3D-printed silica gel tea bag manufacturing method

Abstract

The invention discloses a 3D printing silica gel tea bag manufacturing method. The invention belongs to the technical field of printing, and the silica gel used in the invention is strictly screened, has good high temperature resistance, aging resistance and chemical stability, is safe and non-toxic, and can be trustingly used for making tea drinks; modeling is conducted through professional 3D software, the shape, the internal structure and the pore size distribution of the tea bag are accurately designed according to the brewing characteristics of different tea types, and the requirements of consumers for tea drink diversification and individuation are met; the used food-grade silica gel has excellent high temperature resistance and aging resistance, can bear repeated soaking of high-temperature hot water in the manufacturing and using process of the tea bag, is longer in service life, and ensures long-term stable use of the tea bag.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of printing technology, and specifically refers to a method for making a 3D printed silica gel tea bag. Background Art

[0002] As a convenient way to drink tea in the fast-paced modern life, tea bags occupy a considerable share in the tea consumption market. They are easy to carry and brew, and are favored by many consumers. They are widely used in homes, offices and various catering places.

[0003] Traditional tea bag production mainly relies on paper and nylon materials. Due to the characteristics of the material itself, the fiber structure of paper tea bags is easily destroyed during long-term contact with hot water, thereby releasing harmful substances such as formaldehyde and fluorescent agents. These harmful substances not only affect the taste of tea, but also pose a potential threat to human health if consumed for a long time. According to relevant studies, the formaldehyde content of some paper tea bags can reach more than 0.05 mg per liter after soaking for 10 minutes, which exceeds the standard for the safe content of formaldehyde in drinking water. Although nylon tea bags have overcome the problem of easy damage of paper tea bags to a certain extent, they may release chemicals such as bisphenol A in high temperature environments. Bisphenol A is a known endocrine disruptor that may have adverse effects on the human endocrine system, especially for special groups such as children and pregnant women. The health risks are higher.

[0004] In terms of the structural design of tea bags, traditional craftsmanship has obvious limitations. The shape and internal structure are mostly standardized and cannot be optimized for the characteristics of different types of tea. For example, green tea usually requires a loose structure to ensure that the tea leaves can quickly expand and fully release their fragrance and nutrients; while tea leaves with a higher degree of fermentation, such as black tea, are more suitable for a relatively tight structure to control the soaking speed and avoid the tea soup being too thick or too bitter. This lack of personalized design seriously affects the soaking effect of tea and cannot meet consumers' demand for tea drinks with different tastes and flavors.

[0005] In addition, traditional tea bags have major flaws in pore size control. Due to the limitations of the manufacturing process, it is difficult to accurately control the pore size and distribution of tea bags. When the pore size is too large, tea powder is easy to seep out, making the tea drink turbid, affecting the appearance and taste; when the pore size is too small, it will hinder the full contact between tea leaves and water, resulting in the tea leaves not being fully soaked, affecting the concentration and flavor of the tea soup. According to statistics, during the brewing process of traditional tea bags, the average rate of tea powder seepage can reach 15%-20%, seriously reducing the quality of the tea drink.

[0006] As people pay more and more attention to health and quality of life, consumers have put forward higher requirements for the safety, personalization and functionality of tea bags. The various shortcomings of traditional tea bag making process have been difficult to adapt to the development needs of the market. Therefore, developing a new tea bag making method to solve the existing problems has become a technical problem that needs to be solved in the field of tea packaging. The emergence of 3D printing technology provides new ideas and possibilities for tea bag making. Its advantages such as high precision and personalized customization are expected to overcome many defects of traditional tea bag making process. Summary of the invention

[0007] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for making a 3D printed silica gel tea bag. The silica gel used in the present invention has been strictly screened and has good high temperature resistance, aging resistance and chemical stability. It is safe and non-toxic and can be safely used in tea making. The present invention uses professional 3D software modeling to accurately design the shape, internal structure and pore size distribution of the tea bag according to the brewing characteristics of different types of tea, so as to meet consumers' diversified and personalized needs for tea. The food-grade silica gel used in the present invention itself has excellent high temperature resistance and aging resistance. During the production and use of the tea bag, it can withstand repeated immersion in high-temperature hot water. The service life of the present invention is longer, ensuring the long-term and stable use of the tea bag.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: a 3D printed silica gel tea bag production method, the production method comprising the following steps:

[0009] (1) Raw material preparation: Use food grade silicone as printing material;

[0010] (2) 3D model design: Based on different tea types and user needs, the shape and internal structure of the tea bag are designed using professional 3D modeling software;

[0011] (3) 3D printing process: import the designed 3D model into the 3D printer;

[0012] (4) Post-processing: After printing is completed, remove the tea bag from the printing platform, remove the support structure, put the tea bag into boiling water for 10-30 minutes for disinfection, and then dry it naturally or use low-temperature drying equipment. Install a zipper or clip made of food-grade plastic or silicone at the opening of the tea bag to facilitate the filling and replacement of tea leaves.

[0013] Preferably, the food-grade silica gel in step (1) is one or more of edible gelatin, carrageenan, xanthan gum, guar gum and glucomannan.

