Folding Cup Trip Lever Assembly for Beverage Server Faucets
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Cup trip lever assemblies in beverage servers are prone to damage when the servers are removed from stands, as the lever extends below the faucet nozzle, leading to potential breakage and improper valve actuation.
Innovation Solution
A novel adaptor and lever assembly design that allows the lever to fold upwards, preventing damage during server placement and maintenance, while maintaining the valve in a closed position, and includes a camming action to actuate the faucet valve efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a cup trip lever extends below the faucet nozzle to enable contactless operation, then hygiene is improved, but the lever becomes prone to damage when the server is removed from a stand
Solution Approach 1:
The lever assembly is designed to be movable relative to the faucet body, allowing it to transition between a lowered operational position (for contactless cup placement) and a raised protective position (when the server is removed from the stand). This dynamic repositioning resolves the contradiction by adapting the lever's position to different operational contexts, maintaining both hygiene benefits and damage prevention.
2Ease of operation
If the lever extends below the faucet to enable cup trip operation, then dispensing functionality is improved, but the lever may break or dislodge when the server is placed on a surface
Solution Approach 1:
The lever assembly can be dynamically repositioned to an upper position that prevents contact with surfaces when the server is placed down, while still maintaining the ability to extend to a lower operational position for cup trip dispensing. This resolves the contradiction by making the lever's position adaptive rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The lever assembly is designed as a separable or movable component that can be independently positioned relative to the faucet body. This segmentation allows the lever to be raised to a protective position away from potential damage zones while maintaining its dispensing function when needed.
3Productivity
If the lever is positioned to allow cup trip operation, then beverage dispensing is enabled, but the valve may be improperly actuated when the server is handled
Solution Approach 1:
The lever assembly's movable design ensures that it only occupies the valve-actuating position when intentionally triggered by cup placement. When the server is handled or moved, the lever can be raised to a neutral position that does not interfere with valve operation, preventing improper actuation while maintaining reliable dispensing during intended use.
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 design prevents damage to the lever assembly and ensures proper valve operation, allowing for safe handling and maintenance of beverage servers, while maintaining hygiene through contactless operation.
Implementation Method 1
The adaptor transmits the first force through a driving surface, the driving surface engages a component of the faucet assembly with a camming action
Data Source
AI summary
The apparatuses and methods disclosed herein, along with contemplated variants thereof, provide several advantages over known systems for actuating the faucet of a beverage server. In conventional designs, a faucet of a beverage server is provided in the lower portion of a reservoir, such that a beverage from the reservoir is distributed to the spigot through a gravity-driven process. In operation, many of these servers are utilized as service industry coffee servers for restaurants and banquet halls. Employees who are handling the brewing equipment will often place servers used with the brewing equipment directly in a sink for cleaning or filling, such that the base of that sink acts as a horizontal surface. Absent the ability of the lever assembly to fold into an up position, this operation would result in putting unnecessary force on the lever assembly. Accordingly, a multi-position, hands-free actuation system is disclosed herein.