Collapsible Coffee Pitcher With Adjustable Flow Restrictor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee brewing kettles, particularly gooseneck kettles, are not portable, prone to damage, and lack adjustable flow control, making them unsuitable for traveling and requiring skill to avoid spurting boiling water.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible hot liquid pitcher with an adjustable flow restrictor gate made of silicone rubber, featuring different sized flow holes and a metal plate that fits into retaining grooves, allowing for controlled pouring and preventing spurting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a gooseneck kettle with a long, thin spout is used to achieve controlled pouring, then the flow control is improved, but the device becomes bulky and fragile, reducing portability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by using a flexible silicone pitcher body that can be collapsed into a compact form for portability, while maintaining the gooseneck spout geometry for controlled pouring. The flexible material allows the pitcher to be compressed without damaging the delicate spout structure, resolving the contradiction between portability and flow control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the pitcher collapsible and adjustable. The pitcher body can be collapsed to a small size for travel, and the flow restrictor gate can be adjusted to change the spout opening size, allowing the device to adapt between portability mode and controlled-pouring mode.
2Device complexity
If a gooseneck kettle with a fixed spout diameter is used, then the structure is simple, but the flow characteristics cannot be adjusted, reducing versatility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the spout dynamic by incorporating an adjustable flow restrictor gate that can be positioned at different heights and orientations within the spout. This allows the user to adjust the effective opening size to control water flow rate, transforming a fixed-geometry spout into an adjustable flow system while maintaining relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the spout into functional zones: the main spout structure and the separate flow restrictor gate mechanism. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component and enables adjustable flow characteristics without redesigning the entire spout system.
3Strength
If a metal kettle is used to ensure durability, then the strength is improved, but the device becomes bulky and the gooseneck is prone to bending and breaking, reducing portability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by combining silicone (for the flexible pitcher body) with metal (for the flow restrictor gate and reinforcement). The silicone provides flexibility and collapseability for portability, while the metal components provide durability and structural integrity where needed, creating a composite structure that balances both requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional rigid metal pitcher body with a flexible silicone shell that can be collapsed for compact storage. This flexible material maintains durability through its elasticity and resistance to cracking, while enabling compact folding that metal cannot achieve, thus improving portability without sacrificing strength.
4Productivity
If a large spout is used to pour large quantities of water quickly, then the productivity is improved, but the flow control precision is reduced, making nuanced brewing difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the spout opening dynamic through the adjustable flow restrictor gate, which can be positioned at different heights to create different effective opening sizes. This allows the user to optimize between large openings for fast pouring and small openings for precise, slow pouring, enabling both high productivity and high measurement precision as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the flow parameters by adjusting the restrictor gate position, which modifies the spout opening area and water flow rate. This parameter adjustment allows the same physical spout to deliver different flow characteristics, enabling both rapid pouring and controlled, precise pouring depending on the brewing requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A collapsible hot liquid pitcher with an adjustable flow restrictor is disclosed that provides an easily controlled pour of hot water from the spout at the end of the pitcher's neck. The pitcher can be made of a rubbery material so that it can be compressed into a small shape for traveling. An insulating layer on the pitcher prevents the hot liquid from burning the user's hand during pouring. An adjustable flow restrictor gate with different sized flow sluices is provided in the pitcher's neck so that the amount of hot water admitted through the flow restrictor gate into the neck can be changed. The restrictor gate can be removed to change the desired flow. The orientation of the restrictor gate, the shape of the pitcher's neck and spout, and the shape and angle of the spout's face work to produce a controlled flow of hot water that pours downwardly in a steady, vertical stream for brewing.