[0014] Preferably, the purity of the silica gel in step (1) should be higher than 99%, and the hardness range is Shore A30-A50.

[0015] Preferably, in step (1), the tensile strength of the silica gel is higher than 5 MPa, and the elongation at break is higher than 300%.

[0016] Preferably, the pore size of the tea bag in step (2) should be controlled within the range of 0.2-1.5 mm.

[0017] Preferably, the 3D printer in step (3) uses a high-precision nozzle, the nozzle temperature is set to 180-220°C, and the printing platform temperature is maintained at 40-60°C.

[0018] Preferably, the printing speed in step (3) is controlled at 10-50 mm / s, and the layer thickness is set at 0.1-0.3 mm.

[0019] Preferably, the drying temperature in step (4) is 50-60°C.

[0020] The beneficial effects achieved by the present invention using the above structure are as follows: (1) The silica gel used in the present invention has been strictly screened and has good high temperature resistance, aging resistance and chemical stability, is safe and non-toxic, and can be safely used in tea making; (2) The present invention uses professional 3D software modeling to accurately design the shape, internal structure and pore size distribution of the tea bag according to the brewing characteristics of different types of tea, thereby meeting consumers' diverse and personalized needs for tea; (3) The food-grade silica gel used in the present invention itself has excellent high temperature resistance and aging resistance. During the production and use of the tea bag, it can withstand repeated immersion in high temperature hot water. The service life of the present invention is longer, ensuring the long-term and stable use of the tea bag. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 Tea leakage rate of silicone tea bags.

[0022] The accompanying drawings are used to provide further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of the specification. They are used to explain the present invention together with the embodiments of the present invention and do not constitute a limitation of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments; based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] Unless otherwise defined, all professional and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as those familiar to those skilled in the art. In addition, any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be applied to the present invention. The preferred implementation methods and materials described herein are for demonstration purposes only and are not intended to limit the content of this application.

[0025] The experimental methods in the following examples are conventional methods unless otherwise specified; the experimental materials and test strains used in the following examples are purchased from commercial channels unless otherwise specified.

[0026] Example 1

[0027] A method for making 3D printed silicone tea bags

[0028] The production method comprises the following steps:

[0029] (1) Raw material preparation: Edible gelatin and carrageenan are selected as printing materials. The purity of the raw materials should be higher than 99%, the hardness range should be Shore A30-A50, the tensile strength should be higher than 5MPa, and the elongation at break should be higher than 300%;

[0030] (2) 3D model design: Based on different tea types and user needs, the shape and internal structure of the tea bag are designed using professional 3D modeling software. The pore size of the tea bag should be controlled between 0.2-1.5 mm;

[0031] (3) 3D printing process: The designed 3D model is imported into the 3D printer. The 3D printer uses a high-precision nozzle, the nozzle temperature is set to 180°C, the printing platform temperature is maintained at 40°C, the printing speed is controlled at 25 mm / s, and the layer thickness is set to 0.1 mm;

[0032] (4) Post-processing: After printing is completed, the tea bag is removed from the printing platform, the support structure is removed, and the tea bag is placed in boiling water for 30 minutes for sterilization. It is then dried naturally or dried in a low-temperature drying device (50-60°C). A zipper or clip made of food-grade plastic or silicone is installed at the opening of the tea bag to facilitate the filling and replacement of tea leaves.

[0033] Example 2

[0034] A method for making 3D printed silicone tea bags

[0035] (1) Raw material preparation: xanthan gum, guar gum and glucomannan gum are selected as printing raw materials. The purity of the raw materials should be higher than 99%, the hardness range should be Shore A30-A50, the tensile strength should be higher than 5MPa, and the elongation at break should be higher than 300%;

[0036] (2) 3D model design: Based on different tea types and user needs, the shape and internal structure of the tea bag are designed using professional 3D modeling software. The pore size of the tea bag should be controlled between 0.2-1.5 mm;

[0037] (3) 3D printing process: The designed 3D model is imported into the 3D printer. The 3D printer uses a high-precision nozzle, the nozzle temperature is set to 200°C, the printing platform temperature is maintained at 50°C, the printing speed is controlled at 30 mm / s, and the layer thickness is set to 0.2 mm;

[0038] (4) Post-processing: After printing is completed, the tea bag is removed from the printing platform, the support structure is removed, and the tea bag is placed in boiling water for 30 minutes for sterilization. It is then dried naturally or dried in a low-temperature drying device (50-60°C). A zipper or clip made of food-grade plastic or silicone is installed at the opening of the tea bag to facilitate the filling and replacement of tea leaves.

