Beverage Preparation Pack With Bottom Inlet and Preformed Outlet
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage preparation packs face issues such as uncontrollable pressure leading to bubble formation, potential explosions, limited ability to produce foamy beverages, and poor hygiene due to fixed water and beverage outlet orientations, which affect manufacturing efficiency and beverage quality.
Innovation Solution
The pack design features flexible, water-impermeable sheets with the water inlet and beverage outlet positioned at the bottom or lateral sides, allowing for high-velocity water jet agitation and preventing pressure increase, enabling efficient dissolution and foamy beverage production without additional frothing steps, while maintaining hygiene through separate inlet and outlet configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pressure is increased inside the sachet to open the beverage outlet, then the outlet opens, but bubbles form at the beverage surface and the package may explode uncontrollably
Solution Approach 1:
The beverage outlet is pre-formed in the sachet structure before brewing, eliminating the need for pressure-induced opening. The outlet is created during sachet manufacturing as an integrated feature, so it is ready for immediate use without requiring pressure buildup that would cause bubbles or explosions.
Solution Approach 2:
The function of opening the outlet through pressure increase is extracted and replaced by a pre-formed outlet structure. The harmful pressure buildup step is removed entirely, and only the essential function of beverage dispensing remains through the pre-created outlet.
2Ease of manufacture
If water inlet is positioned at the top of the sachet, then water introduction is simple, but foamy beverages cannot be produced and additional frothing time is required
Solution Approach 1:
The water inlet is repositioned from the traditional top position to the bottom or lateral side of the sachet. This spatial reconfiguration changes the water flow dimension from vertical top-down to horizontal or upward flow, enabling simultaneous beverage preparation and foaming in a single step without requiring additional frothing time.
3Ease of operation
If water inlet and beverage outlet are positioned at the top of the pack, then beverage preparation is simplified, but hygiene is compromised and pack emptying is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The positions of water inlet and beverage outlet are inverted from the conventional top-positioned configuration to bottom or lateral side positioning. This inversion separates the inlet and outlet spatially, improving hygiene by preventing contamination and facilitating complete pack emptying while maintaining operational simplicity.
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 ensures efficient, controlled beverage preparation with optimal agitation for better mouthfeel, prevents undissolved ingredients, and enhances hygiene by allowing for easy pack emptying and reduced contamination risks, while supporting the production of various beverages with the same machine.
Implementation Method 1
The water inlet (3) is configured for introducing a high-velocity water jet in the inner volume
Implementation Method 2
The pack comprises two flexible water impermeable sheets joined one to another on their edges to define an inner volume
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention concerns a pack (1) with an inner volume (2) in which a food or beverage ingredient is stored and in which a beverage is produced when water is introduced inside, said pack comprising: one inlet (3) configured for supplying a diluent in the inner volume of the pack, one outlet (4) for dispensing a beverage from the inner volume of the pack, the inlet and the outlet are positioned next to the bottom of the pack.