Grinder for grinding coffee beans as well as coffee machine comprising such a grinder
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional coffee grinders are noisy and harsh on coffee beans, leading to flavor loss and potential blockages due to the breaking action, which also increases energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
The grinder features grinding surfaces with an angle of inclination between 90° and 180°, allowing for a cutting action that is gentler on coffee beans and reduces noise, while also effectively handling foreign particles to prevent blockages, with a design that includes a two-stage grinding mechanism for conical and disk grinders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional grinders use a breaking action to comminute coffee beans, then the grinding function is achieved, but noise increases and flavor is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the grinding action from breaking to cutting by modifying the geometry of the grinding surfaces. The cutting edges are designed with specific angles (90° to 180° inclination) that enable a slicing motion through the coffee beans, fundamentally altering the comminution mechanism to reduce noise and preserve flavor while maintaining effective grinding functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using the conventional breaking action where grinding surfaces crush beans between them, the patent inverts the approach by using cutting edges that slice through the beans. This inversion of the fundamental grinding mechanism transforms the harmful breaking action into a beneficial cutting action, eliminating noise and flavor loss associated with compression and fracture.
2Use of energy by moving object
If conventional grinders use a breaking action, then coffee beans are comminuted, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the energy efficiency parameter by transforming the grinding mechanism from high-energy breaking to low-energy cutting. The cutting edges with 90° to 180° inclination angles enable a more efficient energy transfer, where the rotational motion directly slices through the beans rather than wasting energy on compression and fracture, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining or improving grinding productivity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If grinding surfaces have an angle of inclination between 90° and 180°, then cutting action is achieved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes a specific parameter range (90° to 180°) for the grinding surface inclination angle that optimizes the cutting action. This parameter specification provides manufacturing flexibility within the range while ensuring the cutting functionality is achieved, balancing the need for precision with practical manufacturability.
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 solution results in a quieter operation, reduced energy consumption, and a more aromatic coffee flavor by cutting rather than breaking the beans, ensuring better flavor preservation and efficient grinding.
Implementation Method 1
The angle of inclination φ of the grinding surfaces fulfils the following condition: 90° < φ ≤ 180°... each first grinding surface of the grinding cone is moved in a grinding direction relative to the grinding ring, so as to transport the coffee beans, which are to be ground, from an entrance slit of the grinder in the grinding grooves of the grinding cone and of the grinding ring through the grinding slit to an exit slit... and to comminute them by means of the first grinding surfaces of the grinding cone
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
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AI summary
What is described is a new grinder (1), which serves to grind coffee beans (3) and which is embodied as disk grinder. To improve the grinding process, the first and/or second grinding disk (11, 15'), respectively, encompass grinding surfaces (64, 69, 94, 99) comprising an angle of inclination (ϕ), which is in each case greater than 90° and smaller than 180°, relative to a tool reference plane (E-I).