Coffee Maker Micro-Pressure Brewing for Full Powder Infiltration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional coffee makers struggle to fully infiltrate coffee powders due to constant pressure during brewing, resulting in weakly brewed coffee.
Innovation Solution
A coffee maker design that incorporates a grinding chamber with a grinding knife tackle, a coffee strainer, and a hot water supply device to create a micro-pressure environment by adjusting the water inlet rate, allowing hot water to overflow through filtration holes and forming a pressure space for effective coffee extraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If hot water is poured into the strainer at constant pressure, then the brewing process is simple, but the coffee powders are difficult to be fully infiltrated resulting in weak coffee
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static constant pressure brewing system into a dynamic micro-pressure system. The brewing cavity is sealed and equipped with a pressure sensor that detects when internal pressure reaches a preset value, automatically controlling the solenoid valve to open and release pressure. This dynamic adjustment ensures coffee powders are fully infiltrated while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure parameter from constant to variable micro-pressure. By controlling the water inlet flow rate to be greater than the water outlet flow rate through the strainer, the system generates micro-pressure (detected by pressure sensor) that enhances coffee extraction. The pressure is dynamically adjusted via solenoid valve control based on sensor feedback, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and effectiveness.
2Reliability
If the water inlet rate is increased to fully infiltrate coffee powders, then coffee extraction is improved, but the brewing system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-regulating brewing system where the pressure sensor automatically detects when micro-pressure is reached and triggers the solenoid valve to open, releasing the pressure. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for complex manual control systems while achieving effective coffee infiltration through micro-pressure, thus improving extraction without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates a pressure sensor that provides feedback on the internal pressure of the brewing cavity. When the pressure reaches the preset value, the sensor signals the solenoid valve to open, creating a closed-loop feedback control system. This feedback mechanism automates the micro-pressure brewing process, achieving effective coffee extraction with minimal additional complexity.
3Reliability
If a sealed brewing cavity is used to create micro-pressure, then coffee infiltration is enhanced, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sealing function with the existing brewing cavity structure. The brewing cavity is sealed by default, and the solenoid valve is integrated into the cavity structure to control pressure release. This merging approach creates micro-pressure for enhanced coffee infiltration without adding significant structural complexity, as the sealing and pressure control functions are combined with existing components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure parameter within the sealed brewing cavity from constant to variable micro-pressure. The pressure sensor detects when the preset pressure value is reached, triggering automatic pressure release through the solenoid valve. This parameter change enhances coffee infiltration effectiveness while the sealed cavity design, when integrated with existing components, does not excessively increase device structure complexity.
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
This design ensures that coffee powders are fully infiltrated, resulting in a stronger brewed coffee, with air pressure in the range of 1.3 to 1.7 bar optimizing the brewing process.
Implementation Method 1
a coffee strainer, circularly arranged on a periphery of the grinding knife tackle, and a lower part of the coffee strainer abuts a bottom wall of the grinding cavity, to separate the grinding cavity into a grinding bean cavity and a beverage cavity
Implementation Method 2
a hot water supply device, communicated with the grinding cavity, to supply hot water into the grinding bean cavity; a pressure space is formed in the upper grinding bean cavity after the hot water is injected to reach a preset volume
Implementation Method 3
by adjusting a water inlet rate of the hot water supply device, to make the water inlet rate faster than a water outlet rate of the coffee strainer. When the water in the grinding bean cavity is overflow into the filtration holes in the coffee strainer, and then the pressure space is formed in the upper the coffee strainer, which causes brewing the coffee in the micro-pressure, so as to fully infiltrate the coffee powders
Data Source
AI summary
A coffee maker and a coffee preparation method thereof are disclosed, the coffee maker includes: a stator frame; a grinding chamber including a cavity is mounted on the stator frame, and a cover; the cavity is covered by the cover to enclose a grinding cavity, a bottom of the grinding cavity having a beverage outlet communicated with the beverage cavity; a grinding device including a grinding knife tackle disposed in the grinding cavity, and a motor disposed outside the grinding cavity to drive the grinding knife tackle to rotate; a coffee strainer, circularly arranged on a peripheral of the grinding knife tackle; a lower end of the coffee strainer abuts a bottom wall of the grinding cavity to separate the grinding cavity into a grinding bean cavity and a beverage cavity disposed on the periphery of the grinding bean cavity.