Programme-controlled hot beverage maker comprising an operator control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hot beverage makers face issues with inaccurate ingredient level detection due to sensors being prone to errors from dirt, moisture, and temperature fluctuations, leading to potential preparation failures and user inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
A program-controlled hot beverage maker that determines ingredient quantities using a microcontroller-based method, calculating and updating ingredient levels without sensors, ensuring accurate and reliable information by subtracting required quantities for each beverage preparation from stored values, and providing visual or acoustic warnings for refills.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensors are used to detect ingredient levels, then real-time monitoring is provided, but measurement precision deteriorates due to dirt, moisture, and temperature fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the detection function from physical sensors and relocates it to the control device's computational system. Instead of using sensors to detect ingredient levels, the control device calculates remaining quantities by subtracting dispensed amounts from initial stored amounts, eliminating sensor-related measurement errors caused by dirt, moisture, and temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/sensor-based detection system with a computational calculation system. The control device uses arithmetic operations (subtraction) to determine ingredient levels rather than physical sensors, thereby substituting a mechanical detection approach with a mathematical calculation approach that is immune to environmental interference.
2Loss of information
If sensors are installed in storage containers, then ingredient levels are monitored, but device complexity increases due to additional components and design requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The control device performs multiple functions: it not only controls the beverage preparation process but also calculates and monitors ingredient levels. By making the control device universal, the patent eliminates the need for separate sensor systems, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining the ability to provide ingredient quantity information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the ingredient level monitoring function with the existing control device. Instead of having separate sensors and control systems, the control device integrates both the beverage preparation control and the ingredient quantity calculation functions, simplifying the overall device architecture.
3Measurement precision
If sensors are used for detection, then ingredient levels are measured, but reliability deteriorates due to erroneous detections from environmental factors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the limitation of not having direct sensor measurement into a benefit by using calculation-based determination. The control device leverages known initial quantities and tracked dispensing amounts to accurately determine remaining ingredients, transforming the absence of physical sensing into a more reliable computational approach that is immune to environmental interference.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a program-controlled hot beverage maker (1) with actuators (8, 9, 70, V) for preparing hot beverages, at least one storage container (25, 71, 72) for storing an ingredient (B, W, M), a control device (18) for activating and deactivating the actuators (8, 9, 70, V) for the preparation of the drink and an operating device (10) with a display device (15, 16) for displaying or identifying different, selectable drinks or parameters that is connected to the control device and an operating handle (E, K, C, L) for selecting a drink to be selected, which is also connected to the control device (18) for activating and carrying out the preparation of the selected drink, the control device ( 18) is set up and programmed to display information about the filling level of at least one ingredient () in the storage container () assigned to the ingredient (9) on the display device (15, 16) to spend The hot beverage maker is characterized in that the control device (18, uC) is also set up and programmed to determine the quantity of ingredients (I) in the storage container (25, 71, 72) based on the beverages selected by the user.