Tea Brewer Strainer Filling Sequence to Prevent Leaf Blockage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic tea preparation methods often result in tea leaves adhering to the strainer, leading to blockages and an inability to replicate the flavor and clarity of manually prepared tea, with prior solutions failing to address these issues effectively.
Innovation Solution
The method involves initially filling the container with water above the strainer, then adding tea leaves, and gradually introducing more water while allowing a brewing period to prevent blockages and enhance flavor extraction, using a discharge system that can be controlled to mimic traditional tea brewing processes without pressurization, and incorporating a split container design for easy cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If water is passed through the strainer under raised pressure, then the beverage preparation speed is improved, but the tea leaves block the strainer openings and the beverage clarity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Water is fed into the container before the tea leaves are introduced, so that a layer of water is already present above the strainer when the tea leaves are added. This preliminary action prevents the tea leaves from directly contacting and blocking the strainer openings, allowing subsequent water flow to pass through freely without blockage.
2Productivity
If the container rotates at high speed to remove tea leaves, then the tea removal speed is improved, but the tea leaves do not completely detach and the cleaning effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The container is vibrated in a vertical direction during the brewing process. This vibration causes the tea leaves to move and prevents them from adhering to the strainer bottom, ensuring complete detachment and removal of tea leaves after brewing, thereby improving both removal speed and completeness.
3Device complexity
If water is fed directly onto the tea leaves without a water layer above the strainer, then the brewing process is simpler, but the tea leaves swell and block the strainer perforations
Solution Approach 1:
Water is fed into the container before the tea leaves are introduced, creating a water layer above the strainer. This preliminary action ensures that when tea leaves are added, they swell in the water above the strainer rather than in the perforations, preventing blockage without requiring complex additional mechanisms.
4Productivity
If the discharge line is open from the beginning, then the beverage can be dispensed immediately, but foam forms on the beverage in the discharge line
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge line is closed during the brewing process and only opened after brewing is complete. This preliminary closure prevents foam from forming in the discharge line during brewing, ensuring beverage quality is maintained while still allowing immediate dispensing after the brewing cycle ends.
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 approach prevents strainer blockages, allows for efficient tea preparation with improved flavor and clarity, and enables complete container emptying, producing a beverage similar to conventionally made tea within a short time, typically between 5 and 18 seconds.
Implementation Method 1
Through the presence of a layer of water above the strainer, tea which comes into contact with the water above the strainer swells up
Implementation Method 2
a siphon placed behind the reservoir the tea moves into the teapot
Data Source
AI summary
Method and device for automatic preparing of tea. A container is provided with a strainer bottom and a closable discharge line downstream of said bottom. In a first step, water is fed in until the strainer bottom is substantially covered with water. Tea leaves, which can absorb the water, are then added. After that, further water is added, and tea can be made. The discharge line is then opened and the ready beverage is discharged, possibly with further water being fed in. The remaining tea leaves are left behind on the surface of the strainer. The container is then split into a container sleeve and strainer bottom, and a brush is placed between them for the purpose of removing the leaves.