Infusion Capsule Labyrinth Channels for Complete Impregnation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current infusion capsules for granules, powder, or leaves suffer from incomplete impregnation of the infusion product with water and premature exit of product due to preferential water channels and excessive water flow speed.
Innovation Solution
A capsule design featuring a cup-shaped body with labyrinth-shaped channels created by abutments on the bottom wall and a waterproof disc with a smaller diameter than the lateral wall, creating an annular passage that slows down water flow, ensuring complete infusion and preventing product exit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If water flows directly through the capsule from inlet to outlet, then the beverage extraction process is fast, but the infusion product is not fully impregnated and some product exits through the bottom wall
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs labyrinth-shaped channels with curved paths instead of straight channels, forcing water to follow a tortuous route through the infusion product. This curved flow path increases contact time between water and product while maintaining extraction speed, preventing both incomplete impregnation and product exit through the bottom wall.
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom wall is segmented into multiple outlets distributed across its surface, and the labyrinth channels are divided into multiple segments that distribute water flow evenly. This segmentation prevents water from concentrating in preferential channels and ensures uniform impregnation of the infusion product throughout the capsule.
2Device complexity
If straight channels are used for water flow, then the device structure is simple, but preferential channels form causing incomplete infusion and product loss
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of simple straight channels, the patent introduces labyrinth-shaped curved channels that prevent preferential flow paths. The curved geometry forces water to traverse the entire infusion product mass, eliminating channeling effects and product loss while adding only moderate structural complexity through the use of abutments defining the channel paths.
3Speed
If water flow speed is high, then the beverage extraction is rapid, but the infusion product does not have sufficient contact time with water
Solution Approach 1:
The labyrinth-shaped curved channels increase the flow path length without significantly increasing the straight-line distance from inlet to outlet. This forces water to move slower along the curved path, extending contact time with the infusion product while maintaining a compact capsule structure and achieving thorough infusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the water flow from a one-dimensional straight path to a three-dimensional labyrinthine path through the infusion product mass. This dimensional change increases the effective contact surface area and contact time between water and product, ensuring complete impregnation while maintaining rapid overall extraction.
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
This design ensures thorough mixing and infusion of water with the product, enhancing organoleptic properties and preventing product loss, allowing for a smaller product quantity while maintaining effective infusion.
Implementation Method 1
a disc (13) fixed onto said abutments (12), wherein the disc (13) is water-proof and has a diameter that is smaller than the inner diameter of the inner face of the lateral wall (3) at the same level of the disc (13), so as to create an annular passage between the peripheral edge of the disc (13) and the inner face of the lateral wall (3), through which the beverage flows from the chamber defined in the cup-shaped body (2) to the labyrinth-shaped channels
Implementation Method 2
labyrinth-shaped channels for the path of the beverage towards the outlet area... ensures thorough mixing and infusion of water with the product
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The capsule (1) for infusion products comprises a cup- shaped body (2) made of a plastic material defined by a bottom wall (4), which is provided with a beverage outlet area, and by a lateral wall (3), a lid (5), arranged so as to close the cup-shaped body (2) and which is provided with a water inlet area and an infusion product contained in the cup-shaped body (2). The main feature of the present invention consists in that a plurality of abutments (12) originate from the inner face of the bottom wall (4) and define labyrinth-shaped channels for the beverage towards the outlet area and on which a water-proof disc (13) is fixed. Furthermore, the capsule (1) comprises a passage (14) of the beverage from the chamber defined in the cup-shaped body (2) and the labyrinth-shaped channels.