Sliding Cup Support for Cleanable Beverage Dispenser Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cup feeding devices in beverage vending machines face challenges in facilitating cleaning and maintenance, are complex and prone to malfunctions due to fixed parts that hinder hygienic operations and are not adaptable to different cup sizes, leading to potential spills during beverage dispensing.
Innovation Solution
A device with a sliding supporting element having a cylindrical lower portion and a truncated-cone upper portion that aligns cups of varying sizes, allowing for easy cleaning and maintenance by eliminating fixed projections within the withdrawal compartment, and includes a removable bracket for easy replacement and adjustment to accommodate different cup sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a fixed annular body with centering elements is used to position cups of different sizes, then proper axial positioning of cups is achieved, but cleaning and maintenance interventions are hampered
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the centering function from a fixed annular body structure and relocates it to a movable supporting element that translates along the cup's axial direction. This allows the centering elements to be present only when needed during the positioning phase, and removed from the withdrawal compartment during cleaning operations, thus resolving the contradiction between positioning precision and cleaning accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting element is designed to be movable rather than fixed, translating along the axial direction of the cup. This dynamic configuration allows the centering elements to be positioned within the withdrawal compartment during cup feeding operations, and retracted or removed during cleaning interventions, thereby achieving both precise cup positioning and easy cleaning access.
2Manufacturing precision
If a fixed annular body with centering elements is used, then cups are properly centered, but the device becomes complex and prone to malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the centering functionality from a complex fixed annular body structure and implements it through a simpler movable supporting element with centering elements that can translate along the cup's axial direction. This reduces structural complexity while maintaining centering accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable supporting element serves multiple functions: it supports the cup during translation, provides centering through its centering elements, and can be easily removed or replaced for maintenance. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby simplifying the overall device structure.
3Strength
If fixed parts are present in the withdrawal compartment, then structural support is provided, but hygienic operations are hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting element is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be translated to different positions during operation and completely removed during cleaning interventions. This dynamic configuration maintains structural support during cup feeding while enabling hygienic maintenance when the element is removed, thus resolving the contradiction between structural strength and ease of hygienic operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
A device and a method for feeding cups (18, 19) to the withdrawal compartment (14) of a machine for preparing and dispensing beverages are described, wherein the device comprises a supporting element (20) for the cup, slidingly engaged in an opening (30) of the bottom wall (10) of the withdrawal compartment (14) and translationally movable between an upper position, for receiving the cup (18, 19), and a lower position, in which the cup (18, 19) can be withdrawn by a user. The supporting element (20) comprises an inner cavity (22) open on top and constituted by a lower portion (24) having a substantially cylindrical shape, and an upper portion (26) having a truncated-cone shape.