Multi-Port Automated Beverage Brewer for Simultaneous Custom Brewing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automated beverage brewers struggle to simultaneously custom-brew multiple beverages with precise temperature and flow rate control, leading to inconsistent beverage concentration and limited configuration options, particularly in commercial settings where high productivity is required.
Innovation Solution
A modular, automatically controlled beverage brewer with multiple hot water dispensing fonts and a computerized controller that allows users to input and store brewing commands, enabling customizable brewing configurations and precise hot water dispensing to accommodate various brewing vessels, including bulk and individual serving sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple brewing operations simultaneously draw hot water from a single tank or reservoir, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to improper beverage concentration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single hot water source into multiple independent hot water sources by providing separate hot water tanks for each brewing station. This segmentation allows each brewing operation to have dedicated hot water supply, eliminating flow interference between simultaneous brewing operations while maintaining consistent beverage concentration at each station.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces individual flow control valves as intermediaries between the hot water tanks and brewing stations. These valves precisely regulate hot water flow rates to each brewing operation, ensuring that simultaneous brewing operations maintain their respective flow rate requirements and achieve consistent beverage concentration.
2Productivity
If multiple brewing operations are performed simultaneously, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to flow rate and volume control issues
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the brewing system into independent brewing stations, each with its own hot water tank and flow control valve. This segmentation isolates each brewing operation's fluid control systems, preventing flow interference and ensuring reliable flow rate control for each simultaneous brewing operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates flow sensors and control systems that provide feedback on actual flow rates to the control mechanism. This feedback loop allows the system to maintain precise flow rate control for each brewing operation, even when multiple operations run simultaneously, thereby ensuring reliable beverage preparation.
3Device complexity
If a single hot water source is used for multiple brewing stations, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to inability to maintain precise temperature and flow rate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the hot water supply system into multiple independent tanks, one for each brewing station. This segmentation enables each station to maintain its own precise temperature and flow rate settings without being affected by other stations, achieving high manufacturing precision through structural multiplication.
Solution Approach 2:
While each brewing station has its own hot water tank, the overall system design maintains universality through standardized components and modular architecture. The multiple tanks serve identical functions across different stations, allowing for simplified maintenance and operation despite the increased number of components.
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 system enables simultaneous, high-quality brewing of multiple beverages with precise temperature and flow rate control, enhancing productivity and flexibility in commercial settings by allowing users to customize brewing operations and store personal recipes, ensuring consistent beverage quality.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element in the base, heated water in the tank to a desired temperature
Implementation Method 2
a thermistor sensing the water temperature in the tank
Implementation Method 3
a pump delivering hot water at controlled flow rates to fonts at locations remote from the tank
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic beverage brewer for coffee, tea, and the like, and more particularly, which is customizable both in physical configuration including number and location of external brewing fonts, optionally in association with a bulk brewing font and receiving container, and in automatic operation to dispense hot water to the respective fonts and a main brewing basket or baskets responsive to user inputted beverage brewing commands.