Capsule-Holder Piercing Assembly for Variable-Height Beverage Capsules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage preparation systems face challenges in achieving a simple, economic, and reliable structure that can accommodate capsules of varying axial heights or lengths while maintaining a liquid-tight seal and efficient fluid flow.
Innovation Solution
The system incorporates a capsule-holder with a recess and a piercing member driven by a resilient coil spring, which maintains equilibrium under hydraulic forces, and a cooperating body with a dispensing conduit and second piercing member for efficient beverage preparation, allowing for the use of capsules with different axial dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the piercing member is designed to penetrate capsules of varying axial heights, then the system becomes more versatile, but the structural complexity and sealing reliability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The piercing member is designed with a resilient means (spring) that allows it to adapt its position and penetration depth based on the capsule's axial height. The resilient means enables the piercing member to maintain contact and sealing with capsules of different lengths by adjusting its compression state, thus preserving sealing reliability while achieving versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The piercing member is made movable relative to the capsule-holder through the resilient means, allowing dynamic adjustment during the beverage preparation cycle. This dynamic configuration enables the system to accommodate capsules of varying heights while maintaining reliable sealing through the elastic compensation of the spring mechanism.
2Force
If the piercing member is subjected to both resilient means force and hydraulic forces, then the piercing function is enhanced, but the force equilibrium and operational reliability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system is designed so that the hydraulic forces acting on the piercing member during beverage preparation are in substantial equilibrium with each other. This equipotential arrangement ensures that the net hydraulic force on the piercing member is minimal, allowing the resilient means to reliably control the piercing action without being disrupted by unbalanced hydraulic pressures.
3Device complexity
If the system uses a resilient coil spring to drive the piercing member, then the structure becomes simpler and more economic, but the control precision and force stability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient coil spring automatically adjusts the piercing member's position and force based on the capsule's characteristics. The spring's elastic properties provide self-regulating force control, where the compression distance and resulting force are determined by the capsule's resistance, eliminating the need for complex external control mechanisms while maintaining adequate piercing precision.
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 system ensures reliable operation with capsules of different lengths by maintaining hydraulic equilibrium and achieving a liquid-tight seal, enabling efficient preparation and dispensing of beverages across various capsule types.
Implementation Method 1
the first piercing member associated with the capsule-holder, is almost exclusively subjected to the force of the associated resilient means, the hydraulic forces acting on it being substantially in equilibrium therebetween
Implementation Method 2
a first piercing member provided with at least one point adapted to penetrate through said bottom wall of said capsule... a second piercing member is provided, having at least one point adapted to penetrate through the cover of said capsule
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The infusion assembly (1) comprises a capsule-holder (2) and a cooperating body (3), adapted to assume an open configuration for positioning a capsule (C) therebetween, and a closed configuration for preparing a beverage through the capsule (C) clamped in a liquid- tight manner therebetween. In the capsule-holder (2) there is defined a recess (4) adapted to receive a capsule (C) with the bottom wall (20a, 20f) facing the interior of the capsule- holder (2) and wherein is provided a first piercing member (8) provided with at least a piercing point (9) adapted to penetrate through the bottom wall (20a) of said capsule (C). The capsule-holder (2) is adapted to supply a flow of fluid introduced into the capsule (C) through the tear created in its bottom wall (20a) from the at least one point (9). In the cooperating body (3) a dispensing conduit (13) is defined for the beverage and a second piercing member (14) is provided, having at least one point (16) adapted to pene¬ trate through the cover (21) of the capsule (C) to allow the outflow of the beverage from the capsule (C) towards said dispensing conduit (13). In the capsule-holder (2) there are provided fluid communication passages (8c; 8d; 11), which put into communication a region upstream of the first piercing member (8) such that, during the preparation of a beverage, the fluid introduced into the recess (4) of the capsule-holder (2) exerts on the first piercing member (8) a force lower than a predeter¬ mined value towards the capsule (C), the first piercing member (8) being mounted in the recess (4) of the capsule-holder (2) such as to be movable under the action of a spring (10) tending to displace it towards the cooperating body (3).