Modular Beverage Machine Layout to Prevent Module Cross-Contamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage preparation machines face challenges in maintaining hygiene and versatility due to contamination risks when switching between different beverage modules, as residual mixtures from previous preparations can contaminate new ingredients and modules.
Innovation Solution
A modular beverage preparation machine design where the removable module has a passive fluid circuit without active conditioning, preventing mixture return flow to the base, ensuring hygiene and allowing easy substitution of modules without special tools, and using anti-return valves and data interfaces for secure and reliable connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a modular design with removable modules is used to improve versatility and ease of module replacement, then adaptability and ease of operation are improved, but contamination risks arise when switching between different beverage modules
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the fluid circuit from the removable module, making it passive and disconnected from the base's fluid system. This separation prevents contamination when switching modules while maintaining versatility, as the module can be easily replaced without carrying over residual mixtures to the base outlet.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into a base unit and removable modules with distinct functional separations. The fluid circuit is assigned to the base while the module contains only the mixing unit, creating clear boundaries that prevent cross-contamination between different beverage preparations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the module has an active fluid circuit with pump and heater for conditioning fluid, then beverage preparation functionality is improved, but device complexity and contamination risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The active fluid conditioning components (pump, heater) are extracted from the removable module and placed in the base unit. This reduces module complexity to only the essential mixing function while maintaining full beverage preparation capability through the base's fluid circuit.
Solution Approach 2:
The base unit's fluid circuit serves multiple modules universally, providing pumping and heating functions for all different beverage types. This allows the system to maintain rich functionality without duplicating complex components in each removable module.
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage preparation machine (1) comprises: a base (10) having a fluid circuit for conditioning and delivering a fluid via a base outlet (11), in particular a fluid circuit connected to a fluid source and controlled by a control unit and comprising a pump and/or a thermal conditioner such as a heater and/or a cooler; and a user-removable module (20) having a module inlet (21) disconnectably connectable to the base outlet, and comprising a mixing unit (25) downstream the module inlet (21) for holding an ingredient that is mixed downstream said inlet with fluid fed into the unit via the base outlet (11) and the module inlet (21) to form a mixture that is dispensed via a machine outlet (26). The fluid circuit of the base (10), the module inlet (21), the mixing unit (25) and the machine outlet (26) are configured to prevent that the mixture formed in the mixing unit contacts the base outlet (11) via the module inlet (21).