Rotating Bean Container Safety Element to Prevent Coffee Bean Jamming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fully automatic coffee machines face issues with coffee beans jamming at the discharge opening, leading to incomplete coffee supplies and potential user injury due to the design of existing safety covers which can be blocked by beans and pose a risk of accidental human intervention.
Innovation Solution
A rotating safety element is mounted on the axis of the transport screw at the dispensing opening, ensuring beans remain in constant motion and preventing static friction, while also using a psychological deterrent to prevent user intervention by appearing as a moving part, with a gap design that allows beans to pass but not human fingers, and an angled or stepped path to enhance safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a fixed cover is used to prevent user intervention, then safety is improved, but coffee beans can jam and block the dispensing opening
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the cover rotate together with the transport screw. This dynamic configuration prevents coffee beans from jamming because the rotating motion continuously moves the beans, preventing them from settling and blocking the gap between the cover and the dispensing opening. At the same time, the rotation maintains the safety function by keeping the cover in place while allowing controlled bean passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the cover function with the transport screw rotation mechanism. Instead of having a separate stationary cover and a separate transport screw, the cover is integrated to rotate with the screw. This combination allows the cover to serve both its safety function and facilitates bean transport through the rotational motion, eliminating the contradiction between safety and productivity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the gap is narrowed to prevent finger penetration, then safety is improved, but coffee beans cannot pass through easily
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating cover creates dynamic motion in the bean flow path. The rotation generates forces that actively push beans through the gap, compensating for the narrow dimensions. This dynamic action allows the gap to be narrow enough to prevent finger penetration while still allowing beans to pass through easily due to the rotational movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotation of the cover creates vibratory and oscillating motion in the bean stream. This mechanical vibration helps beans navigate the narrow gap more easily by preventing them from settling or jamming, thus maintaining ease of operation despite the restricted gap dimensions required for safety.
3Ease of manufacture
If a stationary cover is used, then manufacturing is simplified, but beans can remain on the cover and block the opening
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the stationary cover into a rotating component that moves with the transport screw. This dynamic design prevents beans from remaining on the cover surface because the rotation continuously displaces them. While this adds some complexity to the mechanism, it significantly improves bean discharge efficiency by preventing blockages.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating cover ensures continuous motion in the bean flow path, preventing beans from settling or accumulating on the cover surface. This continuous action maintains uninterrupted bean discharge, improving productivity while the integrated rotation mechanism keeps the manufacturing complexity manageable.
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 rotating safety element effectively prevents bean jamming, ensures consistent coffee supply, and reduces the risk of user injury by maintaining bean flow and discouraging accidental hand entry due to the moving part appearance and designed gap path.
Implementation Method 1
the rotation of the securing element ensures that the beans in the area of the discharge opening remain in constant motion, so that their static friction with one another and on the container wall is prevented
Implementation Method 2
Gravity moves the beans to and into the discharge port from where they flow either directly or via a short auger into a grinder
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The coffee maker has a bean container (10) comprising a delivery opening (12) for coffee beans, which reach into a transportation shaft with a transportation screw (14) and a crushing mill during operation. A safety element (18) in an area of the delivery opening forms a gap (26) in the bean container to control direct engagement into the delivery opening. The safety element is mounted in the area of the delivery opening on the transportation screw and/or an axle of the crushing mill. The safety element is arranged with the transportation screw and the crushing mill in a rotatable manner.