Container and opening arrangement for beverage production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional self-serve beverage machines are susceptible to cross-contamination due to the integration of piercing elements within the appliance, which compromises sterility and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A beverage container with a sealed internal space and a moveable piercing feature that defines both an inlet and an outlet path, allowing for the introduction of pressurized gas and the release of beverage material without the need for multiple points of entry, reducing system complexity and enhancing adaptability to various beverage materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If piercing elements are integrated into the beverage machine, then the machine can pierce cartridges or capsules, but cross-contamination occurs and sterility is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The piercing element is extracted from the beverage machine and integrated into the cartridge or capsule itself. The cartridge includes a moveable piercing feature that defines inlet and outlet paths, allowing the container to perform the piercing function independently without requiring separate piercing elements in the machine, thereby eliminating cross-contamination risks from machine-integrated piercing components
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge is designed to be self-sufficient by incorporating its own moveable piercing feature that can advance to define inlet and outlet paths autonomously when inserted into the beverage machine, eliminating the need for the machine to provide piercing functionality and thus preventing cross-contamination from machine components
2Productivity
If multiple piercing elements are used to define inlet and outlet paths, then beverage flow paths can be established, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The moveable piercing feature is designed as a single integrated component that combines multiple functions: it defines both the inlet path and outlet path for beverage flow, and can simultaneously establish both flow paths by advancing a single structure rather than requiring separate piercing elements for each path
Solution Approach 2:
The moveable piercing feature serves multiple purposes: it acts as both the inlet definition structure and outlet definition structure, and can be manipulated by the beverage machine to establish complete beverage flow paths, reducing the total number of components needed while maintaining full functionality
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
This design minimizes cross-contamination by containing the piercing mechanism within the container, ensuring sterility and improving the machine's ability to handle diverse beverage types and volumes with streamlined structure and operation.
Implementation Method 1
a moveable piercing feature configured to advance at least partially through the membrane and define an inlet path and an outlet path for the internal space
Implementation Method 2
The moveable piercing feature can be configured to direct the supply of carbonated gas to the internal space, via the inlet path
Implementation Method 3
The enclosure can include a flexible diaphragm configured to permit advancement of the moveable piercing feature at least partially through the membrane
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods and containers for forming a beverage. A beverage container includes an enclosure arranged with a movable element that is movable to pierce a membrane and permit beverage material in the container to exit. The movable element can also be moveable to permit pressurized gas entry into the container and through the membrane. Gas can be introduced into the container to force beverage material to exit the container. A gas inlet port can be provided with the enclosure and arranged to mate with a gas source of a beverage machine.