Multi-Chamber Infusion Machine With Single-Drive Rotary Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machines for producing infusion beverages, such as coffee machines, are limited to processing only two types of herbal products due to their design, which restricts their versatility and ability to prepare a variety of drinks.
Innovation Solution
An automatic machine with multiple chambers, each with a bottom opening for gravity-fed transfer, featuring a single drive mechanism for the selection and closure means that are rotatably mounted about a common axis, allowing for quick switching between different types of herbal products and simplifying the preparation of single-variety infusion beverages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple chambers are provided to store different herbal products, then the versatility of the machine is improved, but the device complexity increases due to requiring multiple drive mechanisms for selection and closure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the selection means and closure means into a single integrated assembly that can be rotated together by one drive mechanism. The selection means has multiple openings aligned with different chambers, and the closure means has corresponding openings that align with selected chamber openings. When rotated, this integrated assembly both selects a chamber and opens/closes it simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate drive mechanisms for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The single drive mechanism serves multiple functions by rotating the integrated selection and closure means assembly. This assembly can select different chambers, open selected chambers, close chambers, and control the flow of herbal products through its multiple openings, all with one drive mechanism instead of requiring separate mechanisms for each operation.
2Device complexity
If a single drive mechanism is used for selection and closure means, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation may worsen due to the integrated rotatable assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The selection means and closure means are merged into a single rotatable assembly that operates together. The assembly includes multiple openings in the selection means and corresponding openings in the closure means that align when rotated to specific positions, allowing one drive mechanism to control both selection and closure functions simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated selection and closure means are designed to be rotatable about a common axis, allowing dynamic repositioning of the openings to select different chambers. The rotatable design enables flexible operation where the same assembly performs both selection and closure by simply changing its rotational position.
3Ease of operation
If multiple drive mechanisms are provided for each chamber selection and closure, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing separate drive mechanisms for each chamber's selection and closure, the patent merges these functions into a single drive mechanism that rotates an integrated assembly. This assembly contains multiple openings in the selection means and corresponding openings in the closure means, allowing one drive to control multiple chambers through rotational positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The single drive mechanism is designed with universal functionality to handle multiple chambers and multiple operations (selection and closure) through its integrated rotatable assembly. The assembly's multiple openings and alignment features enable it to serve as a universal control system for all chambers rather than requiring chamber-specific mechanisms.
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 processing of multiple types of herbal products, such as different coffee varieties, with a compact and simplified design, allowing for the preparation of various coffee drinks like conventional filter coffee, espresso, or decaffeinated coffee using a single machine.
Implementation Method 1
at least one closure means that is rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation
Implementation Method 2
the selection means and the closure means are each designed as a rotary slide... a gear contour which is coupled to a gear means driven by the drive means
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic machine (1) for producing an infusion beverage is presented, which comprises several chambers (2, 3, 4) suitable for receiving one type of herbal product each, each of which has at least one chamber opening (5, 6, 7) on the bottom side, through which the vegetable product can be transferred into a brewing unit (8) using gravity. According to the invention, it is proposed that the machine has at least three chambers (2, 3, 4) and between the chamber opening (5, 6, 7) of a chamber (2, 3, 4) that can be selected by a selection means (9) and the brewing unit (8 ) at least one closure means (12) mounted rotatably about an axis of rotation (10) is arranged, the selection means (9) and the closure means (12) being designed to be movable at least indirectly by a single drive means (11).