Two-Position Cold Brew Filter Basket for Full Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cold brew coffee systems face issues with weight and osmosis, as users must lift and hold heavy bags containing coffee grounds, leading to incomplete extraction due to tight packaging that impedes osmosis, often resulting in dry coffee grounds.
Innovation Solution
A two-position filter basket system for a container, with a wider brewing position and narrower draining position, allowing for maximum contact between coffee grounds and water, and facilitating easy drainage without the need to hold heavy wet grounds, using a filter basket with a ridge for secure placement and a holding section for efficient water extraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If coffee grounds are held tightly in a bag for filtering, then the bag structure is simple and easy to handle, but the osmosis of coffee extract from the grounds is impeded resulting in incomplete extraction
Solution Approach 1:
The filter basket is designed to transition between two dynamic positions: a brewing position where the basket is lowered to maximize contact between grounds and water for efficient extraction, and a draining position where the basket is raised to allow complete drainage. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction by enabling both tight contact during brewing and complete drainage during extraction.
Solution Approach 2:
The filtering system is segmented into distinct functional components: a mesh filter basket that holds the grounds, a ridge structure that enables position transitions, and a container with specific width variations. This segmentation allows the system to separate the brewing function (tight contact) from the draining function (complete extraction), resolving the contradiction between handling ease and extraction efficiency.
2Quantity of substance
If a large quantity of coffee grounds and water are used for cold brewing, then the brewing capacity is increased, but the weight the user must lift and hold becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The ridge structure on the filter basket enables the system to serve itself by automatically transitioning to the draining position where the basket is elevated. This eliminates the need for users to manually hold heavy bags, as the system's own structure (the ridge engaging with the container) performs the support function, resolving the contradiction between brewing capacity and user burden.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic positioning system allows the filter basket to be raised to a draining position where it is supported by the ridge structure rather than user hands. This enables large brewing quantities to be processed without proportionally increasing user lifting and holding weight, as the structural design transfers the support load from the user to the apparatus itself.
3Device complexity
If the filter basket is held in place manually during draining, then the structure can be simple, but the user must continuously exert force to hold the heavy wet grounds
Solution Approach 1:
The ridge structure is pre-configured on the filter basket to engage with corresponding features in the container. This preliminary structural arrangement enables automatic positioning and support during draining, eliminating the need for continuous manual force application. The system is designed in advance to self-support, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and operational ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter basket's ridge structure enables the apparatus to support its own weight during the draining operation. Instead of requiring external manual support, the system uses its own structural features (the ridge engaging with the container) to maintain position, making the draining process easy to operate without requiring continuous user force on heavy wet grounds.
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 efficient extraction of coffee by maximizing contact between grounds and water, reducing user lifting weight, and ensuring complete drainage without dry grounds, improving the overall cold brew process.
Implementation Method 1
the coffee is held so tightly that the osmosis of the coffee that is extracted from the grounds is impeded
Data Source
AI summary
A cold coffee brewing device is disclosed. A filter basket is provided that can rest at two positions, a first brewing position and a second draining position, the draining position being located above the liquid being brewed to allow the filter basket to drain without further support. The filter basket rests on a first width in the brewing position and on a second width in the draining position. The first and second width can either be formed in to a container for brewing or an adaptor can be provided to create the first and second width on the container. The filter basket has sections that are adapted to rest on the first and second width respectively.