Capsule Code Positioning for Cleaner Beverage Machine Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage production machines face challenges in accurately detecting optically readable codes on capsules due to contamination from liquid, vapor, and dirt, leading to improper preparation of nutritional products, especially for dairy-based items like infant formula, and pose hygiene issues due to dirty surfaces.
Innovation Solution
The capsule design features an optically readable code positioned on the side wall, away from the liquid inlet, with a non-symmetric inlet face contour and a bulge section that serves as a positioning aid, while the code reader is located outside the liquid injection assembly, protected from contamination, and the capsule holder includes liquid draining channels to prevent soiling of the code reader window.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the optically readable code is positioned on the capsule near the liquid inlet for easy reading, then the code detection is simplified, but the code becomes contaminated with liquid, vapor, and dirt leading to unreliable detection
Solution Approach 1:
The optically readable code is extracted from the liquid-prone areas and positioned on the side wall of the capsule, away from the liquid inlet. This spatial separation removes the code from the contamination zone while maintaining its readability function through the capsule holder window.
Solution Approach 2:
The capsule holder acts as an intermediary structure that positions the code at an optimal location on the capsule side wall. It also provides a window that mediates the optical path between the code and the reader, allowing code detection without direct exposure to liquid and vapor.
2Device complexity
If the code reader is positioned inside the liquid injection assembly for compact design, then the device complexity is reduced, but the code reader window becomes dirty rapidly requiring regular cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The code reader is extracted from the liquid injection assembly and positioned outside the housing. This spatial separation removes the code reader from the contamination zone created by liquid injection, eliminating the need for frequent cleaning while maintaining compact overall design through strategic positioning.
3Device complexity
If the code reader is positioned close to the liquid injector for compact design, then the device complexity is reduced, but liquid splashing contaminates the code and code reader window
Solution Approach 1:
The capsule holder serves as an intermediary barrier between the liquid injection assembly and the code reader. It positions the code at a safe distance from liquid splashing zones while providing a protected window for optical reading, thus mediating the interaction between liquid flow and code detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The code is positioned on the side wall of the capsule in a different spatial dimension away from the liquid injection path. The capsule holder window provides an alternative optical path that bypasses the liquid contamination zone, solving the contradiction through spatial reconfiguration.
4Manufacturing precision
If the inlet face contour is made symmetric for simple manufacturing, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the capsule cannot be properly positioned in the holder for accurate code reading
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet face contour is designed with asymmetric features including a bulge section and specific geometric patterns. This asymmetry provides unique positioning cues that enable the capsule to be correctly oriented in the holder for accurate code reading, while the asymmetric features can be efficiently manufactured using standard molding techniques.
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
This design ensures reliable automatic detection of capsule types, prevents accidental reuse, and simplifies cleaning, making the machine more convenient and hygienic by keeping the code reader and window free from contamination.
Implementation Method 1
an optically readable code is provided on the side wall at a position which, when viewing the capsule from the inlet face, is located opposite the bulge section
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~1d
Figure 2a~2c
AI summary
The present invention presents a capsule 1 having an inlet face C, which is formed by a circular section 2a and a bulge section 2b extending from the circular section 2a giving the inlet face C a not symmetric in rotation. The capsule 1 further has an optically readable code 3 on a side wall 4 of a cup-shaped body of the capsule 1 opposite the bulge section 2b. The present invention further presents a beverage production machine with a capsule holder 13 for holding a capsule 1 in such a way in the beverage production machine 10, that the optically readable code can be read by a code reader 24. Liquid can be supplied to the capsule to produce a nutritional product. The present invention provides means to prevent the optically readable code 3 and the code reader 24, respectively, from being contaminated with liquid, vapor, dirt or the like. An automatic detection of the capsule type, and a corresponding automatic setting of preparation parameters by the beverage production machine 1 becomes possible, and is more reliable than state of the art solutions.