Beverage Capsule Cup Forming for Hydraulic Rim Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage capsule designs face challenges in providing effective sealing during the preparation of beverages, leading to potential bypass flows and inefficiencies in the interaction between pressurized liquids and ingredients.
Innovation Solution
A method for forming a cup-shaped body for beverage capsules involves deep drawing a sheet of material into a preform with specific structural features, including an annular trough and ridge zones, which allows for plastic deformation during closure, creating a tapered seal with the enclosing member and ensuring a hydraulic seal around imperfections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dedicated sealing member is added to the capsule, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is merged with the capsule body itself. The cup-shaped body includes an annular trough and ridge zone that directly engage with the enclosing member to form a seal, eliminating the need for a separate dedicated sealing member. This integration maintains sealing effectiveness while reducing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cup-shaped body serves multiple functions: it contains the beverage ingredients, provides structural support, and creates the sealing interface with the enclosing member through its annular trough and ridge zone. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate sealing components.
2Manufacturing precision
If a two-stage forming process is used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The forming process is segmented into two distinct stages: first forming the cup-shaped body preform with basic geometry, then transforming it into the final cup-shaped body with the precise annular trough and ridge zone features. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized for its specific purpose, achieving high precision without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The first stage creates a preform that prepares the material in an intermediate state, making the second stage transformation more efficient and precise. The preform includes preliminary shaping that facilitates the subsequent formation of the sealing features, improving overall precision while managing production time.
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 method results in a beverage capsule that provides effective sealing, allowing for efficient interaction between the pressurized liquid and ingredients, reducing bypass flows and enhancing the overall performance of the beverage preparation system.
Implementation Method 1
the preformed side wall is deformed such that the cup-shaped body comprises the base and a side wall which extends from the base to the rim
Data Source
AI summary
A method of forming a cup-shaped body for a beverage capsule comprising the steps of: a) in a first stage drawing a sheet of material into a cup-shaped body preform; and b) in a second stage transforming the cup-shaped body preform into the cup-shaped body; wherein after the first stage the cup-shaped body preform comprises a base and a preformed side wall which extends from the base to a rim; wherein the preformed side wall comprises: an outwardly-extending step proximate the rim; a primary side wall section extending between the base and the outwardly-extending step; and a secondary side wall section extending between the outwardly-extending step and the rim; wherein in the second stage the preformed side wall is deformed such that the cup-shaped body comprises the base and a side wall which extends from the base to the rim; wherein the side wall comprises: an annular trough; a first side wall section extending between the base and the annular trough; and a second side wall section extending between the annular trough and the rim.