Apparatus to prepare beverages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brewing apparatuses are complex, expensive, and require frequent maintenance due to their design, which includes cams and levers that get dirty, and have limited space for spent coffee cake disposal, necessitating frequent removal and complicating the brewing process.
Innovation Solution
A brewing apparatus with a movable brewing chamber and second piston that allows for vertical movement along a path, enabling efficient discharge of spent coffee cake into a larger container without the need for springs or retaining means, and a compact design that simplifies maintenance and cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If brewing units use cams or levers to control piston movement, then beverage preparation is enabled, but the construction becomes complex and requires frequent maintenance due to dirt accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex cam and lever mechanisms from the brewing unit, retaining only the essential piston movement capability. The brewing chamber and pistons move vertically along a simplified path without requiring intermediate mechanical transmission elements, thereby eliminating the complexity and maintenance issues associated with cams and levers while preserving beverage preparation functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using cams and levers to indirectly control piston movement, the patent inverts the approach by allowing the brewing chamber and pistons to move directly along a vertical path. This reversal of the control mechanism eliminates the need for complex intermediate components while maintaining the necessary brewing operations.
2Ease of manufacture
If the receiving container for spent coffee cake is located below the brewing unit, then the spent cake can be collected, but the apparatus becomes cumbersome and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spatial arrangement by positioning the receiving container laterally adjacent to the brewing unit rather than below it. This dimensional repositioning allows the brewing chamber to discharge spent coffee cake horizontally into the container, eliminating the need for complex vertical displacement mechanisms and reducing overall apparatus complexity while maintaining effective spent cake collection.
3Productivity
If the brewing chamber is moved to a discharge position spaced from the bottom position, then spent coffee cake can be discharged efficiently, but the apparatus requires more vertical space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from vertical discharge to horizontal discharge by positioning the receiving container laterally. This allows the brewing chamber to discharge spent coffee cake at a discharge position spaced from the bottom position along a vertical path that includes a lateral discharge component, achieving efficient discharge without proportionally increasing the vertical space requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The brewing chamber's vertical movement path serves multiple functions: it enables both the brewing operation and the discharge operation. By incorporating a discharge position spaced from the bottom position into the same vertical movement mechanism, the system achieves multi-functionality without requiring separate mechanisms, thereby managing space requirements efficiently.
4Adaptability or versatility
If variable amounts of coffee are used in the same machine, then beverage variety is increased, but the brewing unit requires more complex control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of the brewing chamber's vertical position to accommodate variable coffee amounts. By adjusting the discharge position along the vertical path based on the amount of coffee being brewed, the system achieves adaptability for different beverage types without requiring complex additional control mechanisms, leveraging the flexibility of the vertical movement capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus to prepare beverages comprises a brewing chamber 3 movable by driving means 5, 6 along a vertical path, a first piston 7 and a second piston 9 movable within the brewing chamber 3, a hopper 25 to feed coffee powder to the brewing chamber and a discharge device 21 to discharge a spent coffee cake; the hopper 25 is pivotally mounted in the apparatus to obtain a desired distribution of coffee powder in the chamber.