Rotatable Coffee Outlet for One-Touch Cup Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hot beverage preparation devices, such as coffee machines, require multiple operating steps and can lead to errors like spilling or overflowing due to the need to adjust beverage outlets and select suitable containers, which complicates the preparation process.
Innovation Solution
The device features a rotatable beverage outlet with multiple positions, each assigned to a different type of beverage, allowing for intuitive selection and adjustment of the outlet's position and distance from the cup support surface, combined with a mechanical or electrical coupling to the beverage selection device, enabling a single-step operation for selecting and preparing beverages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the beverage outlet is made adjustable in height and direction, then the adaptability to different beverage containers is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The beverage outlet is made rotatable about a horizontal axis, allowing it to dynamically change position between at least two positions. This dynamic adjustment enables the outlet to adapt to different beverage container types (e.g., espresso cups, coffee cups, latte macchiato glasses) without requiring complex multi-dimensional adjustment mechanisms, thus improving adaptability while controlling device complexity.
2Ease of operation
If multiple individual beverage outlets are provided for different beverage types, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single beverage outlet assembly is designed to perform multiple functions by rotating to different positions. Each position activates a different beverage outlet (espresso, coffee, latte macchiato) and corresponds to a different cup support surface height. This universal design eliminates the need for multiple separate outlet mechanisms while maintaining ease of operation through intuitive position-based selection.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple beverage outlets that would traditionally be separate fixed components are merged into a single rotatable beverage outlet assembly. This consolidation reduces the number of independent adjustment mechanisms while maintaining the ability to serve different beverage types, thereby improving ease of operation without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the cup support surface is made adjustable in height, then the adaptability to different beverage types is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment of the beverage outlet position and the cup support surface height are merged into a single rotational operation. When the beverage outlet rotates to a different position, the corresponding cup support surface automatically adjusts its height through mechanical coupling. This combined adjustment mechanism improves ease of operation by reducing the number of independent adjustments the user must make while maintaining full adaptability to different beverage types.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically coordinates the cup support surface height adjustment with the beverage outlet position selection. When the user rotates the beverage outlet to a specific position, the mechanical coupling automatically positions the appropriate cup support surface at the correct height, eliminating the need for the user to manually adjust both components separately. This self-service mechanism simplifies operation while maintaining adaptability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A hot beverage preparation device for household purposes, in particular a fully automatic coffee machine, for preparing and dispensing different types of beverages, with a front surface (10) facing a user during operation, with a beverage outlet (12) on the front surface (10) for dispensing at least one beverage component and with a single cup support surface ( 14) below the beverage outlet (12), is further developed in that the beverage outlet (12) comprises at least two beverage outlets (16; 17; 18) for different beverages (which are assigned to the dispensing of different beverages) and above the cup support surface (14) in at least two positions can be adjusted, which are assigned to the output of different types of beverages.