Coffee machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee machines do not effectively prepare Lebanese-type, Greek-type, or Turkish-type coffee with good distribution characteristics and easy handling, particularly restricting pot shape and requiring complex mechanisms for reliable coffee distribution.
Innovation Solution
A coffee machine with a pivotable pot and valve mechanism that automatically adjusts the outlet opening's vertical position, allowing for reliable coffee distribution and easy handling, featuring a pivot device and operating mechanism that moves the pot between preparation and distribution positions, and a closure element that opens and closes the outlet, ensuring efficient coffee dispensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the outlet opening is positioned at a lower vertical level in the coffee distribution position, then the liquid pressure in the outlet opening area is increased and reliable coffee distribution is provided, but the pot structure becomes more complex requiring pivot mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The pot is designed to be pivotable between a coffee preparation position and a coffee distribution position, where the outlet opening moves to a lower vertical level during pivoting. This dynamic repositioning increases liquid pressure at the outlet opening for reliable coffee distribution, while allowing the pot to return to its original position after use.
2Ease of operation
If the closure element and pot are movable relative to each other, then the handling and operation of the coffee machine is facilitated, but the valve mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The closure element is integrated with the valve mechanism such that the closure element and the pot are movable relative to each other. This integration allows the closure element to be automatically operated by the pivoting motion of the pot, facilitating handling while the valve mechanism controls the opening and closing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The operating mechanism is configured so that when the pot is pivoted from the coffee distribution position to the coffee preparation position, the operating mechanism automatically operates the valve mechanism to move the closure element relative to the pot between closed and opened positions, without requiring separate manual operation.
3Extent of automation
If the operating mechanism automatically operates the valve mechanism during pot pivoting, then the handling is simplified and automatic opening/closing is achieved, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The operating mechanism merges the pot pivoting motion with the valve mechanism operation. When the pot is pivoted from the coffee distribution position to the coffee preparation position, the operating mechanism simultaneously moves the closure element relative to the pot between the closed and opened positions, achieving automatic operation through the combined motion.
4Ease of manufacture
If the pot bottom wall is flat and non-inclined, then the pot shape restrictions are reduced and manufacturing is simplified, but coffee distribution requires higher liquid pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The pot with a flat and non-inclined bottom wall is designed to be pivotable between positions. When pivoted to the coffee distribution position, the outlet opening moves to a lower vertical level, dynamically increasing the liquid pressure at the outlet opening to enable reliable coffee distribution despite the simple flat bottom wall design.
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 coffee machine provides reliable coffee distribution, allows for full pot emptying, and simplifies handling by automatically adjusting the outlet opening, ensuring consistent coffee quality and ease of operation.
Implementation Method 1
the pot is mounted to the machine frame in a manner so as to be pivotable relative to the machine frame about a horizontal pivot axis between a coffee preparation position and a coffee distribution position, in which the outlet opening is positioned at a lower vertical level than in the coffee preparation position
Implementation Method 2
the operating mechanism is configured in a manner so that, when the pot is being pivoted from the coffee distribution position to the coffee preparation position, the operating mechanism simultaneously operates the valve mechanism to move the pot and the closure element relative to each other
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
Coffee machine (10) comprising a machine frame (12), a pot (14) which has a bottom wall (16), a circumferential side wall (18), an inlet opening (20) provided in an upper portion of the pot (14), and an outlet opening (22) provided in a lower and outer portion of the pot (14), wherein the pot (14) is mounted to the machine frame (12) in a manner so as to be pivotable relative to the machine frame (12) about a horizontal pivot axis (24) between a coffee preparation position and a coffee distribution position, in which the outlet opening (22) is positioned at a lower vertical level than in the coffee preparation position, a valve mechanism (26) including a closure element (28), wherein the closure element (28) and the pot (14) are movable relative to each other between a closed position, in which the closure element (28) closes the outlet opening (22), and an opened position, in which the closure element (28) releases the outlet opening (22).