Coffee Roasting Control Using Power Drop Bean Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Roasting apparatuses for partially pre-roasted coffee beans face risks of fire and poor quality due to incorrect bean types, such as green or fully roasted beans, especially when operated by non-experts, as they require different heating profiles, and there is a need to avoid costly detectors for bean identification.
Innovation Solution
A roasting apparatus with a control system that uses a temperature versus time profile and detects a decrease in electrical power consumption to differentiate between partially pre-roasted, green, and fully roasted beans, stopping the heating if no power decrease occurs after a set reference time to prevent incorrect roasting and potential fires, and allows for manual or automatic identification of bean type to select the appropriate roasting recipe.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a roasting apparatus is configured for roasting partially roasted beans only, then the final roasting time is shortened and smoke generation is reduced, but there is a risk that users may erroneously introduce green beans or fully roasted beans leading to fire hazards or poor quality
Solution Approach 1:
The control system continuously monitors electrical power consumption during the roasting process and compares it against expected values for partially roasted beans. When the measured power consumption deviates from the expected range (indicating green beans or fully roasted beans were introduced), the system automatically stops the heating element to prevent fire hazards or poor quality outcomes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the inherent electrical power consumption characteristics of the roasting process itself as the identification mechanism, eliminating the need for separate costly detectors. The roasting process provides its own feedback signal through power consumption patterns that naturally differ between green beans, partially roasted beans, and fully roasted beans.
2Measurement precision
If costly detectors such as code readers, color sensors, or humidity sensors are used to identify bean types, then bean identification accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the identification function from separate costly detector components and integrates it into the existing control system by monitoring electrical power consumption. Instead of adding external sensors, the system uses the power consumption data already being collected for temperature control purposes, thereby eliminating the need for additional detectors.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system serves multiple functions: it controls the heating profile based on temperature feedback and simultaneously identifies bean types by analyzing power consumption patterns. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated bean identification detectors, reducing both device complexity and cost while maintaining identification accuracy.
3Device complexity
If the roasting apparatus operates without bean type detection, then device complexity is reduced, but the risk of fire and poor quality increases due to incorrect beans being roasted
Solution Approach 1:
The control system uses real-time feedback from electrical power consumption measurements to detect when incorrect bean types are introduced. By comparing measured power consumption against expected ranges for partially roasted beans, the system identifies deviations that indicate green beans or fully roasted beans, then stops heating to prevent fire hazards.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the inherent electrical power consumption characteristics of the roasting process itself as the identification mechanism, eliminating the need for separate costly detectors. The roasting process provides its own feedback signal through power consumption patterns that naturally differ between green beans, partially roasted beans, and fully roasted beans.
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
The solution effectively prevents fires and ensures optimal roasting quality by accurately identifying bean types without costly detectors, ensuring the apparatus only roasts partially pre-roasted beans and alerts the user if incorrect beans are present, thus improving safety and product quality.
Implementation Method 1
an electrical heating device to heat coffee beans contained in the vessel
Implementation Method 2
detect a decrease of the consumption of electrical power in function of time
Data Source
AI summary
The invention concerns an apparatus for roasting coffee beans comprising:—a vessel (1) to contain coffee beans,—an electrical heating device (13) to heat coffee beans contained in the vessel,—at least one temperature sensor (23) to measure temperature in the vessel, —a control system (180) operable to control the heating device, wherein the control system is configured to:—apply a roasting recipe dedicated to the roasting of partially pre-roasted beans comprising at least a temperature versus time profile by controlling the electrical heating device based on the measure of the temperature sensor,—detect a decrease of the consumption of electrical power of the heating device in function of time,—stop heating if no decrease of the consumption of electrical power happens after a set reference time ti.—continue or stop the electrical heating device depending on the type of identified beans.