Beverage Cartridge Filter-Lid Assembly for Clean Component Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Many beverage cartridges are difficult to separate and recycle due to their complex construction, leading to messy and uncontrolled release of components like coffee grounds, which discourages users from recycling or composting despite the materials being degradable or recyclable.
Innovation Solution
A beverage cartridge design with a filter attached to the lid, allowing for easy separation of components by removing the lid, filter, and spent coffee grounds together, and featuring simplified internal structures for both inlet and outlet piercing, facilitating recycling and composting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If beverage cartridges use impermeable components (metallic foil, polymer) to preserve beverage medium freshness, then the freshness maintenance is improved, but the ease of separation and recycling of components deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge is divided into separable components: an impermeable container for freshness, a removable lid, and a filter assembly. The filter is attached to the lid rather than the container, enabling the filter and spent grounds to be removed together as a single unit while leaving the container intact for recycling.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter assembly (filter + spent grounds) is extracted from the container by removing the lid. This separates the organic materials needing composting from the recyclable container, making the recycling process simpler and less messy.
2Reliability
If beverage cartridges use complex internal structures to maintain component separation, then the freshness preservation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The internal structure is segmented into simple, distinct components: container, lid, and filter. The filter attaches to the lid at its periphery, creating a clear separation between the brewing chamber and the filter assembly without requiring complex internal mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The lid serves multiple functions: it seals the container for freshness preservation, it supports the filter assembly, and it provides the attachment point for easy removal of the filter and spent grounds. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components.
3Ease of operation
If beverage cartridges use traditional tea bag or pod designs with permeable containers, then the ease of separation is improved, but the freshness maintenance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge uses an impermeable container separated from the permeable filter by attaching the filter to the lid. This segmentation allows the container to maintain freshness like traditional pods while the filter assembly can be easily removed for composting like traditional tea bags.
Solution Approach 2:
The permeable filter and spent grounds are extracted as a separate removable assembly attached to the lid, while the impermeable container remains. This extraction combines the freshness benefits of sealed containers with the ease of separation of traditional tea bags.
4Productivity
If beverage cartridges allow both inlet and outlet piercing in the lid, then the beverage formation efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lid serves as the sole interface for both liquid inlet and beverage outlet. Piercing the lid at two locations provides both functions without requiring separate inlet and outlet structures, maintaining simplicity while enabling efficient beverage formation.
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
Enables mess-free and efficient separation of cartridge components, promoting recycling and composting by containing coffee grounds within the filter and simplifying the internal structure for easy disassembly and reuse of materials.
Implementation Method 1
a filter that extends from the periphery into the interior space and separates a first chamber from a second chamber in the interior space
Data Source
Figure 1~3
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Figure 6~7
AI summary
A method, system and cartridge (10) for forming a beverage includes a cartridge (10) having a container (12) defining an interior space (14), a lid (38), a filter (30), a flow distributor (33) and a beverage medium (20) contained in the interior space (14). The filter (30) may be attached to the lid (38) only, and extend into the interior space (14) to separate first and second chambers (14a, 14b) of the cartridge (10). The lid (38) may be pierced in a first portion for introducing liquid into the first chamber (14a) and in a second portion for removing the beverage from the cartridge (10) while the cartridge (10) is positioned with the lid (38) above the container (12). The filter may hold the beverage medium and be arranged so that by peeling the lid from the container, the filter and beverage medium are removed together with the lid.