Coffee Maker Filter Basket Assembly for Carafe-Free Single Serve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Coffee makers often create household messes when brewed coffee is dispensed into a carafe that is not in place, and users desire the ability to dispense into a cup or mug instead, necessitating a feature that allows single-serve coffee discharge even without a carafe.
Innovation Solution
A coffee maker with a user-selectable mode that allows single-serve discharge when the carafe is not present, featuring a rotating selection dial and a pause valve actuator that switches between carafe and single-serve modes, enabling coffee dispensing into any container, with optional electric motor operation for valve control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the coffee maker is designed to dispense coffee only when a carafe is in place, then household mess is prevented, but the ability to dispense into a cup or mug is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The coffee maker employs a dynamic detection system that identifies whether a carafe or a cup/mug is present on the warming plate. The system adapts its dispensing behavior based on this detection: when a carafe is detected, it prevents dispensing to avoid mess; when no carafe or a cup/mug is detected, it allows dispensing for single-serve operation. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between preventing mess and providing dispensing flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback through sensors that detect the presence and type of container on the warming plate. This feedback information is used to control the dispensing valve, enabling the coffee maker to automatically adjust its operation mode. The feedback mechanism allows the system to know when it is safe to dispense coffee, thereby preventing mess while maintaining versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the coffee maker allows single serve dispensing without carafe detection, then dispensing flexibility is improved, but household mess may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from presence detection sensors to control the dispensing operation. The sensors provide real-time information about whether a container is properly positioned, and the control system uses this feedback to enable or disable dispensing. This feedback loop ensures that single-serve dispensing is only permitted when conditions are appropriate, preventing mess while maintaining flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The coffee maker performs self-detection and self-adjustment of its dispensing mode based on the container present. The system automatically determines whether to allow dispensing without requiring manual intervention or configuration from the user. This self-service capability enables the system to prevent mess while maintaining dispensing flexibility autonomously.
3Reliability
If a carafe setting is always used, then carafe-based coffee collection is ensured, but single serve cup/mug dispensing capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The coffee maker is designed with multi-functionality to support both carafe-based collection and single-serve cup/mug dispensing. The system includes a warming plate that can detect and accommodate different types of containers, and a control system that adapts its operation accordingly. This universal design allows the same device to reliably serve both carafe and cup/mug users without requiring separate machines.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between carafe mode and single-serve mode based on container detection. When a carafe is detected, the system operates in carafe collection mode with appropriate dispensing parameters; when no carafe or a cup/mug is detected, it switches to single-serve mode with different parameters. This dynamic mode switching maintains reliability for each function while providing versatility across both functions.
Data Source
AI summary
A coffee maker comprises a filter basket assembly that enables two coffee dispensing modes. The assembly comprises a filter basket, an actuator that cooperates with a carafe and a motor driven valve. The actuator stops coffee from dispensing when the carafe is removed, but can be defeated by the user to dispense into a cup or mug when the carafe is absent.