Single-Serve Brewer With In-Cup Whole Bean Grinding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee brewing appliances either require pre-ground coffee or whole beans to be ground within the machine, which may not preserve the freshness of coffee beans and do not offer a convenient, single-serving solution for brewing coffee from whole beans.
Innovation Solution
A beverage appliance with a housing and receptacle designed to receive a pre-packaged, disposable filter cup containing whole coffee beans, which includes a mechanism to grind the beans immediately before brewing, ensuring freshness and convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If whole coffee beans are stored in pre-packaged containers for single-serving brewing, then convenience and freshness are improved, but a grinding mechanism must be integrated into the appliance increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the grinding mechanism and brewing components into an integrated assembly that works with pre-packaged containers. The container holder positions the container, while the grinding mechanism processes beans within or over the container, merging storage, grinding, and brewing functions into a unified system that maintains convenience while enabling whole bean processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The appliance design incorporates a multi-functional container holder that serves multiple purposes: holding pre-packaged containers, positioning them for grinding, and facilitating brewing. This universal component handles different stages of the coffee preparation process, reducing the need for separate mechanisms and managing device complexity.
2Reliability
If coffee beans are ground immediately before brewing within the appliance, then coffee freshness and flavor are improved, but the appliance requires additional mechanisms increasing manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
Coffee beans are pre-packaged in sealed containers before use, preserving freshness until the moment of brewing. The appliance then performs grinding immediately before water contact, ensuring the coffee is ground at the optimal moment for freshness. This preliminary packaging combined with immediate grinding maintains reliability while managing manufacturing complexity through standardized container design.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a mechanism for grinding whole beans is integrated into the beverage appliance, then the ability to brew from whole beans is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The grinding mechanism is designed to operate locally at the point where coffee beans need processing, either within the container or directly over the brewing chamber. This localized approach provides the versatility to handle whole beans without requiring a complex system-wide redesign, as the grinding function is concentrated in a specific area of the appliance.
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 appliance effectively grinds whole coffee beans within a sealed, pre-packaged filter cup, preserving flavor and freshness, and allows for easy brewing and cleanup, providing a convenient single-serving coffee brewing solution.
Implementation Method 1
a mechanism for transforming the particles of the drink ingredient from the first size to a second size within the container, the second size being smaller than the first size
Data Source
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AI summary
A beverage appliance includes a housing having a liquid reservoir and a receptacle in the housing dimensioned to receive a container containing at least one drink ingredient having particles of a first size. The receptacle is pivotable from a first position in which the receptacle is angled towards a front of the appliance and a second position in which the receptacle is aligned with a brew head and contacts the brew head. The beverage appliance further includes a mechanism for transforming the particles of the drink ingredient from the first size to a second size within the container, the second size being smaller than the first size.