Integrated Capsule Body and Nozzle Design for Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage capsules suffer from unreliable attachment of the lid to the capsule body and outlet nozzle, leading to potential leakage and contamination during beverage preparation, making them less versatile and more difficult to produce.
Innovation Solution
A rotationally symmetrical capsule design where the capsule body and outlet nozzle are formed in one piece, ensuring precise positioning and easier sealing, with an optional inlet channel or nozzle for controlled liquid introduction, and a modular design allowing for hermetic sealing and filtration capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the outlet nozzle is inserted as a separate part into the capsule body cavity, then the capsule structure allows separate manufacturing of components, but the relative positioning precision deteriorates and sealing reliability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet nozzle and capsule body are merged into a single integrated component manufactured as one piece. This eliminates the separate insertion and assembly process, ensuring precise relative positioning is inherently built into the design. The integration maintains manufacturing ease through single-step production while achieving the positioning precision that separate assembly cannot provide.
2Reliability
If the lid covers both the capsule body opening and outlet nozzle transition, then sealing completeness is improved, but the attachment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lid design merges the sealing functions for both the capsule body opening and the outlet nozzle transition into a single integrated component. This unified lid structure achieves complete sealing coverage without requiring multiple separate sealing elements or complex multi-step attachment procedures, thereby maintaining simplicity while ensuring comprehensive sealing.
3Manufacturing precision
If the capsule body and outlet nozzle are designed in one piece, then positioning precision and sealing reliability are improved, but the manufacturing flexibility for separate component optimization is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated capsule body and outlet nozzle design serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides precise positioning, ensures reliable sealing, and maintains manufacturing efficiency through single-step production. The universal design approach optimizes the entire assembly rather than individual components, achieving better overall performance while reducing the need for separate component optimization.
4Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate parts are used for capsule assembly, then component manufacturing and assembly flexibility are improved, but the number of potential leakage points increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the capsule body and outlet nozzle into a single integrated component, the invention eliminates the interface between these two parts, thereby removing a potential leakage point. The reduced number of assembly interfaces directly decreases the number of potential failure points for leakage, while the single-piece manufacturing maintains ease of production through streamlined processes.
Data Source
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AI summary
A capsule (1) comprises a preferably rotationally symmetrical capsule body (2) which forms a cavity (3) with an opening (4) for receiving at least one substance for the preparation of a liquid foodstuff. For the passage of a liquid through the capsule (1), a dispensing nozzle (5) is arranged within the cavity (3) and is directed towards the opening (4). The dispensing nozzle (5) is, in particular, closed by a lid (6) that covers the opening (4). The capsule body (2) and the dispensing nozzle (5) are formed in one piece.