Single-Serve Capsule Adapter with Removable Piercing Spike for Hygiene
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing adapters for portion capsules used in beverage production machines lack reversibility and hygiene, as well as efficient drainage systems, leading to potential contamination and pressure loss during beverage extraction.
Innovation Solution
A reversible adapter with a polygonal cross-section and drainage channels, featuring a removable piercing spike and offset wall for enhanced hygiene and support, along with a flow breaker to minimize pressure loss and facilitate easy cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the piercing mandrel is permanently integrated into the adapter, then the structure is simpler and more robust, but cleaning becomes difficult and hygiene deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter is divided into separate components: the adapter body and the piercing mandrel. The piercing mandrel can be removed from the adapter through the receptacle, allowing both parts to be cleaned separately. This segmentation enables thorough cleaning of previously inaccessible areas while maintaining structural integrity during use.
2Productivity
If the adapter uses a simple opening design without drainage channels, then the structure is simpler, but beverage flow efficiency decreases and pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter incorporates drainage channels specifically in the base region where the piercing mandrel is located. This localized drainage system captures beverage flow at its source and directs it efficiently to the collection container, improving flow efficiency without adding complex systems throughout the entire adapter structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the piercing mandrel is made of different material than the adapter, then material optimization is possible, but manufacturing and assembly become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacle in the adapter base is designed with universal form-fitting and force-fitting means that can accommodate piercing mandrels made from various materials (stainless steel, plastic, etc.). This universal interface allows optimization of the piercing mandrel material for its specific function while maintaining ease of assembly through standardized connection mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an adapter comprising an interior which accommodates a single serve capsule and which has an opening at a first end for introducing the capsule into the interior and a receptacle for a pricking spike at the opposite end.