Coffee Roaster Constricted-Duct Temperature Sensing for Consistent Roasting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing small-scale coffee bean roasters lack accurate temperature control due to the placement of temperature sensors outside the roasting chamber, leading to inconsistent roasting profiles.
Innovation Solution
Positioning a temperature probe at a local transversal constriction within the conduit leading to the roasting chamber, which homogenizes the air flow and provides more accurate temperature measurement, allowing for precise control of the roasting process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the temperature sensor is positioned inside the removable roasting chamber, then the temperature measurement accuracy is improved, but the device complexity and cleaning difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary conduit system with a local constriction that acts as a measurement zone. The temperature sensor measures air temperature at this constriction point, which serves as an intermediary location between the heater and the roasting chamber. This intermediary measurement point provides accurate temperature feedback without requiring the sensor to be positioned inside the removable chamber, thus avoiding the complexity and cleaning issues associated with internal chamber sensor placement.
2Device complexity
If the temperature sensor is positioned in the hot air duct below the removable chamber, then the device complexity is reduced, but the temperature measurement accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a specific local constriction zone within the conduit. This local area has different flow characteristics (reduced cross-section) compared to the rest of the conduit, causing the air flow to homogenize and become more representative of the overall hot air temperature. By positioning the sensor at this specific local constriction point, the system achieves accurate temperature measurement while keeping the sensor outside the removable chamber, thus maintaining device simplicity.
3Device complexity
If the air flow is not homogenized before temperature measurement, then the device complexity is reduced, but the roasting consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the air flow by introducing a local constriction with reduced cross-section. This parameter change (reduced area) forces the air flow to accelerate and homogenize at the constriction point. The resulting homogeneous flow provides consistent temperature characteristics that improve roasting consistency, while the constriction itself is a simple geometric feature that does not significantly increase device 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
Ensures consistent and homogeneous roasting by improving the feedback loop control, ensuring all beans are roasted to the desired level accurately.
Implementation Method 1
an electrical heater positioned below the bottom opening of the chamber configured to heat said flow of air driven to the bottom opening of the roasting chamber
Implementation Method 2
the conduit comprises a local transversal constriction reducing the section of the conduit to a minimum transversal section
Implementation Method 3
an air driver configured to drive a flow of air inside the roasting chamber through the bottom opening of said chamber
Implementation Method 4
at least one temperature probe is positioned at said minimum transversal section of the local transversal constriction of the conduit
Data Source
AI summary
The invention concerns an apparatus (10) for roasting coffee beans comprising: —a roasting chamber (1) presenting a bottom opening (11), —an air driver (2) configured to drive a flow of air inside the roasting chamber through the bottom opening of said chamber, —an electrical heater (3) positioned below the bottom opening of the chamber configured to heat said flow of air driven to the bottom opening of the roasting chamber, wherein the apparatus comprises a conduit (6) to drive the flow of hot air from the heater (3) to the bottom opening (11) of the roasting chamber, and wherein said conduit (6) comprises a local transversal constriction (61), and wherein at least one temperature probe is positioned at said local transversal constriction (61) of the conduit.