Conductivity Sensor for Beverage Dispenser Ingredient Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current beverage dispensers are costly to maintain due to the difficulty in accurately sensing the levels of fluid ingredients, leading to premature pump failures and unnecessary ingredient replacements, especially with high-concentration ingredients that can damage sensors and cause false empty detections.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a resistance or conductivity sensor within each fluid path of the dispenser, using a pair of electrodes to measure electrical conductivity, which allows for accurate detection of ingredient levels without replacing the pump and reduces false positives, thus enabling cost-effective and reliable operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a pressure sensor is used to detect empty ingredient conditions, then the sensing capability is provided, but the sensor is vulnerable to damage from high concentrations of acids and salts in beverage ingredients

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor durabilityVSAvoidacid and salt concentration damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical/physical pressure sensor with an electrical conductivity sensor that measures the electrical properties of the fluid ingredient. This substitution eliminates the vulnerability to acid and salt damage while maintaining the ability to detect empty conditions through changes in electrical conductivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an electrical conductivity measurement as an intermediary parameter to indirectly detect ingredient levels. Instead of directly measuring pressure (which is vulnerable to corrosion), the system measures electrical conductivity, which provides a reliable indicator of fluid presence without being affected by acidic or salty conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If an optical sensor is used to detect air bubbles, then small air bubbles can be detected, but false positives occur when small air bubbles are present in the fluid stream

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair bubble detection sensitivityVSAvoidfalse positive rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the detection parameter from optical properties (which are sensitive to small air bubbles) to electrical conductivity properties. By measuring electrical conductivity rather than optical characteristics, the system can distinguish between normal fluid conditions and actual empty conditions without being triggered by small air bubbles, thereby reducing false positives.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If conventional sensors are used in pumps, then ingredient level sensing is provided, but the entire pump must be replaced when a sensor fails

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveingredient level detectionVSAvoidpump replacement requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the sensing function from the pump assembly by placing the electrical conductivity sensor in the fluid path outside the pump. This separation allows the sensor to be replaced independently without replacing the entire pump, significantly improving repairability and reducing maintenance costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Productivity

If high concentrations of micro ingredients are used, then the ratio of water to ingredient increases, but the ingredients can damage sensors and cause premature failures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeverage dispensing efficiencyVSAvoidsensor service life

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical or optical sensors with an electrical conductivity sensor that is resistant to damage from high concentrations of acids and salts. This allows the system to accurately monitor even highly concentrated micro ingredients without suffering premature sensor failure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 conductivity sensor provides a robust and cost-effective solution for monitoring ingredient levels, reducing maintenance costs and increasing the number of dispenses from each container, while minimizing false empty detections and ensuring consistent beverage quality.

Implementation Method 1

using a pair of electrodes to measure electrical conductivity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical Conductivity: Conduction (electrical)

Data Source

PatentUS10850966B2Resistance measuring sold out sensor for a beverage dispenser

Publication Date: 2020.12.01 THE COCA COLA CO

AI summary

A beverage dispenser and process of dispensing beverages from a beverage dispenser may include causing an ingredient in the form of a fluid to be drawn from a storage container through a conduit. An electrical conductivity of the fluid ingredient may be sensed within the conduit. A determination as to whether the electrical conductivity of the fluid ingredient crosses a threshold level may be made, and if so, the beverage dispenser may be disabled from dispensing beverages containing the fluid ingredient, otherwise, the beverage dispenser may be enabled to dispense beverages containing the fluid ingredient.