Detachable Drip Tray Assembly for Dishwasher-Cleanable Beverage Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional beverage makers have a bulky, one-piece drip tray and cladding element assembly that prevents dishwasher cleaning, leading to increased manual cleaning efforts and potential damage from aggressive cleaning agents.
Innovation Solution
A detachable auxiliary frame connects the drip tray and cladding element, allowing for easy separation and reassembly, with a magnetic or screw connection for stability and ease of use, and a sensor device for ensuring correct assembly and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the drip tray and cladding element are designed as a one-piece component, then the structural stability and aesthetic appearance are improved, but the cleaning capability in dishwasher is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the one-piece assembly into separate components: the drip tray (2) and the cladding element (3) can be detached from each other. This segmentation allows the drip tray to be removed for dishwasher cleaning while the cladding element remains on the appliance, resolving the contradiction between structural stability and cleaning capability.
2Shape
If the cladding element has a painted surface for aesthetic reasons, then the appearance quality is improved, but the resistance to aggressive cleaning agents is lost
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the cladding element with the painted surface from the drip tray, the invention allows the painted surface to remain intact on the appliance while the drip tray (which gets dirty) can be removed for cleaning. This eliminates the need to expose the painted surface to aggressive dishwasher cleaning agents.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the drip tray function from the cladding element, allowing the drip tray to be removed and cleaned separately. This extraction protects the aesthetically important cladding element from direct contact with aggressive cleaning agents while still enabling thorough cleaning of the contaminated drip tray.
3Volume of moving object
If the drip tray protrudes considerably into the interior for adequate volume, then the liquid residue collection capacity is improved, but the aesthetic appearance is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the functional drip tray from the aesthetic cladding element. The drip tray can be designed with adequate volume and protrusion for functional purposes, while the cladding element provides the aesthetic finish. When the drip tray is removed for cleaning, the cladding element remains in place maintaining the appliance's appearance.
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 efficient machine cleaning of beverage maker components, reducing manual effort and ensuring safety through precise assembly and dishwasher compatibility, while maintaining aesthetic appeal.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor device for sensing the cladding element (3) is provided in the beverage maker (1)
Implementation Method 2
The magnetic connection consists of an electromagnet or permanent magnet and a ferromagnetic counterpart
Data Source
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AI summary
The beverage machine has an outlet device (1) equipped with hot water nozzle (17) and several drink delivery nozzles for delivery of coffee drink. A drip tray is provided for the collection of liquid residues. A lining element (3) is removably connected to the drip tray, through an auxiliary frame. A support flange is formed at the lining element or at the auxiliary frame. A sensor device such as micro switch is provided for sensing the lining element.