Beverage Capsule Sealing Member for High-Pressure Leak Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing beverage production systems face issues with leakage and pressure drop due to inadequate sealing between the capsule and the beverage production device, leading to low-quality beverages, as the sealing engagement in prior art designs wears off over time and fails to maintain sufficient pressure.

Innovation Solution

The sealing engagement is transferred from the beverage production device to the capsule, utilizing a resiliently deflectable sealing member on the capsule's exterior to ensure proper sealing and pressure retention, eliminating the need for sealing members in the device and preventing external water flow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If sealing components are integrated into the beverage production device, then sealing engagement can be achieved, but wear on the sealing components occurs leading to leakage and pressure drop

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing engagementVSAvoidservice life of sealing components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing member is transferred from the beverage production device to the capsule itself. Instead of the device having a sealing component that wears against the capsule, the capsule now has its own resilient sealing member that engages with the device's sealing surface. This inversion makes the sealing component disposable with the capsule, eliminating wear on the device's sealing components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing member is made integral to the disposable capsule rather than being part of the permanent device. Each new capsule provides a fresh sealing member, ensuring consistent sealing performance without wear accumulation. The sealing member is replaced automatically with each capsule change, making it a short-living component that doesn't degrade the device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Power

If water pressure is increased to improve extraction, then beverage quality improves, but leakage through inadequate sealing increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater pressureVSAvoidleakage

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing member is designed with specific material properties (resilience, elasticity) and geometric parameters (thickness, contact area) that allow it to deform under water pressure and maintain sealing contact. The parameter changes in the sealing member's physical properties enable it to adapt to pressure variations without failing to seal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If sealing pressure is increased to prevent leakage, then sealing reliability improves, but the capsule structure may deform

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing engagementVSAvoidcapsule structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing member is made from flexible, resilient material that can deform under compression to create sealing contact, then recover its shape. This flexibility allows the sealing member to accommodate pressure forces without causing permanent deformation to the capsule's rigid structural components, distributing the sealing load appropriately.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 solution ensures consistent high-pressure build-up within the capsule, maintaining beverage quality by preventing leakage and ensuring efficient extraction, even after multiple uses, without compromising hygiene.

Implementation Method 1

the capsule having an exterior surface that presents a resiliently deflectable sealing member for sealingly engaging the beverage production device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a liquid under pressure from the device can enter the capsule in order to interact with the beverage-forming ingredients therein

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS7926415B2Capsule with biasing sealing member

Publication Date: 2011.04.19 SOCIETE DES PRODUITS NESTLE SA

AI summary

A capsule for containing beverage ingredients is designed to be inserted in a beverage production device in order to have water under pressure enter the capsule in order to interact with the ingredients in the capsule. The capsule includes a base body and a foil member closing the base body by being attached to a flange-like rim extending from the side wall of the base body of the capsule. The capsule thereby includes a resiliently deflectable sealing member which is designed to be biased against a sealing surface of a holder of the beverage production device when the capsule is positioned in the beverage production device. The sealing engagement of the sealing member of the capsule and the sealing surface is self-reinforcing when pressurized.