Portable beverage container systems and methods for adjusting the composition of a beverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable refillable bottles and hydration containers lack the ability to dynamically adjust the concentration of consumable additives based on consumption patterns, requiring users to manually refill or add multiple compartments, which is impractical and inconvenient.
Innovation Solution
A portable beverage apparatus with a dispensing assembly that includes a controller, sensors, and RFID-tagged additive vessels, allowing for precise and variable dispensing of additives into a consumable liquid based on tracked liquid levels and user inputs, enabling maintenance of targeted additive concentrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If portable refillable bottles are used with constant consumable contents, then the device structure remains simple, but the adaptability to adjust additive concentration is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The beverage container is divided into multiple compartments, with the first compartment holding consumable liquid and the second compartment holding additive. This segmentation allows independent storage and controlled dispensing of each component, enabling concentration adjustment without complicating the overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The dispensing mechanism is designed to dynamically adjust the amount of additive released from the second compartment into the first compartment. The system transitions from static constant-concentration beverages to dynamic variable-concentration beverages, allowing users to adjust additive concentration based on real-time needs while maintaining a relatively simple container structure.
2Ease of operation
If manual refilling or addition of multiple compartments is required, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The dispensing mechanism is designed to operate automatically based on detected liquid levels. Sensors monitor the consumable liquid level in the first compartment and trigger additive dispensing when thresholds are reached, eliminating the need for manual intervention. The system serves itself by automatically managing the beverage composition without requiring user operation complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor the liquid level in the first compartment and provide feedback to the dispensing mechanism. This closed-loop feedback system automatically adjusts additive dispensing based on real-time liquid level data, improving ease of operation by removing manual refilling tasks while the complexity is contained within the automated control system.
3Productivity
If the consumable contents remain constant, then the manufacturing precision requirements are reduced, but the productivity of hydration management deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mechanical refilling operations with an automated dispensing mechanism controlled by sensors and processing logic. This substitution improves productivity by automating hydration management, while the manufacturing precision requirements are addressed through designed dispensing mechanisms that provide controlled additive release into the consumable liquid.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables dynamic changes in beverage composition parameters (additive concentration) by controlling the dispensing process. The processing portion adjusts dispensing parameters based on liquid level sensor data, allowing precise control of additive concentration while maintaining efficient automated operation, thus improving productivity without sacrificing necessary dispensing precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage apparatus, the beverage apparatus being hand-holdable by a user of the beverage apparatus to be portable, can include a beverage chamber housing that includes a chamber for storing a consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus can include a dispensing assembly that includes a receptacle. The receptacle can retain a vessel. The vessel can include an electronic tag and can contain an additive. The dispensing assembly can be operatively controllable by a controller to output the additive from the vessel into the consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus can include one or more sensors, devices, or assemblies that can be used to detect a volume of liquid in the chamber or a liquid level in the chamber. The beverage apparatus can include an apparatus processing portion (ACP) and an apparatus database portion.