Wet Coffee Grinding and Extraction for Fast Full-Bodied Cold Brew
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee production methods fail to produce cold coffee quickly with a full-bodied taste, as they do not effectively extract flavor substances from coffee beans, and cannot produce fresh coffee simultaneously with hot coffee.
Innovation Solution
A method involving finely grinding coffee beans with or without water, forming a mixture of coffee powder and water, and extracting coffee, which can be conveyed to an outlet, using a device with a grinding chamber and a unit for coffee extraction, allowing for precise control of mixing ratio, grinding duration, and temperature to achieve desired flavor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If coffee beans are ground very finely and mixed with water for extraction, then flavor substances are better extracted and full-bodied taste is achieved, but production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the grinding function and extraction function into a single integrated unit. Coffee beans are ground and extracted in one continuous process without intermediate steps, where the grinding chamber directly feeds into the extraction mechanism. This merging eliminates transfer time and allows simultaneous occurrence of grinding and extraction operations, achieving fine grinding with rapid production.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary grinding of coffee beans before extraction within the same operational cycle. The grinding operation is initiated first, and while grinding continues, water is simultaneously introduced for extraction. This preliminary action sequence allows the system to prepare the coffee grounds and extract flavor compounds in an overlapping manner, reducing total production time while maintaining fine grinding quality.
2Productivity
If coffee is pre-prepared and stored in containers, then dispensing is quick and convenient, but the coffee is not fresh and flavor is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by completing the entire coffee production process (grinding, mixing, extraction) immediately before dispensing. The coffee is prepared on-demand within the machine itself, eliminating the need for pre-preparation and storage. The integrated unit processes coffee beans from raw state to extractable form right before the coffee is dispensed, ensuring maximum freshness while maintaining quick dispensing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous operation where coffee beans are ground, extracted, and dispensed in an unbroken sequence. The grinding chamber continuously feeds ground coffee to the extraction unit, which continuously produces ready-to-dispense coffee. This continuous flow eliminates idle time between preparation and dispensing, ensuring the coffee remains fresh throughout the process while enabling rapid service.
3Manufacturing precision
If coffee beans are ground with addition of water, then mixing occurs at grinding stage improving extraction, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the water addition function with the grinding function in a single integrated chamber. Water is introduced directly into the grinding chamber where coffee beans are ground, creating a slurry mixture. This combining of wet grinding and extraction functions into one unit achieves improved extraction efficiency without requiring separate compartments or additional complex mechanisms for water management.
Solution Approach 2:
The grinding chamber serves multiple functions: it grinds coffee beans, mixes them with water, and initiates the extraction process. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate grinding chamber, mixing vessel, and extraction tank, thereby reducing overall device complexity while achieving effective extraction through water-assisted grinding.
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
Enables the rapid production of cold coffee with enhanced flavor extraction and the option to produce hot coffee, allowing for fresh coffee with desired flavor to be dispensed quickly, similar to conventional brewing.
Implementation Method 1
coffee beans are ground very finely with or without the addition of water
Implementation Method 2
from this mixture the coffee is extracted
Implementation Method 3
a mixing of coffee and water already takes place at the grinding stage, which improves the extraction of the coffee
Implementation Method 4
It can advantageously be additionally cooled before the mixing and/or thereafter, since the water is heated during the grinding
Data Source
AI summary
In a method for producing coffee, coffee beans are ground very finely, with or without the addition of water, and a mixture of the coffee powder and water is formed, and the coffee is extracted from this mixture and preferably conveyed to an outlet. Coffee beans and the water in the grinding chamber can be supplied to at least one mill, and the coffee beans ground with the water supplied, and the mixture formed from this. To form the mixture, cold or hot water is supplied to the mill during the grinding process in the grinding chamber and/or after the grinding process. Thus, the coffee produced has an especially full-bodied flavor.