Capsule for the preparation of beverages and use of this capsule
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portion packs for beverage preparation, such as tea or coffee, are complex to handle and lack precise dosing, with manual filling and cleaning being cumbersome, and previous solutions do not ensure easy reuse or environmental sustainability.
Innovation Solution
A portion pack comprising a detachable container with a cup-shaped adapter that simplifies handling by allowing easy insertion and removal, featuring a biodegradable container and a reusable adapter with optical coding for precise parameter control during brewing, and light-guiding means for substance identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If a refillable capsule with opening and closing mechanisms is used, then the capsule can be reused for multiple beverage preparations, but the handling becomes comparatively complex and precise dosing cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two segments: a reusable adapter that remains in the machine and a disposable container that is inserted and removed. This segmentation allows the container to be simple and easy to handle while the adapter provides the reuse functionality, resolving the contradiction between reusability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The container is designed as a disposable, low-cost component that is inserted into the reusable adapter. By making the container disposable rather than refillable, the system achieves precise dosing (since each container is pre-filled) and simple handling (no opening/closing mechanisms needed), while the adapter provides the reuse functionality.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If manual filling of the capsule is performed, then the capsule can be reused, but the dosing precision cannot be guaranteed and the process is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The container is pre-filled with the exact required dose of beverage substance during manufacturing, before reaching the user. This preliminary action ensures precise dosing without requiring any manual filling operations, while the container itself is designed for single-use insertion into the reusable adapter.
3Reliability
If a closed container system is used, then substance containment is improved, but environmental sustainability is reduced due to non-biodegradable materials
Solution Approach 1:
Different parts of the system have different material properties suited to their functions: the container is made of biodegradable material for environmental sustainability, while the adapter is made of durable, non-biodegradable material for long-term reuse and reliable substance containment. This local differentiation of material qualities resolves the contradiction between containment reliability and environmental impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The container is designed to be discarded after a single use (with the substance contained throughout), while the adapter is recovered and reused multiple times. This differentiation in disposal strategies allows the container to be environmentally friendly (biodegradable) while the adapter provides sustained containment functionality.
4Ease of manufacture
If the adapter provides mechanical loads and interfaces, then the container can be manufactured at optimized costs, but the overall device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter is designed as a universal component that remains in the beverage preparation machine and works with multiple different containers. By concentrating the mechanical load-bearing functions and device interfaces in the single reusable adapter, the container can be manufactured simply and inexpensively, while the adapter's multi-functionality manages the overall device complexity.
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 solution provides a user-friendly, environmentally friendly beverage preparation system that ensures precise dosing and parameter control, with the adapter being reused multiple times and the container being easily disposed of after use, reducing handling complexity and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
The adapter has a base on which means for directing the light are provided. The means for guiding the light can have at least one interruption into which a coding of the container can be inserted. A reading device can then radiate a light beam into the base of the adapter, which then either hits the coding or not, so that this influences the emission of the light beam
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a portion pack (1) for preparing beverages, in particular tea or coffee, comprising a container (2), in which a substance suitable for beverage preparation is arranged, wherein the container (2) is liquid-permeable at least in some regions or can be perforated during the beverage preparation, and an adapter (3), which can be inserted into a machine for beverage preparation, wherein the container (2) is releasably fastened to the adapter (3). Thus, the adapter (3) can be reused to prepare a plurality of beverages. Because the adapter (3) absorbs the mechanical loads in the device and provides the interfaces to the device, the container (2) can be produced in a cost-optimized manner. Furthermore, additional functionalities such as coding or biodegradability can be realized in a simple manner.