Portable system for dispensing controlled quantities of additives into a beverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable refillable bottles and hydration containers lack the ability to dynamically change the composition of their consumable contents, such as flavor, nutritional content, or additive levels over time, which limits their effectiveness in optimizing user health and hydration needs.
Innovation Solution
A portable, self-contained beverage apparatus with a dispensing assembly that can periodically dispense additives into the consumable liquid in variable volumes or concentrations, controlled by a controller that adjusts based on tracked liquid levels and additive quantities, using RFID tags for data access and communication with mobile devices for contextual adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a portable refillable bottle stores consumable liquid with constant composition, then the bottle structure remains simple, but the ability to optimize user health and hydration needs dynamically is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The beverage system is segmented into multiple additive vessels (powder, liquid, gel, tablet forms) that can be independently stored and dispensed. Each additive type is contained in separate removable vessels that fit into apertures of the dispensing assembly, allowing flexible combination with the consumable liquid to create dynamically adjustable beverage compositions.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple additive vessels are nested within the dispensing assembly structure. The vessels are contained within apertures of the dispensing assembly, which itself is integrated into the portable bottle. This nested arrangement allows compact storage of multiple additive types while maintaining accessibility for selective dispensing.
2Measurement precision
If additives are dispensed in fixed quantities, then the dispensing mechanism is simple, but the precision in meeting specific user nutritional and hydration needs is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that detect the liquid level in the consumable liquid container and provide feedback to the controller. The controller uses this feedback information to calculate and control the precise quantity of additives to dispense, ensuring accurate dosing based on the current volume of liquid and user-specific requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller adjusts dispensing parameters (quantity, concentration, timing) based on tracked liquid levels and user profiles. The system dynamically changes the dosage parameters to maintain optimal concentration levels of additives in the consumable liquid, adapting to varying user needs and consumption patterns.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple types of additives are stored separately for sequential dispensing, then the beverage composition can be optimized throughout the day, but the device complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dispensing assembly is designed with universal apertures that can accommodate multiple types of additive vessels (powder, liquid, gel, tablet forms). The same dispensing mechanism and controller handle all additive types, providing multi-functional capability without requiring separate dedicated systems for each additive form.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects and dispenses different additive types based on real-time conditions such as time of day, user activity level, and current beverage composition. The controller adjusts the dispensing schedule and additive selection to optimize health and hydration needs throughout the day, making the system adaptable rather than static.
4Reliability
If the bottle contents remain constant except for quantity changes, then the manufacturing and usage are simple, but the effectiveness in optimizing user health and hydration needs is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically monitors liquid levels, calculates required additive quantities, and dispenses the correct amounts without user intervention. The controller tracks consumption patterns and autonomously adjusts dispensing schedules to maintain optimal additive concentrations, making the health optimization process self-regulating and reliable.
Solution Approach 2:
User profiles, additive selection preferences, and dispensing schedules are pre-configured in the controller. The system performs preliminary setup of optimal additive combinations and timing based on user-specific health goals, eliminating the need for manual calculation and ensuring consistent health optimization from the first use.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable, self-contained beverage apparatus includes a container assembly having a known storage capacity for storing a consumable liquid, and a dispensing assembly disposed within the container assembly that dispenses variable, non-zero quantities of additives into the consumable liquid. The dispensing assembly includes multiple apertures structured and arranged to retain vessels containing the additives to be dispensed into the consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus also includes a level sensor disposed within the container assembly that determines a consumable liquid level of the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly. In certain embodiments, one or more positive displacement pumping mechanisms are configured to pump additive liquid from additive containers into a beverage chamber. Other features relate to audio engagement processing. Other features relate to situational processing. Other features relate to group engagement processing.