Capsule Sealing Member Injection-Moulding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage capsule systems face issues with sealing engagement between the capsule and the beverage production device, leading to potential liquid leakage and reduced extraction pressure, which affects the quality of the brewed beverage. Current solutions, such as using rubber-elastic materials on the device, wear out over time and can become dirty, compromising hygiene and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Integrating a resilient sealing member onto the capsule body through injection-moulding of a thermoplastic elastomer material onto the external surface, specifically on the flange-like rim, to ensure a strong and reliable seal that maintains water tightness during brewing, even under high pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rubber-elastic sealing material is fixed to the beverage production device, then sealing engagement is improved, but the sealing means wears off over time and becomes dirty, compromising hygiene and efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing member is transferred from the beverage production device to the capsule. Instead of having a reusable sealing means on the device that wears out, the sealing function is inverted to a disposable component on the capsule. This ensures that every capsule brings its own fresh sealing member, eliminating wear and hygiene issues while maintaining reliable sealing engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member is integrated into the disposable capsule rather than being a permanent component of the device. Each new capsule provides a fresh sealing member that is used once and then discarded, eliminating the problems of wear, contamination, and degradation associated with reusable sealing means on the device.
2Reliability
If a sealing member is integrated onto the capsule body, then water tightness is improved, but the production process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing member is integrated directly onto the capsule body through injection-moulding, merging two previously separate components (capsule body and sealing member) into a single unified structure. This integration ensures water tightness by eliminating potential leakage points at interfaces, while the injection-moulding process is a standard industrial technique that adds minimal complexity to production.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer material that is injected onto the capsule body. This use of composite materials allows the sealing member to have the necessary elastic properties for sealing while being integrally attached to the capsule body, achieving water tightness through a straightforward manufacturing process.
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 provides a consistent and hygienic sealing mechanism that prevents liquid leakage, maintains extraction pressure, and is cost-effective and scalable for industrial production, ensuring better brewing conditions and reduced risk of malfunction.
Implementation Method 1
integrating a resilient sealing member onto the capsule body through injection-moulding of a thermoplastic elastomer material onto the external surface
Implementation Method 2
Integrating a resilient sealing member onto the capsule body through injection-moulding of a thermoplastic elastomer material
Data Source
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AI summary
Method for producing a capsule (1) containing beverage ingredients designed for insertion in a beverage production device in which a liquid under pressure enters the capsule in order to interact with the ingredients in the capsule and to drain a beverage from the capsule, wherein the capsule comprises a body (4) with a sealing member attached thereto. The method comprises providing a body (4) with a main cavity, injecting at least one sealing material by injection-moulding onto at least a portion of the external surface of the body (4) to mould a sealing member (8) sealingly attached to the body, filling the cavity with food ingredients and imperviously closing the cavity with a membrane (5) to provide a closed capsule containing the food ingredients.