Capsule for infusing a beverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage preparation capsules face issues with filter destabilization, water hammer effect, and irregular opening areas leading to poor mixture and incomplete infusion.
Innovation Solution
A capsule design featuring a laminar membrane with a continuous circumferential pre-cut, which breaks progressively under increasing pressure, controlling the extraction of the beverage and preventing irregular openings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a filter is placed inside the capsule to separate the beverage mixture, then the beverage can be filtered and extracted, but the filter destabilizes and moves internally due to pressure stresses
Solution Approach 1:
The filter is divided into an upper filter portion and a lower filter portion separated by a middle section. The middle section includes a relief channel that allows pressure equalization between the upper and lower chambers, preventing the filter from moving due to pressure differential. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining filter stability while enabling beverage extraction.
2Productivity
If water is injected at high pressure to extract the beverage quickly, then extraction speed increases, but water hammer effect causes gushing and splashing
Solution Approach 1:
The relief channel acts as an intermediary pressure equalization pathway between the upper and lower chambers. It allows controlled pressure balance during water injection, preventing sudden pressure surges that cause water hammer effect. This enables fast extraction while avoiding gushing and splashing.
3Reliability
If a laminar membrane separates the upper and lower chambers, then the beverage mixture can be controlled, but irregular opening areas form causing material detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The membrane opening is segmented into multiple small holes distributed across the membrane surface rather than a single large opening. This segmentation ensures uniform stress distribution and prevents irregular opening areas that could cause material detachment, while maintaining reliable sealing.
4Reliability
If a sharp element is used to break the membrane, then the membrane breaks reliably under pressure, but the opening area becomes irregular
Solution Approach 1:
The sharp element is removed from the system entirely. Instead, the membrane is designed with inherent weakened areas in the form of multiple small holes that allow reliable breaking under pressure without requiring a sharp element, thus avoiding irregular opening areas and material detachment.
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
Achieves smooth and gradual extraction of the beverage without gushing or splashing, ensuring a complete and uniform mixture while preventing material detachment.
Implementation Method 1
when water is introduced into the upper chamber, it soaks the food product and at the same time the pressure increases progressively
Implementation Method 2
the liquid mixture of water and food product reaches the lower chamber, which communicates with an outlet hole
Implementation Method 3
the liquid mixture (beverage) of water and the food substance passes into the lower chamber through a perimeter gap which is released as a consequence of the increase in pressure
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The capsule comprises a cup structure (1) with an opening closed by means of a cover (16). A laminar membrane (5) is located inside the cup structure (1) which separates an upper chamber (15) housing a food substance (17) and a lower chamber (15) wherein a filter (3) with an annular valley (19) is located, such that when water is introduced into the upper chamber (15), the pressure increases progressively until the laminar membrane (5) breaks in a controlled manner along a continuous circumferential pre-slit (5b) of said laminar membrane (5) facing the annular valley (19). In this manner, a progressive and gradual extraction of the beverage is achieved. Furthermore, the capsule of the invention prevents the generation of irregular opening areas from which parts of the material can be detached from parts of the capsule.