Milk Foam Mixing Valve Control for Reproducible Coffee Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dispensing devices for milk and/or milk foam in coffee machines limit the user's ability to produce a variety of milk beverages with specific properties, as they only allow manual adjustment of milk flow, restricting the production of different types of milk and milk foam, making it difficult to create specialty coffees.
Innovation Solution
A dispensing device with a mixing chamber that combines steam, milk, and air, featuring a valve with an adjustable regulating shaft driven by a motor and control device, allowing precise control over milk and air flow rates, enabling the production of multiple types of milk beverages with predetermined properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual adjustment of the regulating shaft is used to control milk flow, then the device structure remains simple, but the user cannot precisely control milk and air flow rates, limiting the variety of milk beverages that can be produced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the purely manual mechanical adjustment system with an automated control system. A motor (25) drives the regulating shaft (22) based on control signals from a control device (35), allowing precise control of milk and air flow rates. This substitution enables the production of various milk beverages with specific properties while maintaining operational simplicity for the user.
2Manufacturing precision
If only a single regulating shaft is used for flow control, then the device structure remains simple, but the user cannot independently control milk and air flow rates, reducing the precision of beverage preparation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the flow control function by providing separate regulating shafts for milk and air flow control. The valve (21) includes a first regulating shaft (22) for controlling milk flow rate and a second regulating shaft (24) for controlling air flow rate. This segmentation allows independent and precise control of each flow rate, enabling accurate preparation of different milk beverage types.
3Ease of operation
If manual adjustment of the regulating shaft is required for each beverage type, then no additional control mechanisms are needed, but the user experiences time-consuming adjustments and cannot reproduce settings accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The control device (35) stores predetermined control signals corresponding to different milk beverage types. When a user selects a desired beverage type, the control device automatically sends the pre-programmed control signals to the motor (25), which adjusts the regulating shafts to the correct positions. This preliminary programming eliminates the need for manual adjustment and ensures reproducible settings across different beverages.
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 reproducible and simple production of a wide range of milk beverages and specialty coffees by allowing precise adjustment of steam, milk, and air mixtures, improving user convenience and consistency.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum is produced ('Venturi effect') by a jet of steam in a suitably shaped nozzle ('Venturi nozzle') which makes it possible to suck from a reservoir (milk container) filled with milk a portion of milk via a line between the nozzle and the reservoir
Data Source
AI summary
A dispensing device for milk and/or milk foam is provided that includes a mixing device for mixing steam, milk and/or air. A mixing device may include a chamber, a first line for the supply of milk into the chamber, a second line for a supply of steam into the chamber, a third line for the supply of air into the chamber, at least one outlet for dispensing the milk and/or the milk foam from the chamber, a valve including an adjustable regulating shaft for regulating the supply of milk and/or air into the chamber. By adjusting the regulating shaft between different predetermined positions at least one flow of milk may be switched on and switched off and/or altered and a flow of air may be switched on and switched off and/or altered. A dispensing device may further include a drive motor for adjusting the regulating shaft of the valve and a control device for controlling the drive motor. The regulating shaft may be movable by controlling the drive motor by means of the control device into respective predetermined positions.