Beverage Capsule Bottom Support for Controlled Membrane Opening

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Solution Overview

Problem

Beverage preparation machines often experience premature and wide opening of capsules, leading to poor product quality due to inadequate internal pressure and contamination from coffee particles, especially when the piercing means is not specifically adapted to the capsule type.

Innovation Solution

A capsule design featuring a rigid support structure adjacent to the flexible pierceable bottom membrane, which prevents vertical deformation and bursting, incorporating a support area with sufficient thickness to withstand high pressures and open areas that do not support the membrane, ensuring controlled piercing and fluid release.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the capsule uses a flexible pierceable bottom membrane without additional support structure, then the capsule allows easy piercing and fluid injection, but the membrane bursts prematurely and opens too widely due to inadequate pressure distribution

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepiercing easeVSAvoidpressure maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The bottom membrane is segmented into a supported zone (overlying the support structure) and an unsupported zone (allowing piercing). This segmentation allows different regions to serve different functions: the unsupported zone enables easy piercing while the supported zone maintains structural integrity and prevents premature bursting under pressure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The capsule structure has non-uniform local properties: the bottom membrane has varying support characteristics across its surface. The area overlying the support structure has high rigidity and pressure resistance, while the piercing area has low support to allow easy penetration. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between ease of piercing and pressure maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If the capsule membrane is made fully flexible and unsupported, then the capsule allows complete opening for fluid release, but coffee particles escape and contaminate the beverage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid release efficiencyVSAvoidparticle contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The bottom membrane is divided into a supported zone that restricts opening and prevents particle escape, and an unsupported zone that allows controlled fluid release. This segmentation enables simultaneous achievement of efficient fluid release and particle containment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support structure acts as an intermediary element between the flexible membrane and the piercing means. It mediates the interaction by providing localized support to control membrane deformation, allowing fluid release while preventing excessive opening that would cause particle contamination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the piercing means is not specifically adapted to the capsule type, then the machine has universal compatibility, but the capsule opens prematurely and widely due to mismatched piercing characteristics

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemachine compatibilityVSAvoidopening control

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The support structure is pre-positioned on the capsule before use, creating a predetermined pattern of supported and unsupported zones. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when any standard piercing means is used, the piercing occurs in the correct unsupported zone while the supported zone maintains pressure integrity, achieving consistent results across different machine types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 maintains optimal internal pressure and prevents premature tearing, ensuring high-quality beverage preparation by controlling the opening of the bottom membrane, thus maintaining the best in-cup quality even when the piercing means is not specifically adapted.

Implementation Method 1

The capsule maintains optimal internal pressure and prevents premature tearing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

a flexible pierceable bottom membrane

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 3

a rigid support structure located adjacent and outside of said flexible pierceable bottom membrane, such that said structure covers and supports partially said membrane

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForce: Force

Data Source

PatentUS9451846B2Capsule for use in a food preparation machine

Publication Date: 2016.09.27 SOCIETE DES PRODUITS NESTLE SA

AI summary

The present invention concerns a capsule (1) for containing a food ingredient, adapted for use in a food preparation machine able to inject a fluid under pressure inside said capsule to prepare a food product, said capsule comprising a capsule body with side walls (2), a top wall (3), and an impermeable flexible pierceable bottom membrane (4), characterized in that it further comprises a rigid support structure (5, 7) located adjacent and outside of said flexible pierceable bottom membrane, such that said structure covers and supports partially said membrane (4).