Grinding unit for beverage preparation device with grinding degree adjustment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing grinding units in beverage preparation devices, such as coffee machines, face issues with clogging due to fine particle sizes in substrate flour, which can lead to blockages in brewing units, while larger particle sizes result in increased substrate consumption.
Innovation Solution
A grinding unit with adjustable grinding elements and a control device that divides the substrate flour into subsets of different particle sizes, allowing for precise adjustment of grinding degrees during the grinding process, ensuring optimal particle size distribution to prevent clogging while minimizing substrate consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the particle size of substrate flour is reduced to improve beverage quality, then brewing quality is improved, but sieve blockages occur more frequently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different particle size distributions in different regions of the substrate flour. The grinding elements are designed to produce a heterogeneous mixture where fine particles are distributed throughout a matrix of coarser particles, rather than uniform particle size throughout. This local variation in particle characteristics prevents sieve blockage while maintaining brewing quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate flour is designed as a composite material system combining particles of different sizes and characteristics. The grinding process creates a multi-component particle distribution where fine particles provide brewing quality while coarser particles provide flowability and prevent blockage, effectively combining the benefits of both particle size ranges.
2Reliability
If the particle size of substrate flour is increased to prevent sieve blockages, then blockage resistance is improved, but substrate consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly increasing particle size throughout the substrate flour, the patent applies local quality by distributing coarser particles strategically within the mixture. The coarser particles are positioned to provide blockage resistance at critical flow paths while finer particles are distributed to maintain brewing quality, optimizing the balance between blockage resistance and substrate efficiency.
3Manufacturing precision
If the grinding degree is adjusted to optimize particle size distribution, then brewing quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The grinding degree adjustment device enables dynamic control of the grinding process, allowing the particle size distribution to be optimized for different brewing requirements. The system can adjust grinding parameters in real-time to match different substrate types and brewing conditions, providing adaptability without requiring multiple separate grinding systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by adjusting grinding degree, grinding speed, and other operational parameters to control particle size distribution. By varying these parameters, the system can produce different particle size profiles suitable for different brewing applications, achieving versatility through parameter optimization rather than structural complexity.
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 effectively prevents sieve blockages while maintaining beverage quality by adjusting grinding degrees in real-time, allowing for efficient and precise dispensing of substrate flour, reducing the amount of substrate required and enhancing the brewing process.
Implementation Method 1
a grinder (2) with a first and a second grinding element for grinding beverage substrate into ground substrate, in particular coffee beans into ground coffee
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a grinding unit (1) for a beverage preparation device (20), comprising a grinding unit (2) for grinding beverage substrate to substrate flour (8) with a first and a second grinding element, wherein the distance between the grinding elements defining the degree of grinding is adjustable via a degree of grinding adjustment device (7), and further comprising a beverage substrate storage device for feeding the beverage substrate into the grinding unit (2) and further comprising a control device for controlling the degree of grinding adjustment device (7), the grinding unit (2) and/or the beverage substrate storage device.According to the invention, the degree of grinding is adjustable during the provision of the predetermined substrate flour portion, wherein the control device is configured to divide the predetermined substrate flour portion into several sub-quantities (9, 11) of different degrees of grinding, and wherein the control device is configured to control the degree of grinding adjustment device (7), the grinding unit (2) and/or the beverage substrate storage device in such a way that a first sub-quantity (9) of substrate flour (8) of a first degree of grinding and subsequently at least one further sub-quantity (11) of substrate flour (8) of a further degree of grinding can be dispensed from the grinding unit, wherein the sub-quantities (9, 11) correspond to the predetermined substrate flour portion.