Spindle Brewing Unit With Separate Piston Drive for Shorter Travel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fully automatic coffee machines have a large size and weight due to the need for a long threaded spindle to facilitate the movement of the brewing chamber and ejection piston, making them cumbersome for operation and handling.
Innovation Solution
A separate drive device is used for the ejection piston, decoupling its movement from the brewing chamber's movement along the spindle axis, allowing for a shorter threaded spindle and enabling independent control of the ejection piston's position through a first and second drive device, which can be activated by pivoting or translational movement of the brewing chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single drive device is used to move the ejection piston back and forth between rest position and ejection position, then the device complexity is reduced, but the threaded spindle must be long to accommodate the brewing chamber travel, increasing the size and weight of the coffee machine
Solution Approach 1:
The single drive device is segmented into two separate drive devices: a first drive device that moves the ejection piston to the rest position, and a second drive device that moves the ejection piston to the ejection position. This segmentation allows each drive device to be optimized for its specific function, enabling the use of a shorter threaded spindle while maintaining complete control over the ejection piston's movement cycle.
2Device complexity
If the travel of the brewing chamber is used to drive the ejection piston, then the number of drive devices is reduced, but the threaded spindle length must be increased to allow sufficient brewing chamber travel
Solution Approach 1:
The drive function is segmented between brewing chamber movement and ejection piston movement. The first drive device utilizes brewing chamber travel to move the ejection piston to the rest position, while the second drive device independently moves the ejection piston to the ejection position. This segmentation decouples the ejection piston control from the brewing chamber travel requirements, allowing a shorter threaded spindle.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between two different drive mechanisms depending on the operational phase. During brewing chamber travel, the first drive device is active to return the ejection piston to rest position. During ejection operations, the second drive device is activated to move the ejection piston to the ejection position. This dynamic operation allows optimal use of available space and minimizes threaded spindle length.
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
This design reduces the size and weight of the coffee machine by allowing for a shorter threaded spindle, improving operational ease and handling while maintaining efficient ejection of the pomace cake.
Implementation Method 1
a threaded spindle for driving the brewing chamber, wherein the brewing chamber can be moved parallel to the axis of rotation of the threaded spindle
Implementation Method 2
an ejection piston for ejecting a pomace cake from the brewing chamber
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The machine (1) has an ejector piston (20) i.e. T-piston, movable between an ejection position and a resting position. A power unit is movable between a threaded spindle (7) and the ejector piston to drive the ejector piston in an operation. A driving apparatus drives the ejector piston into the resting position. Another driving apparatus drives the ejector piston into the ejection position. A brewing chamber (11) is pivotable parallel to a rotational axis (A) of the spindle by the ejector piston for discharging a pomace husk (19) from the brewing chamber. The former driving apparatus comprises rack gears, a gear wheel, a lever and a frame stop. The latter driving apparatus comprises a tilting stop, a stem, a stop and a torsion spring.