Single-Serve Coffee Pod Grinding and Brewing Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee making appliances either require pre-ground coffee or whole beans to be ground within the machine, which may not preserve freshness or convenience, and often involve separate filter mechanisms or pods that are limited to ground coffee.
Innovation Solution
A brewed beverage appliance and method that uses a pre-packaged, disposable container with whole coffee beans, where the beans are ground in the container by a blade assembly before brewing, allowing for immediate grinding and brewing without the need for pre-ground coffee or separate filters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pre-packaged pods or containers with ground coffee are used, then convenience is improved, but coffee freshness is worsened because the coffee is already ground before packaging
Solution Approach 1:
The coffee beans are pre-packaged in a sealed container before use, but the grinding action is delayed until immediately before brewing. This preliminary packaging preserves freshness while the delayed grinding maintains flavor quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The grinding function is extracted from the brewing process and integrated into the appliance as a separate blade assembly that operates within the container. This allows whole beans to be ground immediately before brewing while maintaining the convenience of pre-packaged containers.
2Reliability
If whole coffee beans are ground immediately before brewing, then coffee freshness is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for integrated grinding mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The grinding blade assembly is merged with the container structure, allowing the blade to rotate within the container and grind beans directly in place. This integration reduces the need for separate grinding chambers and simplifies the overall device architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade assembly serves multiple functions: it grinds the coffee beans, acts as a piercing element to create openings in the container, and facilitates the brewing process. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed.
3Productivity
If separate filter mechanisms are used with ground coffee pods, then brewing functionality is improved, but device complexity and operation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The filtering function is merged with the container structure itself. The container walls and bottom act as the filter, eliminating the need for separate filter mechanisms. The container is designed to be placed directly in the brewing chamber where hot water is pumped through it.
Solution Approach 2:
The container serves multiple functions: it holds the whole coffee beans, acts as a grinding chamber, serves as a filter, and functions as the brewing vessel. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components for each function.
4Ease of operation
If pre-packaged containers with built-in filters are used, then ease of operation is improved, but the container size and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The container is constructed from thin-walled plastic material that is flexible yet sufficient to act as a filter. This thin-film approach reduces material usage while maintaining the filtering function and structural integrity needed for the brewing process.
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
Enables the brewing of fresh coffee from whole beans within a convenient, single-serving package, ensuring optimal flavor and convenience by grinding the beans just before brewing and integrating the grinding and brewing processes within a compact, disposable filter cup.
Implementation Method 1
a blade assembly punctures the foil and enters the cup, and then grinds the beans while they are still in the cup
Implementation Method 2
heated water is delivered to the cup
Implementation Method 3
A paper filter is located on the floor of the cup and on top of the paper filter is a screen
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention refers to a brewed beverage appliance, comprising a reservoir for housing a liquid, a grinding mechanism, a grinding platform having a grinding cavity, wherein said grinding platform is moving from a first grinding position in which said grinding mechanism is not disposed within said grinding cavity, to a second grinding position in which said grinding mechanism is disposed within said grinding cavity. The brewed beverage appliance according to the invention further comprises a control circuit for selectively causing said grinding mechanism to operate when in said second grinding position and a pump, wherein said pump is selectively pumping said liquid from said reservoir to said grinding cavity after said grinding mechanism has operated within said grinding cavity. The invention further relates to a system of said brewed beverage appliance.