Coffee Capsule Sealing Profile Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for forming airtight seals on coffee capsules are inefficient, leading to increased production costs, complex mold geometries, and high rejection rates due to energy consumption and imprecision in sealing element formation.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that process plastic cups by applying a sealing profile to the annular flange using dedicated tools, allowing for precise formation of sealing profiles on both the rear and front faces of the flange, enabling flexible geometry design and reducing energy consumption by utilizing existing cup temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If injection moulding of sealing material is applied on capsule flange, then airtight seal is formed, but production process becomes complex and process time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element is extracted as a separate component that is pre-formed and then integrated with the capsule body. This separates the sealing function from the main molding process, simplifying the overall production process while ensuring reliable sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element is pre-formed with its final geometry before being integrated with the capsule. This preliminary formation allows for precise sealing geometry to be created once, and then reused multiple times during capsule production, reducing process complexity and time.
2Reliability
If sealing element is formed by injection moulding, then airtight seal is achieved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element is pre-formed in a separate operation using simple molding techniques. This allows the sealing geometry to be created once with high precision, and then the same mold can be used repeatedly for mass production, reducing per-unit costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The capsule production process is segmented into separate operations: forming the sealing element, forming the capsule body, and assembling them. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, reducing overall manufacturing cost while maintaining seal quality.
3Manufacturing precision
If complex mold geometry is used for sealing element, then required seal shape is obtained, but dirt build-up and air bubbles occur
Solution Approach 1:
The complex sealing geometry is extracted and formed as a separate pre-formed element using simple molds. This allows the complex shape to be created once with high precision without the molds becoming contaminated during subsequent capsule production operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element with its complex geometry is pre-formed and thoroughly cleaned and prepared before integration with the capsule body. This preliminary preparation ensures that no dirt or air bubbles are introduced during the main production process.
4Manufacturing precision
If flanged rim is deformed after cup forming, then sealing profile is created, but energy consumption increases due to re-heating
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing profile is pre-formed on the flanged rim while the cup material is still warm and pliable, immediately after cup formation. This eliminates the need for subsequent re-heating operations, significantly reducing energy consumption while maintaining precise sealing profile formation.
5Ease of operation
If seal is made at end of production process, then lid and flange can be sealed, but rejection rate increases due to fault propagation
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element is pre-formed and quality-tested before being integrated with the capsule body. This preliminary quality control allows defective sealing elements to be identified and rejected before they are assembled into complete capsules, preventing waste of the capsule body, filling material, and lid.
Solution Approach 2:
The production process is segmented so that the sealing element can be independently manufactured, inspected, and replaced if defective. This segmentation isolates the sealing function from the rest of the capsule, allowing rejection of only the sealing element rather than the entire capsule assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus (1) for processing cups (2), adapted to be filled with coffee or other products, whether solid or liquid, and to be closed with respective lids to form corresponding capsules, comprises: a plurality of pockets (50) for housing the cups (2); an infeed station (4) for receiving the cups (2) and placing them in respective pockets (50) of the plurality of pockets (50); at least one tool (31) for applying a process to a rear face (23B) of an annular flange (23) of a cup (2) housed a respective pocket (50), to form a sealing profile (230); an outfeed station (6) configured to release the cups (2) with the sealing profile (230) formed on them.