Portable machine for beverages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable beverage preparation machines are bulky and inconvenient for transport due to protruding parts, lack of compact design, and unhygienic bottle support mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A portable machine without a water tank, featuring a casing with integrated heating means, a tubing system, and a valve system with half-valves housed in distinct supports, allowing for compact dimensions and concealment of the carriage to maintain hygiene, using disposable containers like capsules or pods for beverage preparation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the machine includes fixed protruding parts such as bottle-holder compartment and coffee container, then the machine can perform beverage preparation functions, but the machine becomes bulky and inconvenient for transport
Solution Approach 1:
The machine is divided into separate functional modules: a collapsible water tank, a removable carriage for the lower half-valve, and a compact housing. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates easy storage and transport when not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The water tank is designed to be collapsible rather than rigid, and the carriage housing the lower half-valve is made movable between protruding and retracted positions. This dynamic design allows the machine to maintain functionality while minimizing its volume during transport.
2Ease of operation
If the carriage housing the lower half-valve protrudes from the casing, then the valve is accessible for operation, but the machine becomes less compact and more difficult to transport
Solution Approach 1:
The carriage housing the lower half-valve is designed to be movable between a protruding position for easy access during operation and a retracted position for compact storage. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction between operational accessibility and transport compactness.
3Ease of operation
If the carriage remains exposed to the environment, then it is easy to access, but it becomes unhygienic due to environmental exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The carriage can be retracted into a concealed position within the casing when not in use, preventing environmental contaminants from reaching the valve components. This preliminary protective action maintains hygiene while allowing easy access when needed.
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 machine is highly portable, easy to use, and prepares various beverages efficiently, with a compact design that conceals the carriage to prevent environmental exposure and allows for quick preparation with interchangeable capsules or pods.
Implementation Method 1
wherein the casing contains heating means to heat the water for preparing the beverage
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~5
AI summary
A portable machine (1) for preparing beverages is described. The machine comprises a casing (20) having at least one side wall (21, 22), wherein the casing (20) contains heating means to heat water, a tubing system for transporting water, a valve comprising an upper half-valve (5) and a lower half-valve (9), a housing for a capsule containing the product for preparing the desired beverage. A side wall (21) of the casing (20) further comprises a carriage (2) connected to the tubing system and adapted for housing the lower half-valve (9). The carriage (2) is movable between an operative position, in which it protrudes from the contour of the casing (20), and a resting position, in which it is arranged concealingly with respect to the contour of the casing (20).