Milk Supply Circuit Electronic Control for Consistent Foam Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Beverage vending machines require complex calibration by skilled personnel to produce high-quality beverages with the right amount of milk and appropriate milk foam consistency, which is burdensome, especially for the milk supply circuit.
Innovation Solution
An automatic beverage vending machine with an electronically controlled milk supply circuit using an air solenoid valve and steam solenoid valve, controlled by an electronic milk control unit to precisely adjust air and steam flow, ensuring consistent milk foam quality regardless of user skill.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual calibration by skilled personnel is used to control milk supply, then beverage quality can be adjusted, but the operation becomes complex and requires specialized expertise
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-calibration automatically without requiring skilled personnel. The electronic control unit autonomously adjusts the solenoid valve parameters and pump operations to achieve consistent milk foam quality, eliminating the need for manual intervention and specialized expertise while maintaining high manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical calibration is replaced with an electronic control system that uses electronic signals to control solenoid valves and pumps. This substitution of mechanical adjustment with electronic control simplifies operation while maintaining or improving precision in milk foam consistency.
2Manufacturing precision
If electronic control with solenoid valves is implemented, then milk supply precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic control unit serves multiple functions: it controls the milk pump, regulates solenoid valves for air and steam, monitors beverage preparation stages, and maintains cleaning cycles. By consolidating these diverse control functions into a single multi-functional unit, the system achieves high milk flow control precision without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic control unit acts as an intermediary between the user interface and the physical milk supply components. It translates user requests into precise electronic control signals for the solenoid valves and pumps, simplifying the interface while enabling precise control through automated intermediate processing.
3Stability of the object's composition
If automated milk frothing is implemented, then beverage consistency is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic action by controlling the solenoid valves to open and close in specific sequences during milk frothing. This periodic valve operation, synchronized with the pump cycles, creates consistent foam structure while allowing energy-efficient intermittent operation rather than continuous high-energy processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system exploits phase transitions of milk during heating and frothing processes. By controlling the phase change from liquid to frothed state through regulated heating and aeration, the system achieves consistent beverage composition while utilizing the natural energy requirements of phase transitions rather than excessive energy input.
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
Enables the production of high-quality beverages with the right amount of milk and appropriate milk foam consistency automatically, simplifying the calibration process and ensuring consistent performance over time.
Implementation Method 1
downstream of the milk pump, directly in a frothing and heating member, along with the steam required to heat the milk, into which the milk is sucked by Venturi effect generated by the steam flow
Implementation Method 2
a milk frothing and heating member, in which the milk drawn from the cold milk tank may be selectively mixed with air, to froth the milk, and with steam, to heat the frothed or smooth milk to a desired temperature
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Automatic beverage vending machine comprising a milk supply circuit comprising a cold milk tank; a variable speed milk pump having a suction side fluidly connected to the cold milk tank through a milk suction duct to draw out cold milk contained in the milk tank, and to an air source through an air supply duct along which an air solenoid valve is arranged to cause the milk pump to be selectively supplied also with air to froth the cold milk drawn out of the milk tank, and a delivery side through which smooth or frothed cold milk is delivered, depending on whether the milk pump has been supplied with air in addition to cold milk; a steam generator operable to produce steam; a milk heater having a milk inlet fluidly connecied to the delivery side of the milk pump through a milk supply duct to receive smooth or frothed cold milk therefrom, a steam inlet fluidly connected to an outlet of the steam generator through a steam supply duct along which a steam solenoid valve is arranged to cause the milk heater to be selectively supplied with steam to heat the smooth or frothed milk received from the milk pump, and a milk outlet through which smooth or frothed, hot or cold milk is delivered, depending on whether the milk pump has been supplied with air in addition to cold mi lk, and the milk heater has been supplied with steam; and an electronic milk control unit electrically connecied to the milk pump and to the air solenoid valve and configured to control operation of the milk pump and of the air solenoid valve to cause the milk supply circuit to deliver smooth or frothed, hot or cold milk. The electronic milk control unit is also configured to determine milk-related quantities comprising the type of cold milk contained in the cold milk tank, the temperature of the cold milk contained in the cold milk tank, the amount of foam to di spense, and the type of milk to dispense, and to control operation of the milk pump and of the air solenoid valve based on the determined milk-related quantities.