Coffee Grinder Lid Interlock Rod for Safe Vertical Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic coffee machines with safety devices for the coffee bean container lid are complex to operate and not ergonomic, requiring users to rotate and lift the lid, which can lead to unsafe access to the grinder.
Innovation Solution
A safety device with a transversely extending safety rod that allows the lid to be removed by lifting it directly upwards, preventing operation of the grinder until the lid is fully removed, ensuring user safety and simplifying the design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the safety rod extends in a plane of the cover and requires rotation to remove, then the safety device can prevent grinder operation, but the operation becomes complicated and not ergonomic
Solution Approach 1:
The safety rod is inverted from extending in the plane of the cover to extending transversely perpendicular to the cover plane. This allows the lid to be removed by simple vertical lifting rather than complex rotation, while the safety function is maintained through the transverse extension design that blocks the pusher access path.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety rod is moved from a two-dimensional in-plane configuration to a three-dimensional transverse configuration perpendicular to the cover plane. This dimensional change enables straightforward vertical removal while maintaining safety blocking functionality in the horizontal plane.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the safety rod extends transversely to prevent pusher access, then user safety is improved, but the design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transverse safety rod serves multiple functions simultaneously: it blocks pusher access to prevent grinder operation, provides a visible safety indicator to users, and maintains structural integration with the cover. This multi-functionality achieves enhanced safety without proportionally increasing complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the lid can be rotated around axis Δ, then direct upward evacuation is enabled, but abnormal use could allow access to grinding wheels
Solution Approach 1:
The safety rod is positioned and dimensioned to preemptively block the pusher access path before any rotational movement can occur. The rod's transverse extension creates a physical barrier that prevents the lid from rotating far enough to expose the grinding wheels, countering potential abnormal use before it can happen.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety device parameters (rod position, extension length, angular threshold) are specifically designed to change the operational parameters of lid removal. The lid can rotate only within a limited angular range that maintains safety rod blocking of the pusher, while still allowing sufficient movement for safe bean access.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an automatic coffee machine (1) comprising a coffee bean container (50) feeding a grinder (10), said container (50) having a top opening (51) covered by a removable lid (40), said coffee machine (1) comprising a safety device (16, 20, 30) for the presence of the lid (40) on the top opening (51) which includes a safety rod (30) extending from an edge (41) of the lid (40) and a switch (16) having a push button (20) movable between an activated position which allows the operation of the grinder (10) and a deactivated position which prohibits the operation of the grinder (10), the safety rod (30) having a support member (31) which cooperates with a support surface (22) of the push button (20) in the activated position.According to the invention, the safety rod (30) extends transversely to a plane P in which the cover (40) is inscribed and the cover (40) is movable on the tray (50) in rotation around an axis Δ tangent to the edge (41) of the cover (40) and passing through a junction zone (42) of the safety rod (30), the support member (31) of the safety rod (30) being dimensioned to disengage from the support surface (22) of the pusher (20) when the cover (40) placed on the tray (50) pivots around the axis Δ by an angular value greater than 20° and thus move the pusher (20) into the deactivated position.