Capsule Flow Element Locking at Bottom to Preserve Side Wall Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee capsules struggle to securely hold complex flow elements without modifying the side wall, leading to material weaknesses and undesirable design constraints.
Innovation Solution
A capsule design featuring a circular receiving shoulder at the bottom to lock the flow element in a stable position, with optional snap connections and a cylindrical recess that serves both as a liquid collector and flow element accommodator, allowing for various flow elements like filter tubes or overflow pipes, and incorporating sealing lips and tearable films for secure operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flow element is attached to the side wall of the capsule, then the flow behavior can be influenced, but material weaknesses and bulges occur in the side wall
Solution Approach 1:
The flow element is extracted from the side wall attachment and relocated to the bottom of the capsule. The bottom receives a receptacle that houses the flow element, separating the flow control function from the side wall structure. This eliminates the harmful attachment to the side wall while preserving the flow management function.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment location is changed from the vertical side wall to the horizontal bottom surface of the capsule. This dimensional shift moves the flow element to a different spatial plane, allowing flow control without compromising side wall integrity.
2Reliability
If the flow element extends over the entire inside diameter of the capsule, then flow coverage is maximized, but the capsule design becomes constrained and complex
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring the flow element to span the entire capsule diameter, the invention concentrates the flow element within a localized receptacle at the bottom. The receptacle has a defined opening that provides sufficient flow coverage for the intended application without requiring full-diameter extension, simplifying the overall design.
3Ease of manufacture
If a separate filter element is snapped into the capsule body, then the flow element can be easily assembled, but the side wall must be modified with grooves and projections
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacle at the bottom is designed with integrated locking features (projections and grooves) that combine the mounting function with the receptacle structure itself. This eliminates the need for separate side wall modifications while maintaining easy assembly through snap-fit connections.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a capsule (1) for preparing a liquid food having a preferably rotationally symmetrical capsule body (2), which has a side wall (3) and a bottom (4) formed integrally with the side wall. The capsule body is covered with a lid (5) such that a chamber (6) is formed, which contains a preparation substance. A separate flow element (8) through which the liquid can flow is held in the capsule above the bottom in that the flow element is locked on a circular holding shoulder (9) of the bottom (4) in a positionally stable manner.