across multiple beverages
Solution Approach 2:
The control system monitors brewing cycles and activates the suction pump at appropriate times (before, during, or after brewing) based on system state, creating a feedback mechanism that ensures the outlet line is clear of cooled residues before the next beverage is dispensed
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
Prevents coffee from cooling and ensures freshly brewed coffee is dispensed, allowing for consistent taste and rapid preparation of multiple beverages without cooling, and enables flavor customization through selective extraction phase control.
Implementation Method 1
a suction pump is provided, which is fluidly connected to the outlet line on the intake side and opens into a drain or collection container on the pressure side. It is used to suction coffee beverage from the coffee line before, during, or after a brewing process and direct it into the drain or collection container
Implementation Method 2
The hot water supply from the hot water heater to the brewing unit via a hot water supply line is conveniently carried out by a water pump, which pumps water under pressure from a water connection or from a water tank toward the brewing unit
Implementation Method 3
The hot water heater can be designed in a conventional manner as a hot water boiler or as an instantaneous water heater
Data Source
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AI summary
In a device for preparing a coffee beverage having a brewing unit, to which hot water from a hot water provider can be conducted under pressure, and a beverage outlet which is connected to the brewing unit via an outlet line and via which a freshly brewed coffee beverage can be dispensed into a drinking vessel to be placed under it, a return pump is provided which is connected on the intake side in a fluid-conducting manner to the outlet line and which opens on the delivery side into a drain or a collecting container in order to suck a coffee beverage out of the coffee line before, during or after a brewing operation and to conduct same into the drain or connecting container. A controller is used for activating the return pump and is designed to activate the return pump during a pre-heating operation in which hot water is introduced into the outlet line or into the brewing unit and the outlet line.