Granule feeding device and beverage machine
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage machines require manual cleaning of brewing chambers, which is labor-intensive and prone to granule jamming during automatic feeding, leading to poor user experience.
Innovation Solution
A granule feeding device with a support member driven by a transmission shaft, featuring intermittent movement and a reset mechanism to prevent granule jamming, combined with a transfer disc for automated dispensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual granule feeding is used to clean the brewing chamber, then granule jamming is avoided, but cleaning automation is lost and user convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is designed to perform intermittent reciprocating movements (back-and-forth motion) rather than remaining static or moving continuously in one direction. This dynamic movement pattern prevents granules from becoming stuck by periodically changing the flow path, thereby achieving both automated feeding and reliable granule delivery without jamming.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member executes periodic reciprocating movements driven by the transmission shaft, creating a rhythmic feeding pattern. This periodic action ensures that granules are continuously pushed forward in controlled intervals, maintaining feeding reliability while enabling full automation of the cleaning process.
2Productivity
If continuous granule feeding is implemented for automation, then cleaning efficiency improves, but granule jamming increases and feeding reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous unidirectional movement, the support member performs intermittent reciprocating movements that dynamically adjust the granule flow. This dynamic approach maintains high cleaning efficiency by continuously advancing granules while preventing jamming through periodic reversal of motion direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The periodic reciprocating motion of the support member creates controlled feeding intervals that maintain high productivity. The rhythmic back-and-forth movement ensures continuous granule supply to the brewing chamber while avoiding the jamming issues associated with continuous feeding mechanisms.
3Device complexity
If a fixed support member is used for granule dispensing, then device complexity is reduced, but granule jamming occurs and feeding reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The support member transitions from a fixed structure to a dynamically moving component that performs reciprocating movements. This dynamic design, driven by the transmission shaft and reset mechanism, adds only moderate complexity while dramatically improving granule feeding reliability by preventing jamming through periodic motion changes.
Data Source
AI summary
The present application provides a granule feeding device and a beverage machine. The granule feeding device includes: a fixing base; a storage box, provided above the fixing base, the storage box having an accommodation cavity for accommodating granules; a driving mechanism, including a motor and a transmission shaft driven to rotate by the motor; the storage box includes a support for supporting the granules, the support is provided with a discharge port communicating with the accommodation cavity, the transmission shaft is connected to the support in a drivable manner, and the support is movably provided relative to the transmission shaft; driven by the transmission shaft, the support is capable of performing intermittent movement relative to the fixing base.