Turkish Coffee Machine Foam-Level Control to Prevent Overflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automatic coffee machines struggle to prepare Turkish coffee with the desired consistency and prevent overflowing, as they require a large boiling pot for a small amount of coffee due to the rapid foaming characteristic of Turkish coffee, making it difficult to brew a significant quantity at once.
Innovation Solution
A coffee machine equipped with a level sensor and control unit that regulates the heating process by allowing the foam to rise to a predetermined level, repeating the heating and cooling cycles to prolong the foaming time and prevent overflow, enabling the brewing of a larger amount of coffee without overflowing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a large volume cooking chamber is used to accommodate foam rise, then overflowing is prevented, but the machine cannot brew a large amount of coffee at one time
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is controlled to operate periodically rather than continuously. The control unit activates the heater when the liquid level is below the first threshold and deactivates it when the level reaches the second threshold, creating periodic heating cycles that allow foam to rise and subside repeatedly, preventing overflow while brewing larger quantities
2Stability of the object's composition
If the heater operates continuously to maintain boiling, then coffee particles mix well with water, but foam overflows the cooking chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The heater operates in periodic cycles controlled by liquid level thresholds. When the level drops below the first threshold, heating resumes to maintain mixing; when it reaches the second threshold, heating stops to prevent overflow. This periodic action maintains composition stability while preventing harmful overflow
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit continuously monitors the liquid level in the cooking chamber and uses this feedback to regulate heater operation. The dual-threshold feedback mechanism ensures the heater activates when needed for mixing and deactivates when foam approaches overflow risk
3Manufacturing precision
If the foam is allowed to rise to maximum height, then traditional taste and consistency are achieved, but the coffee overflows
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the critical parameter of foam height control by using two different threshold levels instead of a single maximum height. The first threshold allows sufficient foam rise for proper mixing and taste, while the second threshold prevents overflow, creating an optimized parameter range that balances consistency and overflow prevention
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 allows for the preparation of well-mixed Turkish coffee with the traditional flavor and consistency, preventing overflow by controlling the foam rise and enabling the brewing of a larger quantity in a single batch.
Implementation Method 1
heating with a heater from the bottom
Implementation Method 2
the boiling process is carried out by a heater
Implementation Method 3
The refractive index of the foam formed during boiling changes according to the foam level
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a coffee machine (1) and a control method, designed by inspiration from the traditional preparing methods, that makes the desired amount of Turkish coffee in accordance with the customary taste and consistency in a short time, suitable for utilization in households and particularly in crowded places like hotels, restaurants or coffee houses, wherein one or more boiling pots (2) are heated by a heater (3), and the adequate richness of the foam is adjusted by the foam level sensor (4), preventing overflowing.