Concentric Umbilical Beverage Line With Locking Coupler
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage dispensers for compact installations face issues with bulky and unsightly pipework, potential for reverse connections, uncontrolled discharge, and difficulty in cleaning due to multiple connections, which can lead to hygiene concerns and accidental spillage.
Innovation Solution
A beverage dispenser with an umbilical system featuring concentric passages within a flexible tube, using a non-reversible connector with spring-loaded latches to ensure correct orientation and prevent accidental disconnection, facilitating easy cleaning and reducing overall size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a beverage dispenser is designed to be compact and portable, then it can be easily transported and positioned, but it requires frequent manual refilling from large storage containers
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the beverage supply into two segments: a large stationary storage container for bulk storage and a small portable dispenser unit for active use. The dispenser can be separated from the storage container via the umbilical cord, allowing the dispenser to be moved independently while the storage container remains stationary. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling portability of the dispenser while maintaining large-capacity storage separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a single-unit design to a multi-component system connected by an umbilical cord, adding a spatial dimension to the architecture. The dispenser unit can be positioned in accessible locations while the storage container is placed in storage areas, optimizing both portability and storage capacity by utilizing different spatial zones.
2Device complexity
If a beverage dispenser is designed to be self-contained with all components integrated, then it is structurally simple and easy to manufacture, but it cannot be easily separated for cleaning or maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser is divided into separable components: a dispenser body, a removable reservoir, and connection interfaces. The reservoir can be detached from the dispenser body for thorough cleaning, and the umbilical cord connection allows separation from the storage container. This segmentation maintains relatively simple individual components while enabling easy disassembly for maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The reservoir is designed as a removable component that can be extracted from the dispenser body for cleaning and replacement. The umbilical cord connection allows the reservoir to be completely separated from the storage container system. This extraction capability provides access to internal surfaces for cleaning while maintaining a simple integrated structure during normal operation.
3Ease of repair
If a beverage dispenser uses a removable reservoir design, then it allows easy cleaning and maintenance, but it creates potential contamination risks during connection and disconnection
Solution Approach 1:
The reservoir connection interfaces are designed to mate with the dispenser body in a sealed manner, combining the reservoir and dispenser into a unified fluid-tight system during operation. The umbilical cord incorporates sealed connections that prevent contamination during attachment and detachment. This merging approach maintains reliability by ensuring proper sealing while allowing the reservoir to be removable for maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The reservoir is designed as a disposable or easily replaceable component that can be discarded after use or when contaminated, eliminating the need for complex cleaning procedures. This approach prioritizes reliability by ensuring that the reservoir is always in a clean state, either through proper sealing during connection or through replacement rather than cleaning.
4Stability of the object's composition
If a beverage dispenser is designed with a fixed base and integrated storage, then it provides stable operation, but it cannot be easily repositioned or adapted to different locations
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the dispenser into a stationary base unit with storage container and a separate portable dispenser head connected by an umbilical cord. The base unit provides stable operation and can remain fixed in one location, while the dispenser head can be repositioned to different locations as needed. This segmentation simultaneously achieves operational stability of the base and adaptability of the dispenser head.
Solution Approach 2:
The umbilical cord connection adds spatial flexibility to the system, allowing the dispenser head to be positioned in multiple locations relative to the base unit. This creates adaptability in the horizontal plane while the base unit maintains vertical stability and fixed positioning, utilizing different spatial dimensions for different functional requirements.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A dispensing unit 1 includes a source of pressurised gas and a dispensing font 5. A dispensing coupler 9, configured to engage a two-port valve closure 8 of a beverage container, is connected to the dispensing unit by an umbilical 3 having an outer wall. First and second passages both travel within the outer wall. The first passage conducts pressurised gas from the dispensing unit to the dispensing coupler and the second passage conducts beverage from the dispensing coupler to the dispensing unit. The first passage is defined within an inner wall which may be concentric with the outer wall and relatively thin. The second passage is defined between the inner and outer walls. The umbilical is connected to the dispensing coupler 9 by a releasable connector.The connector is non-reversible and includes spring-loaded latches which prevent the connector being removed when the dispensing coupler is operated to open the valve closure.