Beverage Capsule Bottom Wall Grooves Prevent Preferential Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing single-use capsules for beverage preparation, such as coffee, fail to achieve complete extraction of aromatic components due to the formation of preferential flow channels when high-pressure hot water or steam is used, leading to incomplete infusion and solubilization of the product.
Innovation Solution
A capsule design featuring a beaker body with a bottom wall containing grooves defined by breakable portions that break under predetermined pressure, creating dispensing openings, ensuring uniform fluid distribution and preventing preferential channel formation, thereby allowing complete extraction of the product.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If holes are made in the container and covering element for dispensing beverage, then beverage can be dispensed, but preferential flow channels are created that prevent complete extraction of aromatic components
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom wall is segmented into multiple grooves (at least three) that divide the dispensing function into separate zones. Each groove contains a breakable portion that can independently break to create a dispensing opening. This segmentation prevents the formation of a single large preferential channel by distributing the flow path into multiple smaller channels through the grooves, thereby improving extraction completeness while maintaining dispensing efficiency.
2Temperature
If high-pressure hot water or steam is used for beverage preparation, then correct consistency and creamy quality are achieved, but preferential flow channels form that connect inlet to dispensing holes
Solution Approach 1:
The grooves act as intermediary structures between the inlet holes and dispensing holes. Instead of allowing direct high-pressure flow from inlet to dispensing holes (which creates preferential channels), the grooves mediate the fluid path by providing controlled pathways with breakable portions. The breakable portions break under pressure to create openings, but the groove structure guides the flow in a way that prevents direct channel formation, thus maintaining beverage quality while eliminating the harmful preferential channel effect.
3Reliability
If the covering element is sealed to retain comestible substance, then product isolation is achieved, but fluid cannot reach required pressure for good infusion quality
Solution Approach 1:
The covering element transitions from a static sealed state to a dynamic state during operation. Initially, the covering element remains sealed to maintain product isolation and build pressure. When high pressure is reached, the breakable portions in the grooves break dynamically, creating openings that allow pressure release and beverage dispensing. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction by maintaining isolation when needed and allowing pressure equalization when required for proper infusion.
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 solution enables excellent extraction of aromatic components and near-total solubilization of the product, resulting in a high-quality beverage with improved consistency and creamy quality, as the breakable portions ensure uniform wetting and dispensing of the beverage without forming preferential channels.
Implementation Method 1
the breakable portion being dimensioned such as to break following flexion of at least one between the first and the second lateral wall towards an outside of the capsule when the pressure internally of the compartment exceeds a predetermined threshold
Implementation Method 2
the complete exploitation of the product contained internally of the container, and consequently the quality of the beverage obtained, requires a perfect saturation of water/steam in the product
Implementation Method 3
solubilizes only those parts of product situated close to the channels
Data Source
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AI summary
A capsule for preparation of beverages, comprising a beaker body provided with an external wall and a bottom wall, the external wall defining an opening closed by a covering element, the external wall, the bottom wall and the covering element defining a containing chamber of a substance for preparation of the beverage; at least a groove is realized on the bottom wall of the beaker body, which groove is defined by a first and a second lateral wall, mutually facing and connected by a breakable portion, the breakable portion being dimensioned such as to break following flexion of at least one between the first and the second lateral wall towards an outside of the capsule when the pressure internally of the compartment exceeds a predetermined threshold, thus creating a dispensing opening of the beverage.