Beverage Capsule Agitator for Membrane Piercing and Powder Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for preparing beverages from powders, such as sports drinks and baby formula, are inconvenient and often result in a non-homogeneous solution due to spilling, cleaning issues, and degradation of powder quality over time.
Innovation Solution
A capsule with an inner membrane and an agitator comprising blades that pierce or cut the membrane to mix powder with water, ensuring a homogeneous solution and minimizing waste, featuring a cylindrical or conical housing and a central shaft with blades for efficient mixing and drainage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional powder containers are used, then powder can be stored, but spilling and cleaning issues occur during preparation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the beverage preparation system into separate functional components: a reusable brewing device and disposable capsules containing pre-measured powder. This segmentation allows the powder to be contained within sealed capsules during storage and transport, eliminating spilling issues, while the brewing device handles the liquid preparation process without requiring cleaning of powder-contact surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs disposable capsules that contain pre-measured powder portions. Each capsule is sealed to prevent spilling and degradation, then used once for beverage preparation and discarded. This eliminates the need for cleaning equipment that contacts powder and prevents spilling during transfer, as the capsule itself contains the powder until use.
2Ease of operation
If powder containers are opened for extended periods, then powder can be accessed, but quality and solubility decrease over time
Solution Approach 1:
The powder is pre-measured and pre-packaged into individual capsules before use. This preliminary action of portioning and sealing the powder protects it from environmental factors (moisture, air, contamination) until the moment of use, maintaining quality and solubility properties. The capsule remains sealed during storage and transport, and only opens during the brewing process.
Solution Approach 2:
Each capsule is a sealed, single-use container that protects the powder from degradation until use. The capsule maintains powder quality during storage and transport through its sealed design, then provides controlled access during brewing. After use, the capsule is discarded, eliminating any quality degradation that would occur with repeated opening and closing of containers.
3Device complexity
If manual mixing is used, then equipment is simple, but homogeneous solution is difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The brewing device incorporates a dynamic mixing mechanism with a rotating agitator that actively mixes the powder with liquid during the brewing process. This dynamic mixing action ensures homogeneous dissolution of the powder in the liquid, achieving consistent solution composition without requiring complex manual stirring techniques or multiple preparation steps.
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 capsule provides an easy and quick method for preparing beverages, ensuring a homogeneous solution and preserving powder quality by sealing the powder initially and mixing it efficiently with water, reducing spilling and waste.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one blade comprises at least one blade element for piercing and/or cutting the inner membrane
Implementation Method 2
The agitator may be used for premixing the powder with any supplied water in a first state while the inner membrane still is intact
Implementation Method 3
The inner membrane may prevent air contact of the powder in the first state, or it may result in a vacuum pack of the powder
Data Source
AI summary
A capsule for preparing a beverage comprises a housing with an outlet, and a cavity for containing a powder, an inner membrane between the cavity and the outlet, an agitator, comprising a central shaft, and at least one blade attached to the central shaft. The at least one blade comprises at least one blade element for one or more of piercing and cutting the inner membrane. Further aspects of the invention are an apparatus and a method for preparing a beverage.