Asymmetric Capsule Code Placement for Contamination-Free Reading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage production machines face challenges in accurately detecting optically readable codes on capsules due to contamination from liquid, vapor, and dirt, leading to improper preparation of nutritional products, especially for dairy-based items like infant formula, and pose hygiene issues due to dirty surfaces.
Innovation Solution
The capsule design features an optically readable code positioned on the side wall, away from the liquid inlet, with a non-symmetric inlet face contour and a bulge section that serves as a positioning aid, and a capsule holder configuration that protects the code reader from contamination, ensuring reliable detection and easier cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the optically readable code is positioned on the capsule near the liquid inlet for easy reading, then the code detection accuracy is improved, but the code becomes contaminated with liquid, vapor, and dirt leading to unreliable detection
Solution Approach 1:
The code is extracted from the contaminated zone near the liquid inlet and positioned on the lateral surface of the capsule, away from the liquid flow path. This spatial separation removes the code from the harmful environment while maintaining its readability function.
Solution Approach 2:
The capsule features an asymmetric contour with a bulge section that creates a unique orientation. The code is positioned at a specific location relative to this asymmetric feature, ensuring that when the capsule is correctly oriented in the holder, the code faces the reader while remaining away from liquid contamination zones.
2Device complexity
If the code reader is integrated close to the liquid injector for compact design, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reader window becomes dirty rapidly requiring regular cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The code reader is extracted from the contaminated zone near the liquid injector and positioned in a cleaner area of the machine. The optical path is extended to reach the code on the capsule from this cleaner position, separating the reader from the harmful liquid environment while maintaining functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
An optical window or transparent barrier is introduced as an intermediary between the code reader and the external environment. This window protects the reader from liquid and vapor contamination while allowing optical signals to pass through for code reading.
3Extent of automation
If the code is positioned on the capsule to be readable by the machine, then automatic capsule identification is enabled, but the code may be accidentally read from forgotten capsules leading to improper preparation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary verification by reading the code and checking whether the corresponding preparation has already been executed. Before initiating the brewing process, the control system checks the preparation status associated with the read code, preventing duplicate preparation of the same capsule.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by monitoring the preparation status and using this information to决定是否 execute the brewing process. The control system receives feedback about whether a capsule has already been prepared and adjusts the brewing operation accordingly, preventing accidental reuse.
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
This solution enhances the reliability of automatic capsule detection, prevents accidental reuse, and simplifies the cleaning process, ensuring proper preparation parameters are set automatically and maintaining hygiene in the beverage production machine.
Implementation Method 1
an optically readable code is provided on the side wall at a position which, when viewing the capsule from the inlet face, is located opposite the bulge section
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~1d
Figure 2a~2c
AI summary
The present invention presents a capsule 1 having an inlet face C, which is formed by a circular section 2a and a bulge section 2b extending from the circular section 2a giving the inlet face C a not symmetric in rotation. The capsule 1 further has an optically readable code 3 on a side wall 4 of a cup-shaped body of the capsule 1 opposite the bulge section 2b. The present invention further presents a beverage production machine with a capsule holder 13 for holding a capsule 1 in such a way in the beverage production machine 10, that the optically readable code can be read by a code reader 24. Liquid can be supplied to the capsule to produce a nutritional product. The present invention provides means to prevent the optically readable code 3 and the code reader 24, respectively, from being contaminated with liquid, vapor, dirt or the like. An automatic detection of the capsule type, and a corresponding automatic setting of preparation parameters by the beverage production machine 1 becomes possible, and is more reliable than state of the art solutions.