Pump Mount Spring Dampener to Reduce Vibration in Beverage Machines

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Vibrations from reciprocating piston pumps in beverage preparation machines negatively affect the quality and operational feel of the devices and other components, as existing solutions like suspension with spaced apart suspenders or elastic supports do not adequately address the issue of vibration transmission.

Innovation Solution

A beverage preparation machine design that mounts a vibrating pump on a helicoidal dampening spring, which is secured by an inner spring seat and supported by a plain bearing, allowing friction-free movements and reducing vibration transmission to other machine parts, with flexible electrical connections to further minimize vibration transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the pump is mounted directly in the housing, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but vibrations are transmitted to other machine parts affecting quality and operational feel

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting simplicityVSAvoidvibration transmission
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A dampener comprising a spring element is introduced as an intermediary component between the pump and the housing. This mediator absorbs and dampens vibrations generated by the pump during operation, preventing their transmission to other machine parts while maintaining a relatively simple mounting structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The dampener is pre-installed between the pump mounting surface and the housing, providing vibration cushioning before the pump is mounted. This prior cushioning arrangement ensures that vibrations are absorbed at the source without requiring complex post-installation adjustments or affecting the overall simplicity of the mounting process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If spaced apart suspenders or elastic supports are used to reduce vibrations, then vibration transmission is reduced, but the mounting structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration transmissionVSAvoidmounting structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The dampener integrates multiple functions into a single compact component: it provides vibration damping, structural support, and mechanical coupling between the pump and housing. This merging of functions achieves effective vibration reduction without requiring multiple separate suspension elements, thereby avoiding excessive structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The spring element's physical parameters (such as spring constant, wire diameter, and coil spacing) are optimized to provide adequate vibration damping while maintaining a compact size. By adjusting these parameters, the dampener achieves effective vibration isolation without requiring a large or complex structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If rigid mounting is used, then structural stability is high, but vibrations affect other components and reduce operational quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidvibration impact on components
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The rigid mounting structure is replaced with a dynamic mounting system using a spring element that allows controlled movement and vibration absorption. This dynamic approach maintains structural stability for normal operation while accommodating and dampening vibrational movements, preventing their transmission to other components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 solution effectively reduces vibration transmission, simplifies assembly, and enhances the operational reliability and quality of the beverage preparation machine by absorbing vibrations at the pump's connection points, thereby improving the overall performance and reducing the risk of mechanical stress on components.

Implementation Method 1

a dampener for preventing or reducing the transmission of vibrations from the pump to other machine parts. The dampener comprises a spring on which the pump is mounted in the housing, for example a helicoidal dampening spring

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration damping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP4201273A1Pump mount in a beverage preparation machine
Publication Date: 2023.06.28 SOCIETE DES PRODUITS NESTLE SA
  • EP4201273A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4201273A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4201273A1 patent drawing

AI summary

A beverage preparation machine comprises: a housing (1000); a pump (800) which vibrates during use and which is mounted in the housing; and a dampener for preventing or reducing the transmission of vibrations from the pump to other machine parts, characterised in that the dampener comprise a spring (850) on which the pump is mounted in the housing.