Capsule Holder Layout for Clean Optical Code Reading

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Optically readable codes on removable inserts, such as capsules, in beverage production machines are prone to contamination from liquid, vapor, and dirt, leading to unreliable automatic detection and hygiene issues, particularly for dairy-based products like infant formula.

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. This design includes a filter for improving hygiene and a capsule holder that prevents liquid from reaching the code reader.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the optically readable code is positioned on the capsule near the inlet face for easy reading, then the code detection reliability is improved, but the code becomes contaminated with liquid, vapor, and dirt leading to hygiene issues and unreliable detection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecode detection reliabilityVSAvoidcontamination of code

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The optically readable code is extracted from the inlet face area and positioned on the side wall of the capsule, removing it from the contamination zone where liquid, vapor, and dirt accumulate during beverage preparation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The side wall position acts as an intermediary location that allows optical code reading without direct exposure to the liquid injection and vapor generation areas, mediating between the need for code detection and contamination avoidance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemachine structure compactnessVSAvoidcleaning maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The code reader is extracted from the liquid injection assembly and positioned externally, removing it from the contamination-prone internal environment where liquid and vapor accumulate

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The capsule with the code serves as a disposable element that can be easily replaced, while the code reader remains as a clean, maintainable external component that does not require frequent cleaning

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Productivity

If the optically readable code is positioned on the inlet face for automatic detection, then the preparation speed is improved, but accidental reuse of used capsules cannot be prevented

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepreparation speedVSAvoidcapsule reuse prevention

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The non-symmetric inlet face contour with the bulge section creates an asymmetric positioning reference that, combined with the side wall code position, enables the system to distinguish between correctly inserted capsules and reused or incorrectly inserted capsules

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentEP2992792B1Beverage production machine and rinsing and/or descaling insert

Publication Date: 2017.03.15 NESTEC SA

AI summary

Removable capsule holder comprising a seat (21) for receiving a capsule having a frontal sidewall (140), guiding means (301,302) for slidably guiding the capsule holder in a housing of the beverage production machine, said seat (21) comprising a main capsule support section and a smaller bulge capsule support section (210) extending from the main capsule support section and opposite the frontal sidewall (140), wherein an optical readable code (125) is provided on the frontal sidewall (140) of the sea at a position which, when viewing the capsule holder from the top, is located opposite the bulge capsule support section (210)