Reusable Coffee Holder With Offset-Needle Recess and Mesh Filtration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Single serving coffee makers rely on expensive disposable cartridges, which exceed the cost of the brewing material, and existing solutions do not provide a cost-effective reusable alternative that can accommodate the offset bottom needle design of these machines.
Innovation Solution
A reusable coffee holder with a frustoconical shape and mesh filtering material, featuring a recessed region at the bottom to accommodate the offset needle, allowing for the use of a single serving portion of brewing material and enabling compatibility with existing single serving coffee makers, while the mesh filter retains coffee and allows water flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If disposable cartridges are used in single serving coffee makers, then compatibility with existing machines is ensured, but the cost of brewing exceeds the cost of the brewing material itself
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge is divided into two parts: a reusable holder that remains in the machine and a disposable filter cup that contains the brewing material. This segmentation allows the expensive housing to be reused while only the inexpensive filter and coffee are discarded, dramatically reducing brewing costs while maintaining compatibility with existing machines.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of disposing of the entire expensive cartridge, only the inexpensive filter cup containing the brewing material is discarded. The reusable holder is retained and refilled, applying the principle of disposing only the cheap consumable portion while keeping the expensive infrastructure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a reusable holder is designed to accommodate the offset bottom needle, then compatibility with existing machines is achieved, but the holder structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The holder base is designed with an asymmetric recess that specifically accommodates the offset bottom needle position. This asymmetric feature allows the holder to work with machines having offset needles while maintaining a simple overall structure, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
3Productivity
If mesh filtering material is used to retain brewing material, then brewing efficiency is improved, but the holder structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
A mesh filter is integrated into the holder base, providing porous material that allows water to pass through while retaining the brewing material. This simple porous structure achieves efficient brewing without adding significant structural complexity to the holder.
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 reusable coffee holder reduces costs by allowing multiple uses and fits seamlessly into existing coffee makers with offset needles, ensuring efficient brewing without the need for expensive cartridges.
Implementation Method 1
The reusable coffee holder includes a mesh filter for retaining the brewing material inside the coffee holder
Data Source
AI summary
A single serving beverage filter cartridge is formed by placing a single serving portion of brewing material into a reusable coffee holder having a lid and a base. The reusable coffee holder includes a recessed region at the bottom of a base of the holder and is insertable into a cartridge housing of a single serving coffee maker having an offset needle reaching up vertically from the base of the housing, the recessed region may be a large annular recessed region or a smaller off-center recessed region thereby avoiding the offset bottom needle. The coffee holder defines a frustoconical exterior and includes mesh filtering material for retaining brewing material inside the coffee holder. The mesh material may be a metal mesh or plastic mesh. The reusable coffee holder is configured for use in single serving coffee makers having the offset bottom needle and designed for single use cartridges.