Smart Cap Ingredient Dispenser for Beverage Dosing Precision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for enhancing water with supplements like vitamins and minerals lack efficient and controlled delivery systems, which can lead to inconsistent dosing and potential mixing issues with beverages, affecting their effectiveness and consumer experience.
Innovation Solution
A wireless ingredient supply system for containers that includes a cap with an ingredient compartment, dispenser, sensors, and a controller, allowing for precise dispensing of supplements into beverages based on liquid levels and user profiles, ensuring optimal dosing and preventing mixing with the beverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If supplements are added to water manually or with simple mixing devices, then the beverage can be prepared, but the dosing is inconsistent and mixing issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors to automatically detect liquid levels and ingredient quantities, then controls dispensing without manual intervention. The controller autonomously manages the entire process from detection to precise dispensing, eliminating the need for manual dosing while maintaining high precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical mixing with an automated electronic control system that uses sensors and controlled dispensing mechanisms. This substitution of mechanical manual operations with electronic automation achieves consistent precise dosing while preventing mixing issues through controlled ingredient delivery.
2Measurement precision
If a controlled dispensing system is implemented, then dosing precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves multiple functions: it processes sensor signals, calculates required ingredient quantities based on liquid levels, controls dispensing timing and quantity, and prevents mixing issues. This multi-functionality consolidates complex operations into a single control unit, managing device complexity while achieving high measurement precision.
3Reliability
If supplements are dispensed without control, then the system is simple, but mixing issues affect effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors to detect liquid levels and ingredient quantities, feeds this information to the controller, which then adjusts dispensing to achieve the desired concentration and prevent mixing issues. This feedback loop ensures reliable supplement effectiveness by continuously monitoring and adjusting the dispensing process.
Data Source
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AI summary
Aspects of the invention are related to an ingredient supply system for a container for beverages. The system includes: a cap holding: an ingredient compartment, a nozzle; a dispenser for dispensing the ingredient from the ingredient compartment via the nozzle to the container, a first sensor for measuring an amount of liquid in the container and a controller. The controller is configured to: receive an initiation signal, receive a measurement of the amount of the liquid in the beverage container, receive an ingredient profile, calculate a first amount of ingredient to be dispensed to the liquid in the container by the dispenser, based on the measured amount and the ingredient profile and control the dispenser to add the first amount of ingredient to the liquid.