Device and method for adjusting an apparatus for grinding seeds beans or like
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seed grinding apparatuses lack the ability to achieve a wide range of granulometry adjustments with precision, particularly in micrometer increments, and cannot adapt to the varying requirements of different coffee bean types and wear over time.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a support member, movement member, and displacement member with a drive portion and stabilization means through friction, allowing continuous and precise adjustment of grinding element positions, eliminating the need for elastic means.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a snap-in mechanism with discrete positions is used to adjust grinding elements, then the device structure is simple, but the adjustment precision is limited and cannot achieve micrometer-level granularity control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical snap-in adjustment mechanism with a motor-driven system. A rotation motor drives a lead screw or rack-and-pinion mechanism that converts rotational motion into precise linear displacement of the grinding element, enabling micrometer-level adjustment precision while eliminating the discrete positioning limitations of mechanical snap-in mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a lead screw or rack-and-pinion mechanism as an intermediary between the motor and the grinding element. This intermediary mechanism amplifies the motor's rotational motion into precise linear movement, achieving fine adjustment control without requiring the motor itself to have direct micrometer-level resolution.
2Adaptability or versatility
If elastic means are used to allow upward adjustment of the grinder, then the adjustment range is improved, but the precision is reduced due to friction between components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the elastic means (springs) with a motor-driven system that can actively control the position of the grinding element in both upward and downward directions. The motor provides controlled force without the friction and elasticity-induced positioning errors that plague spring-based systems, maintaining precision across the full adjustment range.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor-driven adjustment mechanism serves multiple functions: it can move the grinding element both upward and downward with equal precision, maintain position without elastic deformation, and provide controlled adjustment speed. This single mechanism replaces the need for separate elastic means and manual adjustment mechanisms.
3Reliability
If screws are used to block the grinder in position, then the positioning is secure, but the device complexity increases and the adjustment process becomes more time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the screw-based blocking mechanism with a motor-driven system that maintains position through controlled motor holding torque or electronic positioning feedback. The motor can be programmed to hold the grinding element at the desired position without mechanical fasteners, and can be easily repositioned by simply rotating the motor shaft, eliminating the need for assembly and disassembly of screws.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor-driven system automatically maintains the grinding element position through its own holding capability, without requiring external blocking components. The system self-regulates to maintain the set position, and can be repositioned by the same actuator that performed the initial adjustment, eliminating the need for separate blocking and unblocking operations.
4Adaptability or versatility
If only downward adjustment is allowed by the adjustment mechanism, then the structure is simple, but the adaptability to compensate for wear and adjust upward is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The motor-driven adjustment mechanism provides universal bidirectional control, allowing the grinding element to be moved both upward and downward with equal precision. This enables the system to compensate for wear by moving the grinding element upward to restore the original gap, while also allowing downward adjustment for changing granulometry settings, all through a single actuator.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the static, unidirectional adjustment mechanism into a dynamic, bidirectional system. The motor can reversibly move the grinding element in both directions along the adjustment axis, enabling the system to adapt to changing conditions (wear, different coffee types) by moving the grinding element to any position within the adjustment range.
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 continuous, precise adjustment of grinding element distance with micrometer accuracy, ensuring optimal granulometry for various coffee types and compensating for wear, enhancing the quality of ground coffee.
Implementation Method 1
a friction element (43) located in contact with the displacement member (13) and with the movement member (12), configured to contrast, through friction, the rotation of the movement member (12)
Data Source
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Figure 6
AI summary
Device (10) for adjusting a machine (100) for grinding seeds, comprising a support member ( 11 ), a movement member ( 12) mobile with respect to the support member (11), a displacement member (13), configured to support a grinding element (106) and cooperating with the movement member (12) to translate along an axis (X), and stabilization means (14) configured to contrast, through friction, the movement of the movement member (12).