Self-Cleaning Cup Assembly for Coffee Machine Extracting Parts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee machines have low cleaning efficiency due to residual coffee powder between extracting parts, requiring manual tools and leading to bacterial growth and blockages, which affects machine operation.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning cup with a main cup body, water injection assembly, liquid-discharging tube, and adjustable flow-rate mechanism to form a washing liquid that flushes away residues through liquid-discharging holes, facilitating easy cleaning of coffee machine parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual cleaning tools are used to clean coffee powder residues from extracting parts, then cleaning can be performed, but cleaning efficiency is low and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a water injection assembly to deliver high-pressure water flow through liquid-discharging holes directly into the extracting parts. This hydraulic cleaning method replaces manual mechanical cleaning tools, enabling efficient removal of coffee powder residues from gaps and crevices without requiring manual intervention, thereby significantly improving cleaning efficiency and reducing cleaning time.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning cup is designed to be self-contained with detergent storage and water injection capabilities. The system performs its own cleaning function by mixing detergent with injected water and delivering the cleaning solution directly to the extracting parts, eliminating the need for separate manual cleaning operations and external cleaning equipment.
2Productivity
If extracting parts are not cleaned regularly, then machine operation continues, but coffee powder residues accumulate causing blockages and bacterial growth
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning cup allows users to perform cleaning operations immediately after coffee making by simply adding detergent and water. The system is designed for quick turnaround cleaning before residues can accumulate and cause blockages or bacterial growth, maintaining extracting part functionality and ensuring reliable continuous operation.
3Productivity
If a cleaning system is added to the coffee machine, then cleaning efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning cup integrates multiple functions into a single component: it stores detergent, mixes it with water, and delivers the cleaning solution through liquid-discharging holes. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate cleaning equipment, maintaining simple overall device architecture while achieving effective cleaning functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning cup is designed to fit within or attach to the existing coffee machine structure. The compact nested design allows the cleaning functionality to be integrated into the available space without significantly increasing the overall device footprint or structural complexity.
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 cleaning cup efficiently dissolves detergent to form a washing liquid that effectively removes coffee grounds and stains from coffee machine parts, improving cleaning efficiency and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
injecting liquids into the main cup body to mix with the detergent within the main cup body, so as to form a washing liquid
Implementation Method 2
the washing liquid is conveyed to the coffee machine through the liquid-discharging hole groups and liquid-discharging tube
Implementation Method 3
The rotating cup body can be rotated relative to the main cup body so that a cup wall of the rotating cup body can gradually close the liquid-discharging hole groups or the output hole groups can gradually communicate with the liquid-discharging hole groups
Implementation Method 4
the washing liquid is conveyed to the gaps between the extracting parts of the coffee machine through the liquid-discharging hole group and liquid-discharging tube, thus to flush away the residual coffee grounds
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a cleaning cup for coffee machine and a coffee machine. The cleaning cup comprises a main cup body, a water injection assembly, at least a liquid-discharging hole group, and a liquid-discharging tube. When the cleaning cup is fittingly arranged on the extracting parts of the coffee machine, the water injection assembly injects liquid into the main cup body to mix with a detergent within the cup body. The detergent rapidly dissolves in water to form a washing liquid, and the washing liquid is conveyed to the gaps between the extracting parts of the coffee machine through the liquid-discharging hole group and the liquid-discharging tube, thereby flushing away residual coffee grounds and coffee stains. The present invention has advantages of simple to use, convenient operations, easy promotions and implementations.