Infusion Capsule Tapered Ring Outlet Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing infusion capsules for products like coffee and tea suffer from a seal weakness, causing fluid to spill over the top of the percolation chamber, reducing the amount of infusion dispensed and risking damage to machine parts, due to the deformation of ring structures in current designs.
Innovation Solution
A capsule design featuring a cylindrical shape with a perforated inlet and outlet, where the infusion product outlet is divided into two zones by a tapered ring, creating a central infusion chamber to isolate the product flow and prevent unwanted spillage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a ring-shaped lip is added to the bottom wall of the capsule for sealing, then the seal strength is improved, but the deformation of the ring structure causes fluid to spill over the top of the chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom wall is segmented into multiple functional zones: a first annular sealing portion for sealing against the percolation chamber, a second annular support portion for structural support, and a central infusion chamber for product containment. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally without interfering with others, preventing fluid spillage while maintaining seal strength.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the bottom wall are given different local qualities: the first annular portion is designed for sealing contact with the chamber, the second annular portion provides structural support, and the central chamber contains the infusion product. Each local region has optimized properties for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between sealing and spillage prevention.
2Ease of manufacture
If the bottom wall is made completely flat for simple structure, then the manufacturing is simplified, but the seal weakness causes infusion water to force the brewed mix towards the edge
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than using a completely flat bottom wall or a complex single-ring structure, the invention segments the bottom wall into multiple functional annular portions. This provides the seal effectiveness needed to prevent brewing mix from forcing toward the edge, while still maintaining relative manufacturing simplicity through the modular annular design.
3Productivity
If the outlet is left open for easy flow, then the infusion dispensing is improved, but the brewed mix spills over the top of the chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet structure is segmented into a central infusion chamber for product flow and control, surrounded by annular support and sealing portions. This segmentation allows the outlet to remain open for efficient infusion dispensing while the surrounding structures prevent brewed mix from spilling over the chamber top.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
A capsule for infusion products designed to be inserted in an infusion chamber (2); the capsule (1) comprises: a defined diameter (Dl); a fluid filtering inlet wall (3) and an infusion product filtering outlet wall (4), the infusion product outlet wall (4) of the capsule (1) is divided into two separate zones (6, 7) by a single ring (5) of diameter (D5), smaller than the diameter (Dl) of the capsule (1) and protruding perpendicularly from the outlet wall (4) itself, the first zone (6) being a flat, outer annular surface, and the second zone (7) being a central zone through which the product flows out; the bottom end of the single ring (5) is, in cross section, tapered in such a way that the thickness of the single ring (5) is reduced at an angle (a) towards the outside of the capsule (1) relative to its central axis (X).