Pressure-Assisted Beverage Brewer for Rapid Cold-Brew Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cold-brewing methods are time-consuming and require complex systems with large footprints, making them inconvenient and prone to bacterial contamination, while lacking flexibility for both hot and cold brewing.
Innovation Solution
A beverage brewing system that incorporates a pressure assembly to rapidly draw liquid through brewing material, allowing for both hot and cold brewing, with a compact design and optional heating element for temperature control, using a brewing material holder with mesh material and a pressure assembly that can be coupled to the container or brewing material holder.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional cold-brewing methods are used, then the beverage flavor is good, but the brewing time is too long
Solution Approach 1:
The brewing system uses periodic agitation cycles where the brewing material is repeatedly lifted and dropped into the liquid. This periodic action enhances mass transfer between the brewing material and liquid, significantly reducing the time required to achieve proper extraction while maintaining flavor quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates mechanical agitation through periodic lifting and dropping of the brewing material holder. This mechanical action creates turbulence and enhances contact between the liquid and brewing material, accelerating the extraction process without compromising the beverage's flavor profile.
2Loss of time
If gravity feed systems are used to speed up brewing, then the brewing time is reduced, but the device footprint becomes large and complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The brewing material holder is designed to be manually lifted and dropped by the user, eliminating the need for complex motorized agitation systems. This self-service approach simplifies the device structure, reduces component count, and makes the system easier to clean while still achieving effective brewing through periodic agitation.
3Device complexity
If conventional cold-brewing systems are used, then the brewing process is simple, but the system lacks versatility for hot and cold brewing
Solution Approach 1:
The brewing system incorporates both a heating element and periodic agitation capability into a single device, enabling it to perform hot brewing, cold brewing, and warm-up functions. This multi-functionality allows the same basic structure to serve multiple brewing methods, increasing versatility without proportionally increasing complexity.
4Ease of operation
If pre-packaged brewing material is used, then the operation is convenient, but the system cannot replicate French press compression effect
Solution Approach 1:
The periodic lifting and dropping of the brewing material holder creates repeated compression and decompression cycles that simulate the French press effect. This mechanical action forces liquid through the brewing material under varying pressure, extracting flavors effectively while maintaining the convenience of using pre-packaged materials.
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 system significantly reduces cold-brewing time, provides flexibility for brewing methods, and ensures a clean and compact brewing process, while maintaining the integrity and flavor of the beverage.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure assembly to draw liquid through the brewing material
Implementation Method 2
an heating element that is configured to be arranged at least partially in an interior of the container and operable to heat liquid held in the container
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage brewer includes a container configured to hold liquid and having an open top, and a brewing material holder configured to be suspended into the container and to hold beverage brewing material in contact with liquid held in the container. The brewer also includes a pressure assembly operable to provide pressurized liquid flow through the brewing material holder within the container, and/or a heating element configured to be arranged at least partially in an interior of the container and operable to heat liquid held in the container.