Sealed Coffee Bean Dosing Package for Fresh Grinding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing coffee makers suffer from flavor and aroma loss due to prolonged exposure of coffee beans to ambient air, and residual coffee grounds from previous grinding sessions can contaminate new beans, affecting the taste of freshly brewed coffee.

Innovation Solution

A system that connects a coffee bean package directly to a grinder, ensuring coffee beans are ground and brewed in a package-fresh state by preventing air exposure and using a dosing device to deliver precise doses of coffee beans to the grinder, minimizing residual coffee and allowing for easy switching between different types of coffee.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If coffee beans are stored in a coffee bean holder for an extended period before grinding, then convenience is improved, but flavor and aroma are lost due to prolonged exposure to ambient air

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveconvenienceVSAvoidflavor and aroma loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The coffee bean package is divided into multiple sealed compartments, each containing a predetermined dosage of coffee beans. This segmentation allows individual portions to be kept sealed until use, preventing air exposure and preserving flavor and aroma while maintaining convenience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Coffee beans are pre-dosed into sealed compartments before packaging. This preliminary action ensures that each portion is ready for immediate use without requiring prolonged storage in the holder, thereby preserving flavor and aroma while maintaining operational convenience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If a large amount of coffee beans is placed in the coffee bean holder, then fewer refilling operations are needed, but residual coffee grounds from previous grinding sessions contaminate new beans

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverefilling frequencyVSAvoidcontamination from residual coffee grounds
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The coffee bean package is segmented into multiple sealed compartments, each containing a predetermined dosage. This eliminates cross-contamination between different coffee types while allowing the holder to be refilled less frequently, as each package contains multiple dosages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The dosing device extracts the required amount of coffee beans from the sealed compartment and delivers them directly to the grinder. This extraction process leaves the remaining sealed compartments untouched, preventing residual coffee grounds from contaminating new beans while maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If coffee beans are ground immediately before brewing, then flavor and aroma are preserved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflavor and aroma preservationVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The package is segmented into sealed compartments with integrated dosing mechanisms. This segmentation enables immediate grinding of fresh coffee beans while the sealed structure and automated dosing keep the system manageable in complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The dosing device is self-contained within the package and automatically dispenses the required amount of coffee beans to the grinder. This self-service mechanism preserves flavor and aroma by enabling immediate grinding while minimizing the need for complex external dosing systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Object-affected harmful factors

If multiple types of coffee beans are stored separately to avoid mixing flavors, then taste quality is improved, but the device complexity and space requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflavor mixingVSAvoidstorage system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Each coffee type is packaged in separate sealed compartments within a single package. This segmentation prevents flavor mixing while allowing multiple coffee types to be stored efficiently, avoiding the need for multiple separate storage containers and reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2369962B1System, package, apparatus and method for dosing coffee beans
Publication Date: 2013.08.14 KONINK DOUWE EGBERTS BV
  • EP2369962B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2369962B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C
  • EP2369962B1 patent drawingFigure 2D~2F

AI summary

A system for dosing coffee beans, comprising a coffee bean package provided with at least one wall which at least partly encloses an inner space for multiple dosages of coffee beans, and a coffee bean outlet for delivering coffee beans, and an apparatus provided with a coffee bean grinder, a coffee bean inlet for supplying coffee beans from the coffee bean package to the grinder, a connecting device for connecting the coffee bean package to the apparatus, so that the coffee bean outlet can be connected to the coffee bean inlet, and a dosing device provided with a dosing space which is arranged for feeding-through one predetermined dose of coffee beans from the coffee bean outlet to the coffee bean inlet.