Delivery assembly for a machine for preparing beverages, comprising a piercing element for capsules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage preparation machines with capsule-piercing elements face issues such as channel obstruction by limestone and coffee ingredients, non-uniform wetting due to preferential paths, and adhesion between the capsule film and piercing elements, leading to suboptimal infusion.
Innovation Solution
A delivery assembly with a piercing element featuring a planar base body and blades, an intermediate disc with through openings, and holes at specific radial distances for uniform water distribution, preventing film adhesion and ensuring optimal infusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If channels are present inside the piercing elements, then the opening and water delivery function is achieved, but the channels can be obstructed by limestone, coffee ingredients, or capsule film
Solution Approach 1:
The piercing element is divided into multiple independent blades instead of using internal channels. Each blade creates its own water passage through the capsule, eliminating the problem of channel obstruction while maintaining the water delivery function. The segmentation of the piercing element into multiple functional blades allows water to flow through multiple paths simultaneously.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple piercing elements are used to ensure uniform wetting, then the wetting uniformity is improved, but the number of piercing elements and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple piercing functions are merged into a single integrated piercing element with multiple blades. This single element performs the work of multiple separate piercing elements by creating multiple water passages simultaneously, achieving uniform wetting while reducing device complexity and the number of components.
3Ease of manufacture
If piercing elements are made by CNC processes or molding, then the manufacturing capability is achieved, but the production time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Complex mechanical manufacturing processes (CNC machining, molding) are replaced with a simpler mechanical forming process. The piercing element is created by folding a flat sheet into a three-dimensional blade structure, which can be accomplished through simpler stamping or folding operations rather than requiring complex CNC machining or injection molding processes.
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 solution achieves uniform wetting of powdered ingredients, prevents preferential water paths, and simplifies production with cost-effective complex geometry piercing elements, ensuring consistent and optimal infusion performance.
Implementation Method 1
the adhesion that is generated between the skin or film of the capsule and the piercing elements, which causes non-optimal and non-uniform wetting of the product contained inside the capsule
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of holes in fluidic connection with the through openings of the intermediate disc and placed at least at a radial distance d' with respect to the center C of said piercing element for the passage and distribution of the water towards the infusion chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A delivery assembly for a machine for preparing beverages by using capsule preparations includes an infusion chamber configured for housing the capsule, a delivery unit for delivering pressurized hot water and having a channel for supplying the pressurized hot water toward the infusion chamber, a piercing element for piercing the capsule and having a substantially planar base body and a plurality of blades, an intermediate disc in fluidic sealing connection with the delivery unit, interposed between the delivery unit and the piercing element and having a plurality of through openings in fluidic connection with the channel of the delivery unit. The piercing element has a plurality of holes in fluidic connection with the through openings of the intermediate disc and is placed at least at a radial distance with respect to the center of the piercing element for the passage of the water toward the infusion chamber.