Kava Brewing Strainer Ball Apparatus to Eliminate Manual Squeezing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The traditional kava brewing method is inefficient, messy, and not conducive to restaurant sales due to the need for an intermediary bowl and manual kneading/squeezing of kava bags, which can be off-putting to consumers.
Innovation Solution
A kava brewing method using a strainer ball apparatus with hollow hemi-spheres and fine mesh filters, allowing kava roots to be placed in a beverage shaker where agitation extracts kavalactones into the beverage medium without the need for an intermediary bowl or manual squeezing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional brewing method with fine bags is used, then kavalactones can be extracted from root into liquid, but the process requires an intermediary bowl and manual kneading/squeezing which makes it inefficient and messy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the extraction and filtration functions into a single integrated strainer ball apparatus. The strainer ball contains both the fine mesh filtering capability and the structural design for direct placement in the beverage container, merging what were previously separate steps (extraction in bag, filtration through strainer, transfer to serving container) into one unified device that eliminates the need for an intermediary bowl and manual squeezing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a weighted ball as an intermediary element that performs the extraction function. Instead of requiring manual kneading or squeezing of the bag, the weighted ball is placed in the beverage container along with the strainer ball, and its weight and motion during shaking provide the mechanical action needed to extract kavalactones from the root material, while the fine mesh of the strainer ball filters the liquid simultaneously.
2Productivity
If manual kneading or squeezing of kava bags is performed, then liquid can be extracted from the bag, but the brewer's hands get coated in tea requiring hand washing or disposable gloves
Solution Approach 1:
The weighted ball serves as an intermediary that performs the mechanical extraction action without direct human contact with the liquid. The weighted ball is placed in the container with the strainer ball, and when the container is shaken, the weighted ball's motion provides the necessary mechanical action to extract kavalactones from the root material while the fine mesh filters the liquid, all without the brewer's hands touching the beverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs the extraction function through the interaction of the weighted ball and strainer ball during shaking, without requiring manual manipulation of the bag. The mechanical action is generated by the system components themselves rather than requiring the operator to directly squeeze or knead the bag, thereby eliminating the mess and contamination issue.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional brewing process is used, then kava can be prepared, but the process is not conducive to restaurant sales due to bare hand or gloved hand wringing of beverage
Solution Approach 1:
The weighted ball acts as an intermediary that eliminates the need for any manual contact with the beverage during extraction. The system is designed to be placed in the beverage container, sealed, and shaken, with all extraction occurring through the mechanical action of the weighted ball and filtration through the strainer ball mesh, making it suitable for restaurant environments where food safety and cleanliness are paramount.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical system of hand-wringing or gloved-hand squeezing with an automated mechanical system using the weighted ball. The extraction function is transferred from human hands to the weighted ball's mechanical motion during shaking, eliminating the visual and sanitary concerns associated with manual handling in restaurant settings.
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
This method enhances efficiency and cleanliness by eliminating the need for an intermediary bowl and manual extraction, making kava brewing more appealing for both home and restaurant use.
Implementation Method 1
the shaker is agitated by shaking the shaker. When the beverage medium flows through the straining ball apparatus, the kava roots will repeatedly crash into the strainer, creating a similar effect that the kneading and squeezing has in the traditional brewing method, extracting the kavalactones from the kava root into the beverage medium
Implementation Method 2
Each semi-sphere has a plurality of perforations that are covered by a fine mesh filter. The perforations allow water to pass through the strainer ball, and the mesh filter contains the kava materials inside of the strainer apparatus when in use.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for brewing kava beverage. Using the apparatus, kava beverage is brewed by filling a hollow two-piece spherical structure with extremely fine mesh screens with kava. The filled apparatus is placed in a shaker bottle filled with liquid and is shaken vigorously, extracting the kavalactones from the root into the liquid, creating the kava beverage. This using this apparatus for brewing kava beverage is quicker and simpler than traditional methods of brewing kava beverage.