Coffee Machine Volume-Based Pressure Control for Consistent Extraction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee machines fail to consistently produce high-quality espresso and other coffee beverages due to automatic water pressure adjustments based on dispensing time, often resulting in under-extracted or over-extracted coffee.
Innovation Solution
A coffee machine with automatic control of variable water pressure as a function of the measured volume of water dispensed, allowing for pressure adjustments across multiple volumetric portions during the dispensing cycle, enabling the production of high-quality espresso and other coffee types like American filter coffee using a single dispensing group.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If automatic water pressure control is adjusted based on dispensing time to maintain nominal dispensing time, then dispensing time consistency is improved, but coffee extraction quality deteriorates due to under-extraction or over-extraction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the control parameter from time-based to volume-based. The control unit adjusts water pressure as a function of the volume of water dispensed (measured by flowmeter) rather than dispensing time. This allows the system to maintain consistent coffee extraction quality while accommodating variations in dispensing time caused by different coffee grind sizes and bed configurations.
2Loss of time
If water pressure is automatically adjusted to prevent deviation from nominal dispensing time, then dispensing time control is improved, but coffee quality deteriorates due to anomalous water resistance in coffee blend
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where the control unit continuously monitors the volume of water dispensed via a flowmeter and adjusts the pump speed accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that the correct volume of water passes through the coffee regardless of variations in dispensing time, maintaining coffee quality while allowing time flexibility.
3Device complexity
If a single dispensing group is used for all coffee types, then device complexity is reduced, but versatility deteriorates as other coffee types like American filter coffee cannot be produced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the water pressure dynamic and adjustable during the dispensing process. By controlling the pump speed variable throughout the dispensing cycle, a single dispensing group can produce different coffee types (espresso, American filter coffee, etc.) with varying pressure profiles, eliminating the need for multiple specialized dispensing groups.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables a single dispensing group to perform multiple functions by implementing variable pressure control. The same dispensing group can produce different coffee types by adjusting the pressure-volume profile, making the system universal and multi-functional rather than requiring separate dedicated groups for each coffee type.
Data Source
AI summary
It is disclosed a machine for coffee-based beverages. The machine comprises a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic circuit, a volume flowmeter and a processing unit. The processing unit receives a pressure dispensing profile signal indicating the trend of a configured pressure of a pressurized water during the dispensing cycle. The dispensing profile signal comprises a first volumetric portion having a first pressure trend in a first volumetric interval and comprises a second volumetric portion having a second pressure trend in a second volumetric interval. The processing unit generates a configuration signal as a function of the first and second pressure trend so as to drive the hydraulic pump, receives the volume measurement signal indicating the measure of the volume of the water at the end of the second volumetric interval and checks whether it is equal to the volume of a dose.