Controllable brewer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage making devices are limited in accommodating a range of volumes and lack the ability to detect the cessation of beverage draining, mix ingredients during brewing, and control the concentration of the brewed beverage effectively.
Innovation Solution
A beverage making system with a heated water tank, reservoir, pump, flow meter, and controller that allows for adjustable water dispensing, agitation, and detection of beverage volume and draining completion, enabling flexible brewing volumes and control over beverage characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a beverage making device is optimized for a specific volume, then brewing quality is improved, but adaptability to different volumes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a movable carafe position system where the carafe can be positioned at different locations along the dispensing path. This dynamic positioning allows the system to adapt to different beverage volumes while maintaining optimal brewing parameters, resolving the contradiction between brewing quality and volume adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the positional parameter of the carafe to accommodate different beverage volumes. By adjusting the carafe position rather than changing the brewing parameters, the system maintains brewing quality while adapting to various volume requirements.
2Ease of manufacture
If the device structure is simplified, then ease of manufacture is improved, but detection capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the beverage's own flow characteristics to trigger the detection mechanism. The beverage flow itself activates the sensor that detects when draining is complete, eliminating the need for complex external detection systems while maintaining effective monitoring capability.
3Productivity
If water flow is increased for faster brewing, then productivity is improved, but beverage concentration control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic or pulsed water dispensing rather than continuous flow. This allows control over the total water volume delivered while maintaining relatively high brewing speed, thereby preserving concentration control accuracy while improving productivity compared to traditional slow drip methods.
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 system efficiently brews a broad range of volumes, detects when brewing is complete, and enhances extraction and flavor control through adjustable water flow and agitation, ensuring consistent and high-quality beverage production.
Implementation Method 1
a pump communicating with the reservoir and indirectly the heated water tank to move water from the reservoir to the tank
Implementation Method 2
a heater associated with the heated water tank to heat the water in the tank to a predetermined temperature
Implementation Method 3
a spray head coupled to the heated water tank to controllably dispense by operation of the pump and vent valve, water over a brewing substance
Implementation Method 4
a flow meter for detecting the flow of water from the reservoir to the tank coupled and communicating with the pump and the heated water tank
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure includes a beverage making device including a heated water tank and a reservoir for controllably dispensing water over a beverage making substance to create a beverage. The beverage making device includes a vent valve coupled to the reservoir and heated water tank, a pump coupled to the reservoir for moving water from the reservoir to the heated water tank, a flow meter associated with the heated water tank for determining the water dispensed into the heated water tank, a spray head coupled to the heated water tank for distributing water over a beverage making substance. A controller coupled to the relevant portions of the system for controllably operating the system.