Beverage Capsule with Deformable Geometry for Pressure-Free Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage capsules require internal pressure-operated opening members to produce high-quality beverages, making them complex and costly to manufacture.
Innovation Solution
A capsule design featuring a cup-shaped body with a filter member and a micro-perforated sheet that allows even fluid penetration, eliminating the need for pressure-operated opening members by using a deformable tip to tear a sealing film and a membrane that opens at a predetermined pressure, facilitating uniform brewing without external perforation tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pressure-operated opening members are used to open the capsule, then beverage quality is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the complex pressure-operated opening members (tappets, perforators, membranes) from the capsule structure. Instead, it uses the natural deformation of the cup-shaped body under pressure to open the beverage outlet, thereby simplifying the device while maintaining brewing quality
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the sealing function into two parts: a sealing film that closes the beverage outlet and a micro-perforated sheet that controls fluid flow. This segmentation allows the sealing film to be simple and removable, eliminating the need for complex opening mechanisms while ensuring proper brewing
2Reliability
If pressure-operated opening members are used to open the capsule, then beverage quality is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the expensive pressure-operated opening members and replacing them with a simple sealing film and micro-perforated sheet, the invention significantly reduces manufacturing costs while preserving beverage quality through controlled fluid penetration
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a disposable sealing film and micro-perforated sheet instead of complex reusable opening mechanisms. These simple components are inexpensive to manufacture and are discarded with the capsule after use, reducing overall system cost
3Manufacturing precision
If a sealing film is used to close the beverage outlet, then uniform brewing is achieved, but the outlet remains closed until high pressure is reached
Solution Approach 1:
The micro-perforated sheet is pre-installed in the cup-shaped body to create controlled flow paths. This preliminary structure ensures that when the sealing film opens, fluid penetration is immediately uniform and controlled, eliminating the need for high pressure buildup
Solution Approach 2:
The micro-perforated sheet acts as an intermediary between the chamber and the beverage outlet. It mediates the fluid flow by providing pre-formed channels that guide the pressurized fluid uniformly across the substance, reducing the pressure threshold needed to open the sealing film
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 capsule produces high-quality beverages efficiently and inexpensively, ensuring uniform brewing and easy production by integrating a deformable tip and pressure-activated membrane for fluid penetration and brewing, reducing manufacturing complexity and costs.
Implementation Method 1
a deformable tip to tear a sealing film
Implementation Method 2
a micro-perforated sheet that allows even fluid penetration
Implementation Method 3
a membrane that opens at a predetermined pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A capsule for producing a beverage in an automatic beverage production device is provided that includes a cup-shaped body defined by a lateral wall and a bottom wall with a beverage outflow opening closed by a sealing film, and a filter member provided with a perforation member and extending transversely so as to ideally divide the cup-shaped body into an upper part containing the substance to be brewed, and a lower part containing a chamber for collecting the beverage. The bottom wall comprises an annular portion extending transversely to the capsule axis to define a stable support base for the capsule when the latter is arranged in a corresponding percolation seat of the automatic beverage production device. The lower part comprises a geometric discontinuity area shaped and/or sized so as to result, when the capsule is externally axially compressed, in the lower part of the cup-shaped body deforming substantially at the geometric discontinuity area, and in the perforation member resultingly displacing through the sealing film.