Removable Waste Bin Level Sensing for Spill-Safe Beverage Machines
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Beverage forming systems often fail to effectively collect spilled or leaked liquid, leading to waste and potential messes, as existing systems lack a reliable mechanism to prevent operation when the waste bin is full or not capable of holding the beverage volume.
Innovation Solution
A beverage forming apparatus with a removable waste bin equipped with a liquid level sensor and electrically conductive contacts that communicate with the machine controller, preventing beverage formation if the waste bin is not empty enough to collect the entire beverage volume, thus ensuring that spills are contained within the waste bin.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a removable waste bin is used to collect waste liquid, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of liquid level detection deteriorates due to the need for electrical connection upon insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The waste bin is designed to be dynamically removable and insertable, with electrical contacts that automatically connect and disconnect based on the bin's position. This dynamic design allows users to easily remove the bin for cleaning while maintaining reliable electrical connection during normal operation through spring-loaded or elastic contacts that ensure consistent contact pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary electrical contact system that bridges the removable waste bin and the fixed machine housing. Conductive elements on both the bin and housing create an electrical pathway that allows the liquid level sensor to communicate with the control circuit while accommodating the removable nature of the bin.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the control circuit prevents beverage formation when waste bin capacity is insufficient, then the harmful effects of spilling are reduced, but the productivity of the beverage machine deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit performs preliminary detection of waste bin capacity before allowing beverage formation to occur. The liquid level sensor continuously monitors the waste bin's fill status, and the control circuit proactively prevents beverage production when the bin is full or insufficiently empty, thereby avoiding spills before they can occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the liquid level sensor continuously provides information about waste bin capacity to the control circuit. Based on this feedback, the control circuit dynamically controls the beverage formation process, permitting operation only when sufficient capacity exists and preventing operation when the bin is full, thus balancing spill prevention with productivity.
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 system effectively prevents spills by ensuring the waste bin has sufficient capacity to collect all or most of the beverage produced, maintaining cleanliness and preventing liquid from entering the machine housing or countertop.
Implementation Method 1
The waste bin may include one or more electrically conductive contacts that electrically connect with conductive contacts on the beverage machine housing when the waste bin is placed at a waste bin receiving area. This electrical connection may allow the liquid sensor of the waste bin to communicate with the beverage machine controller
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage forming method and system in which a waste bin arranged to collect leaked or spilled liquid has a liquid level sensor and can be removed from the beverage forming machine, e.g., to allow disposal of the waste bin contents. One or more electrical contacts on the waste bin can be connected to the level sensor and electrically connect to control circuitry of the beverage forming machine when the waste bin is received by the machine. A liquid level detected by the level sensor may correspond to a fill level that is far less than the maximum volume of the waste bin, allowing beverage production to be prevented unless the waste bin can collect the full volume of a beverage dispensed.