Capsule Piercing Member With Downward Water Injection for Tea Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage machines using capsules are not optimally designed for brewing tea, as they do not effectively distribute hot water to all tea leaves, leading to suboptimal extraction of tea ingredients.
Innovation Solution
A beverage machine with a piercing member that injects hot water into the capsule with an internal axial channel oriented horizontally, featuring lateral outlet openings to direct water downwards, ensuring all tea leaves are contacted for optimal extraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the piercing needle uses an axial channel opening at the tip end for hot water injection, then the injection structure is simple, but the hot water does not effectively contact all tea leaves leading to incomplete extraction
Solution Approach 1:
The single axial channel at the tip is segmented into multiple lateral outlet openings distributed along the needle body. This segmentation allows hot water to exit at multiple locations and angles, ensuring comprehensive contact with tea leaves while maintaining the simplicity of the overall injection structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The hot water injection is transitioned from a single-point axial discharge to a distributed lateral discharge pattern. The outlet openings are arranged at different positions and angles along the needle, creating a three-dimensional water distribution pattern that enhances extraction efficiency.
2Device complexity
If the piercing needle injects hot water in a single directed jet, then the injection mechanism is simple, but the water creates preferential paths through the substance rather than uniform distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The single directed jet is segmented into multiple smaller jets through lateral outlet openings. Each opening creates a separate water flow path, collectively achieving uniform distribution across the tea leaf mass without requiring complex injection mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the piercing needle are equipped with outlet openings having different orientations and positions. This local variation in outlet characteristics ensures that water is distributed uniformly across different regions of the tea leaves, with each local area receiving appropriate water flow.
3Productivity
If the piercing needle holes are oriented at 70° to 80° with the axial channel, then effective diffusion is achieved, but the structure becomes more complex compared to horizontal orientation
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of creating complex angled holes within the needle, the solution uses lateral outlet openings that discharge water in a different spatial dimension. The outlets are positioned on the side of the needle body, creating effective water diffusion through positional arrangement rather than complex internal hole geometry.
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 allows for complete and uniform extraction of tea ingredients, achieving optimal brewing results by ensuring all tea leaves are in contact with the hot water, improving the quality of the brewed tea.
Implementation Method 1
the injecting means comprise at least one outlet opening for directing hot water downwards to the lowermost part of the capsule
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
A beverage machine comprising a device (10) designed for brewing a beverage on the basis of ingredients contained in a capsule (2), the beverage device (10) comprising means (63, 51) for retaining the capsule (2) in a defined position, first opening means (38) for opening a hot water inlet into the capsule while the capsule is retained in the defined position, second opening means (37) for opening a beverage outlet (41 b) from the capsule while the capsule is retained in the defined position, is characterized in that the first opening means (38) comprises at least one opening (114, 118) which is directed downwards to the lowermost part of the capsule while the capsule is retained in the defined position.