Biologically degradable portion capsule

Solution Overview

Problem

Biologically degradable materials used in portion capsules for drink preparation, such as bio-plastics and composite materials, often exhibit unfavorable physical characteristics like brittleness and air/oxygen impermeability, leading to premature piercing during the brewing process and increased manufacturing costs, which hinder their competitiveness with non-biodegradable materials.

Innovation Solution

A portion capsule design featuring a biologically degradable material with an arching structure that extends into the interior, allowing the extraction-side piercing device to deform and flatten only under the necessary brewing pressure, preventing premature penetration and enhancing the capsule's structural integrity and manufacturing efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If biologically degradable materials are used in portion capsules, then environmental sustainability is improved, but structural integrity and air/oxygen impermeability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental impactVSAvoidstructural integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite material construction by integrating an arching support structure within the cover element of the portion capsule. This composite design combines biologically degradable materials with a geometrically reinforced arching structure to achieve both environmental sustainability and enhanced structural integrity, preventing premature piercing while maintaining biodegradability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies curvature principles by incorporating an arching structure into the cover element. This arching design utilizes geometric curvature to distribute mechanical stresses and enhance the structural strength of the biologically degradable material, preventing premature piercing during the brewing process while maintaining the desired biodegradable properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If biologically degradable materials are used in portion capsules, then environmental sustainability is improved, but piercing behavior deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental impactVSAvoidpiercing behavior

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite material construction by integrating an arching support structure within the cover element of the portion capsule. This composite design combines biologically degradable materials with a geometrically reinforced arching structure to achieve both environmental sustainability and enhanced structural integrity, preventing premature piercing while maintaining biodegradability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies curvature principles by incorporating an arching structure into the cover element. This arching design utilizes geometric curvature to distribute mechanical stresses and enhance the structural strength of the biologically degradable material, preventing premature piercing during the brewing process while maintaining the desired biodegradable properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If biologically degradable materials are used in portion capsules, then environmental sustainability is improved, but manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental impactVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies curvature principles by incorporating an arching structure into the cover element. This arching design utilizes geometric curvature to distribute mechanical stresses and enhance the structural strength of the biologically degradable material, preventing premature piercing during the brewing process while maintaining the desired biodegradable properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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 arching structure ensures that the cover element is not pierced until the required brewing pressure is reached, improving the quality of the brewed drink and reducing manufacturing costs by simplifying the production process while maintaining the biodegradability of the material.

Implementation Method 1

the extraction-side piercing device is adapted to the arching such that, given an inserted portion capsule, the piercing device can come into contact with the cover element in the region of the arching, without the cover element being pierced, when a minimally required pressure for a brewing process is present in the interior

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure-induced deformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentUS20240140691A1Biologically degradable portion capsule

Publication Date: 2024.05.02 TCHIBO GMBH

AI summary

A portion capsule includes a peripheral side wall, a first cover element and a second cover element, wherein the peripheral side wall, the first cover element and the second cover element form a closed interior. The first cover element and/or the second cover element include an arching directed into the interior. At least the cover element including the arching is manufactured of a biologically degradable material.