Beverage Cartridge Filter Guard for Piercing Protection and Fill Volume
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage cartridges face challenges in maximizing the volume for beverage medium while maintaining a compact size to fit existing machines, and in preventing filter damage from piercing elements.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a filter guard positioned between the filter and the container bottom, which contacts the piercing element to prevent damage and allows the filter to be placed closer to the bottom, thereby increasing the volume for the beverage medium without increasing the overall cartridge size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the filter is positioned far above the bottom of the cartridge to prevent damage from piercing elements, then the filter is protected from damage, but the volume available to hold beverage medium is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
A filter guard is introduced as an intermediary component between the piercing element and the filter. The filter guard contacts the piercing element first, preventing direct contact with the filter while allowing the filter to be positioned closer to the cartridge bottom, thereby increasing beverage medium volume without compromising filter protection
Solution Approach 2:
The protection function is segmented from the filter itself and assigned to a separate filter guard component. This allows the filter to be optimally positioned for maximum beverage medium volume while the dedicated guard component handles the protection function by intercepting the piercing element
2Volume of stationary object
If the overall cartridge size is increased to provide larger beverage medium volume, then the beverage medium volume is increased, but the cartridge becomes incompatible with pre-existing beverage machines
Solution Approach 1:
The solution optimizes the vertical arrangement of components within the cartridge, using the filter guard to enable the filter to extend closer to the bottom in the vertical dimension. This efficient spatial arrangement increases beverage medium volume without increasing the overall cartridge dimensions, maintaining compatibility with existing machines
3Volume of stationary object
If the filter is positioned close to the bottom of the container to increase beverage medium volume, then the beverage medium volume is increased, but the filter is vulnerable to damage from piercing elements
Solution Approach 1:
The filter guard serves as a protective intermediary that intercepts the piercing element before it can reach the filter. This allows the filter to be positioned optimally close to the container bottom for maximum beverage medium volume while the guard component absorbs the impact and prevents filter damage
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~11
Figure 12
AI summary
A cartridge (10) for forming a beverage includes a container (12) defining an interior space (14), a filter (30), a beverage medium (20) contained in the interior space, an a filter guard (40). The filter (30) may be arranged so that liquid that interacts with the beverage medium flows through the filter to exit the interior space. The container may include a surface arranged to be pierced by a piercing member (52) to permit beverage to exit the container. The filter guard (40) may be arranged to contact the piercing member (52) to resist damage to the filter when the container surface is pierced. In one embodiment, the filter guard (40) and filter (30) may be in contact with the container surface that is pierced, yet damage to the filter that might be caused by the piercing element may be avoided.