[0039] Example 3

[0040] A method for making 3D printed silicone tea bags

[0041] (1) Raw material preparation: Edible gelatin and glucomannan are selected as printing materials. The purity of the raw materials should be higher than 99%, the hardness range should be Shore A30-A50, the tensile strength should be higher than 5MPa, and the elongation at break should be higher than 300%;

[0042] (2) 3D model design: Based on different tea types and user needs, the shape and internal structure of the tea bag are designed using professional 3D modeling software. The pore size of the tea bag should be controlled between 0.2-1.5 mm;

[0043] (3) 3D printing process: The designed 3D model is imported into the 3D printer. The 3D printer uses a high-precision nozzle, the nozzle temperature is set to 220°C, the printing platform temperature is maintained at 60°C, the printing speed is controlled at 50 mm / s, and the layer thickness is set to 0.3 mm;

[0044] (4) Post-processing: After printing is completed, the tea bag is removed from the printing platform, the support structure is removed, and the tea bag is placed in boiling water for 30 minutes for sterilization. It is then dried naturally or dried in a low-temperature drying device (50-60°C). A zipper or clip made of food-grade plastic or silicone is installed at the opening of the tea bag to facilitate the filling and replacement of tea leaves.

[0045] Experimental Example 1

[0046] Tea leakage rate of a 3D printed silicone tea bag

[0047] The 3D printed silicone tea bags prepared in Example 1, Example 2 and Example 3 were used as test products and divided into Example 1 group to Example 3 group, with three replicates in each group; the tea bags were placed in a dry environment for equilibrium for 24 hours to eliminate the influence of moisture differences on the measurement results, the initial weight of each tea bag was weighed respectively, recorded as m0, 1000 mL of room temperature water was accurately measured using a standard capacity container, poured into a constant temperature water bath, the water temperature was heated to 95°C ± 2°C and kept constant, the prepared tea bags were completely immersed in the hot water, and the timer was started at the same time to start timing. Ensure that the tea bag does not contact the wall of the water bath pot or other objects during the brewing process to ensure uniform brewing conditions. When the brewing time reaches 30 minutes, immediately use tweezers to remove the tea bag from the water and hang it above the container to allow the tea bag to drain naturally for 30 seconds to minimize the influence of the residual tea on the tea bag on the measurement results. Place the drained tea bag on a dry surface, carefully open the tea bag, transfer all the tea leaves in it to the pre-weighed and recorded mass as m1, put the filter paper containing tea leaves into the funnel, rinse the tea bag with a small amount of hot water, and let the residual tea flow into the funnel for filtration. Put the filtered tea leaves together with the filter paper into the drying oven and dry them at a temperature of 105℃±2℃ to constant weight. During the drying process, take out the filter paper and tea leaves every 30 minutes, cool them to room temperature in the dryer and weigh them until the mass difference between two consecutive weighings does not exceed 0.001g. At this time, the tea leaves are considered to have reached constant weight. Record the total mass of the tea leaves and filter paper after drying as m2. Tea leaf permeability = (m0+m1-m2) / m0

[0048] Result analysis: Figure 1 As shown, the tea bags of Examples 1-3 all have lower tea leaf leakage rates, among which Example 3 has the lowest rate, followed by Example 2 and Example 1.

[0049] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0050] The present invention and its embodiments are described above, and such description is not restrictive. The drawings show only one embodiment of the present invention, and the actual structure is not limited thereto. In short, if ordinary technicians in the field are inspired by it, without departing from the purpose of the invention, they can design a structure and embodiment similar to the technical solution without creativity, which should belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for making a 3D printed silica gel tea bag, characterized in that: The production method comprises the following steps: (1) Raw material preparation: Use food grade silicone as printing material; (2) 3D model design: Based on different tea types and user needs, the shape and internal structure of the tea bag are designed using professional 3D modeling software; (3) 3D printing process: import the designed 3D model into the 3D printer; (4) Post-processing: After printing is completed, remove the tea bag from the printing platform, remove the support structure, put the tea bag into boiling water for 10-30 minutes for disinfection, and then dry it naturally or use low-temperature drying equipment. Install a zipper or clip made of food-grade plastic or silicone at the opening of the tea bag to facilitate the filling and replacement of tea leaves.

2. A method for making a 3D printed silica gel tea bag according to claim 1, characterized in that: The food-grade silica gel in step (1) is one or more of edible gelatin, carrageenan, xanthan gum, guar gum and glucomannan.

3. A 3D printed silica gel tea bag production method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The purity of the silica gel in step (1) should be higher than 99%, and the hardness range should be Shore A30-A50.

4. The method for making a 3D printed silica gel tea bag according to claim 3, characterized in that: In the step (1), the tensile strength of the silica gel is higher than 5 MPa, and the elongation at break is higher than 300%.

5. A method for making a 3D printed silica gel tea bag according to claim 4, characterized in that: In step (2), the pore size of the tea bag should be controlled within the range of 0.2-1.5 mm.

6. The method for making a 3D printed silica gel tea bag according to claim 5, characterized in that: The 3D printer in step (3) uses a high-precision nozzle, the nozzle temperature is set to 180-220°C, and the printing platform temperature is maintained at 40-60°C.

7. A 3D printed silica gel tea bag production method according to claim 6, characterized in that: The printing speed in step (3) is controlled at 10-50 mm / s, and the layer thickness is set at 0.1-0.3 mm.

8. A method for making a 3D printed silica gel tea bag according to claim 7, characterized in that: The drying temperature in step (4) is 50-60°C.

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