Stackable Travel Coffee Kit with Curved Pouring Conduit for Even Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable coffee-brewing apparatuses for travel are not optimized for even water pouring and compact storage, often resulting in inefficient brewing and cumbersome designs.
Innovation Solution
A compact, lightweight coffee-making kit with a slender pouring conduit kettle, collapsible funnel-shaped filter support, and integrated components that stack for storage, featuring a silicone exterior and heat-resistant materials to ensure even liquid flow and ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a portable coffee-brewing apparatus uses a simple spout design, then the device complexity is reduced, but the liquid pouring becomes uneven and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing a conduit with specific geometric characteristics (length, diameter, curvature) only in the critical pouring region, while the rest of the kettle maintains a simple cylindrical form. This localized optimization ensures even liquid flow without requiring complex structures throughout the entire device.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the spout opening large to ensure sufficient flow, the patent uses a relatively small spout opening combined with a long conduit. The conduit's geometry compensates for the small opening by creating a controlled flow path that ensures even pouring, inverting the conventional approach of prioritizing large openings.
2Ease of operation
If the kettle uses a long pouring conduit to ensure even liquid flow, then the pouring efficiency is improved, but the kettle profile becomes less compact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a curved conduit design that follows a smooth arc from the bottom to the top of the kettle. This curved geometry allows the conduit to achieve its full length within the compact cylindrical profile of the kettle, maintaining both even pouring and a sleek compact shape without protruding elements.
3Volume of moving object
If the coffee kit components are designed to stack tightly for compact storage, then the storage compactness is improved, but the assembly and disassembly becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the coffee kit into distinct segmented components (kettle, cup, filter support, canister) that can stack compactly while maintaining individual identity. Each component has standardized interfaces that facilitate easy assembly and disassembly despite tight stacking, resolving the contradiction between compact storage and ease of assembly.
4Ease of operation
If the filter support is designed in a fixed expanded position for brewing, then the brewing functionality is optimized, but the storage space required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the filter support as a dynamic component that can transition between a collapsed state for compact storage and an expanded state for brewing. This dynamic transformation allows the filter support to provide full brewing functionality when needed while occupying minimal space during storage, effectively resolving the contradiction between operational performance and storage compactness.
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 solution enables efficient, even coffee brewing and compact storage, preventing spills and ensuring easy assembly and disassembly, while maintaining a compact profile and safety during travel.
Implementation Method 1
an electric-power base which actuates a heater in the kettle to heat the water
Implementation Method 2
A lid has a silicone gasket and a center knob for gripping
Implementation Method 3
A collapsible, funnel-shaped filter support uses a ball-and-detent to hold it in a fixed, expanded position
Data Source
AI summary
A compact, lightweight coffee-making kit designed for use in travel includes a kettle for boiling water; an electric power base; a drinking cup with a removable lid; a pour-over-style funnel filter support; a container for coffee beans or grounds; and a carrying case. All the components are sized to stack into each other to form a composite kit that fits into a carrying case.