Coffee Bean Package Feed for Fresh Grinding Without Flavor Carryover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee makers suffer from flavor and aroma loss due to prolonged exposure of coffee beans to air, and residual coffee grounds from previous grinding runs can contaminate new beans, making it difficult to change coffee types efficiently and maintain freshness.
Innovation Solution
A system where coffee beans are stored in airtight or vacuum-sealed packages connected directly to a grinder, ensuring beans are only ground just before use, and a mechanism to prevent residual grounds from being left behind, allowing for easy switching between different coffee bean types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If coffee beans are stored in the coffee making apparatus for a long time before grinding, then the apparatus structure can be simplified, but the flavor and aroma of coffee beans are lost due to prolonged exposure to air
Solution Approach 1:
Coffee beans are pre-packaged in airtight or vacuum-sealed packages before use. This preliminary packaging action protects the beans from air exposure during storage and transport, preserving flavor and aroma until the moment of grinding, while allowing the apparatus structure to remain relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses airtight and vacuum-sealed packages to create an inert or low-oxygen environment around the coffee beans during storage. This prevents oxidation and exposure to ambient air that would otherwise cause flavor and aroma loss, resolving the contradiction between simplified storage and flavor preservation.
2Productivity
If a large amount of coffee beans is supplied to the grinder at once, then the grinding process becomes more efficient, but residual grounds from previous runs contaminate new beans
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts or removes the residual grounds from the grinder after each grinding run, preventing them from contaminating the next batch of coffee beans. This allows the grinder to be efficiently filled with a large amount of beans for each run while ensuring cleanliness between different coffee types.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically discards residual grounds from the grinder after each grinding operation. This discarding action prevents contamination of subsequent batches, enabling high-productivity grinding runs with full grinder capacity while maintaining coffee type purity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If coffee beans are ground immediately before use, then flavor and aroma are preserved, but the system complexity increases due to need for airtight storage and vacuum sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable airtight or vacuum-sealed coffee bean packages that are inexpensive and single-use. These packages preserve flavor and aroma during storage and transport, then are disposed of after use, avoiding the need for complex reusable sealing mechanisms in the coffee making apparatus.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses airtight and vacuum-sealed packages to create an inert or low-oxygen environment around the coffee beans during storage. This prevents oxidation and exposure to ambient air that would otherwise cause flavor and aroma loss, resolving the contradiction between simplified storage and flavor preservation.
4Loss of time
If the grinder is not completely emptied after each use, then the system operation becomes faster, but residual grounds mix with new coffee beans causing flavor interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts or removes residual grounds from the grinder after each grinding run, preventing them from contaminating the next batch of coffee beans. This allows the grinder to be efficiently filled with a large amount of beans for each run while ensuring cleanliness between different coffee types.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically discards residual grounds from the grinder after each grinding operation. This discarding action prevents contamination of subsequent batches, enabling high-productivity grinding runs with full grinder capacity while maintaining coffee type purity.
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 system preserves the flavor and aroma of coffee beans by minimizing exposure to air and prevents contamination, enabling convenient and efficient switching between coffee types without flavor interference.
Implementation Method 1
at least before use, in itself closed off such that contact between coffee beans and ambient air is prevented
Implementation Method 2
airtight or vacuum-sealed packages
Implementation Method 3
a grinder for grinding coffee beans to obtain ground coffee
Data Source
AI summary
A system for preparing a coffee beverage, provided with a coffee making apparatus comprising a grinder for grinding coffee beans to obtain ground coffee, a coffee beverage preparation device arranged for, with supply of water to the ground coffee, preparing the coffee beverage, and a coffee outlet for dispensing the coffee beverage, a separate coffee bean package with an inner space which at least before use is filled with the coffee beans, wherein the coffee bean package before use is closed off in itself such that the exposure of the coffee beans to ambient air is prevented, a coffee bean inlet for supply of coffee beans from the coffee bean package to the grinder, and a connecting device for connecting the coffee bean package to the coffee making apparatus.