Crushed-Ice Drink Maker Shared Dispenser and Valve Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crushed-ice drink makers require separate dispensing and mixing of differently flavored drinks, which is time-consuming, prone to spilling, and difficult to measure proportions accurately, leading to excesses and imbalances.
Innovation Solution
A crushed-ice drink maker with two tanks and a shared dispenser system, featuring adjustable valve control and dual levers for simultaneous dispensing of two drinks in precise proportions, allowing for easy mixing and adjustment of drink ratios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If two different drinks are dispensed separately and mixed manually in a glass cup, then the drinks can be combined to create a mixed beverage, but the process becomes time-consuming and awkward
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate dispensing operations into a single integrated process. Two tanks containing different drinks are positioned to discharge simultaneously into a common mixing chamber, where the drinks mix automatically before dispensing. This merging of operations eliminates the need for separate dispensing and manual mixing, thereby reducing time loss while maintaining drink mixing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mixing chamber as an intermediary component between the two tanks and the dispensing outlet. This mixing chamber receives both drinks, allows them to mix automatically, and then dispenses the combined beverage. The intermediary chamber facilitates the mixing function without requiring manual intervention, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining mixing capability and reducing time loss.
2Adaptability or versatility
If drinks are dispensed separately into a glass cup, then the drinks can be mixed, but there is a risk of spilling if the glass cup has been filled too much
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing chamber serves as an intermediary that performs the mixing function before the drinks reach the dispensing point. By confining the mixing process within the chamber, the system eliminates the risk of spilling that occurs when drinks are mixed manually in glass cups. The intermediary chamber provides a controlled environment for mixing, ensuring reliability while maintaining drink mixing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the mixing function from the glass cup and relocates it to a dedicated mixing chamber. This separation removes the spilling risk associated with overfilling glass cups during manual mixing. The mixing operation is taken out of the vulnerable context (glass cup) and placed in a controlled context (mixing chamber), thereby improving reliability while preserving drink mixing capability.
3Ease of operation
If drinks are dispensed separately, then each drink can be controlled individually, but it is difficult to measure the proportions of the two drinks exactly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs float valves in each tank that automatically regulate the discharge of drinks based on liquid level. The float valves self-adjust the flow rate to maintain equal levels in both tanks, thereby automatically achieving precise proportioning without requiring manual measurement. This self-service mechanism maintains ease of operation while improving drink proportion accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The float valve system incorporates feedback control: as liquid levels change in the tanks, the float valves detect the level changes and automatically adjust the discharge rates accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that the drinks are dispensed in precise proportions by continuously monitoring and adjusting the flow based on actual liquid levels, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining ease of operation.
4Productivity
If excess of one drink is dispensed, then the drink is available for immediate use, but it makes it impossible to obtain the required proportion between the two drinks
Solution Approach 1:
The float valves automatically regulate the discharge of each drink to maintain equal liquid levels in both tanks. This self-service mechanism prevents excess dispensing by continuously monitoring and adjusting flow rates, thereby maintaining precise proportions even during rapid dispensing operations. The system achieves both high productivity and manufacturing precision through automatic level control.
Solution Approach 2:
The feedback mechanism in the float valve system detects liquid level changes in real-time and adjusts discharge rates accordingly. This prevents excess dispensing by immediately responding to level changes, ensuring that the required proportions are maintained throughout the dispensing process. The feedback control enables rapid dispensing without sacrificing proportion precision.
5Adaptability or versatility
If manual mixing is required after dispensing, then the drinks can be combined, but the procedure involves mixing the drink after dispensing with the risk of spilling
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing chamber acts as an intermediary that performs mixing automatically before dispensing. This eliminates the need for manual mixing operations, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining drink mixing capability. The intermediary chamber handles the mixing function in a controlled manner, removing the inconvenience and spilling risk associated with manual mixing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the mixing function into the dispensing system itself, rather than requiring a separate manual mixing step. The two drinks are combined automatically within the mixing chamber as part of the dispensing process, thereby improving ease of operation by eliminating manual intervention while preserving the ability to create mixed beverages.
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 quick, easy, and precise dispensing of mixed drinks without further mixing, reducing waste and spills, and offering high flexibility in drink proportions.
Implementation Method 1
The chilling and stirring means 5, 6 are designed to lower the temperature of the drink until it has the partly iced texture typical of granitas, slush drinks, smoothies and the like
Data Source
AI summary
A crushed-ice drink maker comprises a first tank (3) for containing a first iced drink, a second tank (4), separate from the first tank (3), for containing a second iced drink, and a shared dispenser (13) for dispensing a ready-mixed drink obtained by simultaneously dispensing the two drinks from the two tanks (3, 4). The crushed-ice drink maker (1) also comprises a pair of valves (14) each located between the shared dispenser (13) and the respective tank (3, 4) for enabling and interrupting dispensing of the drink from each tank (3, 4) in a controlled manner. [Figure 2]