Motorized Brewing Unit with Low-Power Motor for Safe Capsule Closure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage machines require significant user intervention for capsule loading and ejection, posing safety risks and inefficiencies, especially in terms of manual force requirements and potential injuries during operation.
Innovation Solution
A motorized brewing machine with a low power motor and transmission system that simplifies the closure of the brewing unit, reducing user intervention and incorporating safety features to prevent injuries, such as detecting obstacles and automatically adjusting power consumption to manage mechanical constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If manual operation is used to close the brewing device, then device complexity is reduced, but user safety deteriorates due to risk of finger pinching and injuries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the purely manual mechanical closing operation with an automated motorized system. The motor-driven closing mechanism eliminates the need for users to manually apply force, thereby removing the hazard of finger pinching between the brewing device components while maintaining the mechanical closure function.
Solution Approach 2:
The brewing device performs the closing action automatically through its own motorized system without requiring user intervention. The device serves itself by autonomously completing the closing sequence, which prevents user injury while maintaining operational simplicity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If motorized closure is implemented, then user safety improves by preventing finger pinching, but device complexity increases due to additional motor and control components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a low-power motor with carefully selected torque parameters (maximum torque of no more than 50 mNm) to achieve closure without excessive force. By optimizing the motor's power parameters, the system provides sufficient automation to prevent injury while minimizing the complexity and size of the motorized components.
Solution Approach 2:
The motorized system provides more automation than strictly necessary for simple closure, but this excessive automation ensures complete elimination of finger pinching risk. The system applies full motorized control throughout the entire closing sequence, providing a safety margin that overrides the added complexity.
3Power
If low power motor is used, then device complexity and energy consumption are reduced, but closing force capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the motorized closing system with dynamic force delivery, where the motor provides variable torque throughout the closing sequence. The system delivers higher force when needed (during initial closure) and reduces force as the brewing device approaches the closed position, optimizing the balance between low power consumption and sufficient closing force while preventing injury throughout the motion.
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 motorized brewing machine enhances convenience and safety by minimizing user effort, reducing the risk of injuries, and allowing for semi-automatic or automatic brewing, rinsing, and de-scaling modes while optimizing operational conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a motor (3) for driving movable assembly (14) between said open and closed positions
Data Source
AI summary
A motorized beverage machine (1) has: —activation means that comprise a motor (3); and —a brewing unit (2) that comprises a first assembly (13) and a second assembly (14) cooperating together, each assembly delimiting part of a brewing chamber (29) for containing an ingredient capsule (30). At least one of these assemblies (14) is: —movable away from the cooperating assembly (13) into an open position within the machine for forming between the assemblies a passage (31) for inserting into and/or removing from the brewing unit the ingredient capsule; and —movable to the cooperating assembly into a closed position for forming the brewing chamber. The motor is a low power motor configured to: —generate a maximum torque of no more than 50 mNm; and/or —consume a maximum power of no more than 50 W, for driving the movable assembly between the open and closed positions.