Roasting Drum Hatch Automation for Efficient Bean Unloading

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current food roasting machines lack an efficient and automated method for unloading roasted contents and provide limited visual monitoring capabilities during the roasting process.

Innovation Solution

A roasting system with a roasting drum featuring an actuable hatch and an agitator, controlled by a controller that automates the unloading process and allows for visual observation through a glass door, enabling the roasting drum to seal and open the hatch for easy content removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If a traditional roasting drum design is used, then the structure is simple, but automated unloading capability is lacking and visual monitoring is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomated unloading capabilityVSAvoiddrum structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drum bottom is segmented into a removable hatch section that can be independently opened and closed. This segmentation allows the drum to maintain its simple cylindrical structure while incorporating automated unloading capability through the separable hatch mechanism controlled by the controller.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The drum design integrates multiple functions into a single structure: the drum body serves both as the roasting chamber and as part of the unloading mechanism through the integrated hatch. The glass door also serves dual purposes as both a closure and a visual monitoring window, reducing the need for separate components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If the drum is completely open for unloading, then content removal is easy, but visual monitoring during roasting is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent removal easeVSAvoidvisual monitoring capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The hatch is designed to be dynamically controllable, transitioning between closed (during roasting) and open (during unloading) states based on process requirements. This dynamic control allows the system to maintain visual monitoring capability during roasting while enabling easy content removal when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If a hatch is added to the drum bottom, then automated unloading is enabled, but the drum structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveunloading efficiencyVSAvoiddrum structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The hatch mechanism is designed to be self-contained with integrated sealing and actuation capabilities. The heating element can directly heat the beans in the discharge pan without requiring complex transfer mechanisms, and the hatch itself contains the sealing and opening functionality, reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Loss of information

If the glass door is made larger for better visibility, then visual monitoring is improved, but heat loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisual monitoring capabilityVSAvoidheat loss through door

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The glass door utilizes transparent glass material that provides optical transparency for visual monitoring while maintaining thermal insulation properties. The glass acts as a thin film barrier that allows light transmission but resists heat transfer, enabling the door to be sufficiently large for visibility without proportionally increasing heat loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The door sealing mechanism employs adjustable parameters to optimize the seal between the door and drum body. By adjusting the seal tightness and positioning, the system maximizes visual visibility through the glass door while minimizing gaps that could lead to heat loss, balancing optical and thermal requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11918023B2Roasting system having roasting drum with actuatable hatch

Publication Date: 2024.03.05 BELLWETHER COFFEE CO

AI summary

A bean roasting system includes a roasting chamber, a blower, a variable diverter and a controller. The roasting chamber, the blower and the variable diverter each is disposed at least partially within a recirculating gas flow path. The blower is configured to provide a flow stream of gas through the recirculating gas flow path. The variable diverter is configured to split the gas flow path into at least two flow paths including a treated flow path and a bypass flow path. The treated flow path includes a series arrangement of a gas heater and a catalytic converter. The variable diverter is configured to control a percentage of a flow stream of gas that is diverted into the bypass flow path. The controller is configured to activate different predetermined operating modes for the bean roasting system by controlling a state of the variable diverter and a state of the heater.