Pour-Over Coffee Sprayhead With Bell Siphon for Even Water Delivery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Pour over coffee brewing machines using flash boilers deliver hot water intermittently due to the expansion of steam, leading to uneven water flow and compromised organoleptic characteristics of brewed coffee.
Innovation Solution
A sprayhead design with a housing, vented holding chamber, and siphon arrangement that ensures continuous water flow to the brew basket, incorporating a drain to eliminate residual water and provide a pre-infusion pause, optimizing water delivery and temperature consistency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a flash boiler is used to heat water rapidly, then heating speed is improved, but water delivery becomes intermittent and uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-heating water in a holding chamber before it reaches the sprayhead. The holding chamber accumulates hot water from the flash boiler and delivers it continuously to the sprayhead, ensuring stable water flow while maintaining the rapid heating capability of the flash boiler.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing a holding chamber as a buffer between the flash boiler and sprayhead. This intermediary component smooths out the intermittent water delivery from the flash boiler, providing continuous and even water flow to the sprayhead while preserving the rapid heating function.
2Ease of operation
If the sprayhead is positioned at greater height than the water inlet, then water delivery to the brew basket is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies equipotentiality by positioning the holding chamber at a height that allows water to flow into it from the flash boiler outlet without requiring additional pumping energy. The system utilizes the natural pressure differential created by the flash boiler to maintain water flow while keeping the sprayhead at an optimal height for effective water delivery.
3Power
If water is delivered as intermittent pulses from the flash boiler, then rapid heating is maintained, but coffee brewing quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuity of useful action by using the holding chamber to accumulate hot water from the flash boiler and deliver it continuously to the sprayhead. This ensures that the brewing process receives a steady, continuous flow of hot water, maintaining high brewing quality while the flash boiler continues to operate at high power for rapid heating.
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 sprayhead delivers hot water in a steady, continuous flow with minimal interruptions, ensuring optimal brewing conditions by preventing residual water cooling and providing a pre-infusion pause for better coffee extraction.
Implementation Method 1
A siphon arrangement connecting the holding chamber with the dispensing chamber, which releases the accumulated quantity of water each time the holding chamber has filled with water
Implementation Method 2
a flash boiler, also known as a bubble pump, is commonly used. As the water is heated in the flash boiler a two phase mixture of gas phase and liquid phase water is created
Implementation Method 3
As the water heats it expands, as steam is generated. This forces the water out of the flash boiler
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
A sprayhead (10) for a pour over coffee brewing machine for delivering hot water to coffee grounds held in a brew basket therebelow, has a housing (11) with a water inlet (12) at one end thereof, which is connectable to an intermittent source of hot water. A plurality of spaced apart hot water outlets (14) are arranged at the other end (15) of the housing (11). A holding chamber (16) for accumulating a quantity of hot water therein is located within the housing (11) and is connected to the water inlet (12). A dispensing chamber (18) is located within the housing (11) and below the holding chamber (16), in use. A bell siphon (20) located in the holding chamber (16) delivers the accumulated quantity of water from the holding chamber (16) to the dispensing chamber (18), and thence to the coffee grounds, once the water level in the holding chamber (16) rises above an open end (24) of a siphon tube (21). The delivery of the accumulated water by means of the bell siphon 20 converts an intermittent supply of water into a smoother dispensing of hot water from the sprayhead (10).