Motorized Docking Element for Milk Line Coupling in Beverage Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Beverage preparation devices with milk heating and frothing functions face challenges in ensuring a fluid-tight coupling between the milk line and supply connection, particularly when the door is hinged on either side, and in preventing contamination of milk during rinsing processes.
Innovation Solution
A beverage preparation device with an adjustable docking element, driven by an electric motor, that can be positioned between a parking and docking position along a rectilinear or curved path, ensuring a fluid-tight connection and decoupling from the supply connection, thereby preventing contamination and accommodating different door hinge configurations without reconfiguring the milk line.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the supply connection is arranged on a pivotable door, then the device can accommodate different door hinge configurations, but the milk line connection becomes difficult to seal reliably
Solution Approach 1:
The docking element is made actively movable along a guided adjustment path between a parking position and a docking position. This dynamic positioning capability allows the docking element to reliably connect to the supply connection regardless of door hinge configuration, as the element can actively seek and maintain the correct position for fluid-tight coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The docking element acts as an intermediary component between the fixed milk line and the movable supply connection. By positioning the docking element on the housing side with active adjustment capability, it mediates the connection between the stationary milk line and the door-mounted supply connection, ensuring reliable sealing regardless of door configuration.
2Device complexity
If the docking element is positioned close to the supply connection, then the connection is compact, but milk can be contaminated during rinsing processes
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is segmented into distinct functional zones: the docking element with its outlet opening, the supply connection, and the milk line. The docking element can be positioned such that its outlet opening is spatially separated from the supply connection, creating distinct zones that prevent cross-contamination during rinsing while maintaining functional connectivity when docked.
Solution Approach 2:
The docking element is designed to establish a secure fluid-tight connection before rinsing operations begin. The active positioning ensures that the milk line is properly connected and sealed to the supply connection prior to any rinsing process, preventing contamination from entering the milk supply path.
3Device complexity
If a fixed milk line configuration is used, then the structure is simple, but the device cannot accommodate different door hinge positions
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the entire milk line configuration complex and adjustable, only the docking element is made dynamically positionable. The main milk line remains fixed and simple, while the docking element's active adjustment capability compensates for different door hinge positions, providing adaptability without overall system complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a beverage preparation device (1) with a housing (2) and with a device (8) for heating and/or frothing milk and with a milk line (10) via which the device (8) for heating and/or frothing can be supplied with milk from milk. According to the invention, the milk line (10) is connected in a fluid-conducting manner to docking means (13) which comprise a docking element (16) which can be adjusted by means of a drive, in particular an electric motor, between at least one parking position and at least one docking position (27, 31) spaced therefrom that in the docking position (27, 31) is fluidly connected to a supply connection (14) for milk and is decoupled from it in the parking position.