Beverage Capsule Cup Floor with Zoned Thickness for Puncturing
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage capsule cups face challenges in efficiently distributing brewing materials and ensuring easy puncturability by beverage brewing apparatuses while maintaining structural integrity and weight efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The beverage capsule cup features a design with a center area, inner and outer gusset areas, and a puncture area, where the puncture area is thinner than the center area, and includes inner and outer gussets for enhanced structural rigidity and ease of puncturing, optimized through thermoforming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the floor is made uniformly thick to maintain structural integrity, then strength is improved, but puncturability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The floor is designed with varying thickness across different regions: a thinner puncture area (0.002-0.008 inches) for easy puncturing and a thicker center area (0.010-0.020 inches) for structural integrity. This local quality variation allows the floor to be easily punctured at the needle insertion point while maintaining strength in the center to prevent collapse during brewing.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor is segmented into distinct functional zones with different thickness characteristics: a puncture area with reduced thickness for needle insertion, a center area with increased thickness for structural support, and gusset areas for additional strength. This segmentation allows each zone to optimize its thickness for its specific function.
2Ease of operation
If material distribution is optimized for easy puncturing, then puncturability is improved, but structural integrity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The floor is designed with varying thickness across different regions: a thinner puncture area (0.002-0.008 inches) for easy puncturing and a thicker center area (0.010-0.020 inches) for structural integrity. This local quality variation allows the floor to be easily punctured at the needle insertion point while maintaining strength in the center to prevent collapse during brewing.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor structure is pre-designed with a thinner puncture area during manufacturing, so that when the brewing apparatus is inserted, the needle encounters less resistance at the puncture point. This preliminary thickness variation ensures easy puncturing without requiring additional force that might compromise the overall structural integrity.
3Strength
If the cup uses more material to ensure structural integrity, then strength is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The floor is designed with varying thickness across different regions: a thinner puncture area (0.002-0.008 inches) for easy puncturing and a thicker center area (0.010-0.020 inches) for structural integrity. This local quality variation allows the floor to be easily punctured at the needle insertion point while maintaining strength in the center to prevent collapse during brewing.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor thickness parameter is changed across different spatial locations rather than remaining uniform. The puncture area has reduced thickness (0.002-0.008 inches) to minimize material usage and weight, while the center area has increased thickness (0.010-0.020 inches) to maintain structural integrity and prevent cup floor collapse during the brewing process.
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 design facilitates easy puncturing by brewing apparatuses, maintains structural integrity, and reduces material usage, resulting in a lightweight and efficient brewing cup.
Implementation Method 1
The beverage brewing cup is thermoformed such that the puncture area is thinner than the center area
Data Source
AI summary
A beverage brewing cup with a floor having a puncture area is disclosed.