Delivery assembly for a coffee beverage and corresponding delivery machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Coffee extraction machines face maintenance challenges due to coffee residue buildup, which affects the hydraulic capacity and control of the delivery assembly, particularly the delivery valve, leading to unpredictable coffee flow and quality issues.
Innovation Solution
A delivery assembly with a proportional membrane valve that is selectively adjustable and easily disassemblable for cleaning, featuring a valve body and shutter assembly with a mobile membrane, allowing for precise control of coffee flow and easy maintenance by separating the valve components for thorough cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a delivery valve is used to control coffee flow, then precise control of coffee delivery is achieved, but coffee residue buildup obstructs the passage gap and degrades control performance
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery valve is segmented into two separable parts: a valve body containing the passage circuit and a shutter assembly containing the mobile shutter. This segmentation allows the shutter assembly to be removed and cleaned separately, preventing residue buildup from degrading control performance while maintaining precise flow control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile shutter is extracted from the valve body as a separate removable component (shutter assembly). This extraction enables easy removal and cleaning of the shutter and its seating area, eliminating the problem of residue accumulation that would otherwise obstruct the passage gap and degrade reliability.
2Measurement precision
If the delivery valve structure is made complex to improve flow control, then delivery precision is enhanced, but cleaning and maintenance become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is divided into a valve body and a shutter assembly that can be separated. This segmentation maintains the complex internal passage circuit for precise control while allowing the shutter assembly to be easily removed and cleaned, solving the maintenance difficulty without sacrificing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The shutter assembly is extracted as a removable unit from the valve body. This extraction allows the complex valve structure to maintain its precise control functionality while enabling easy access to all critical surfaces (shutter, seating, passage) for thorough cleaning and maintenance.
3Measurement precision
If the passage gap is reduced to control flow rate, then delivery precision is improved, but residue accumulation causes obstruction and unpredictable flow
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the valve into separable parts, the passage gap can be maintained at a small size for precise flow control while the shutter assembly can be periodically removed and cleaned to prevent residue accumulation from causing obstruction and flow variability.
Solution Approach 2:
The shutter assembly is extracted as a removable component, allowing direct access to the passage gap and shutter seating area. This extraction enables periodic cleaning to remove residue that would otherwise accumulate in the small passage gap, maintaining flow consistency while preserving precise control capability.
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
This solution ensures easy and quick maintenance, precise control of coffee flow, and consistent delivery of high-quality coffee beverages according to user specifications, reducing the risk of residue-induced flow issues and maintaining the machine's performance.
Implementation Method 1
a mobile membrane (21) mounted on the shutter assembly (19) and selectively movable to intercept the segment (20) of passage circuit
Implementation Method 2
a proportional membrane valve selectively adjustable to control the delivery flow of the coffee beverage
Data Source
AI summary
A delivery assembly for a coffee beverage extracted under pressure by means of water through a substrate of powdered coffee comprises an extractor body (11) which has a passage circuit (13) from an entry aperture (24) for the water to a delivery aperture (25) of the coffee beverage, there being present, along the passage circuit (13), a first seating (16) that acts as an extraction chamber to receive the substrate of powdered coffee made downstream of the entry aperture (24) and, downstream of the first seating (16), a second seating (17) communicating with the delivery aperture (25) and the delivery assembly also comprises a proportional membrane valve (15) selectively adjustable to control the delivery flow of the coffee beverage at exit from the first seating (16) and able to be housed in the second seating (17).