Single Serve Capsule Toroidal Seal Reduces Foam
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Single serve capsules for producing beverages, such as coffee and espresso, exhibit excessive foam formation due to the existing sealing mechanisms, which affects the quality of the prepared beverages.
Innovation Solution
A single serve capsule design featuring a toroidal sealing seam with an outer diameter of 75 to 85% of the filter element's diameter, combined with a disk-shaped filter element and an ultrasonic welding process, significantly reduces foam formation by creating a impermeable sealing seam and incorporating a felt structure with a carrier fabric, ensuring minimal pressure loss and stable beverage extraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional sealing mechanism is used to connect the filter element to the base, then the filter element is securely sealed, but excessive foam formation occurs during beverage preparation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the outer diameter of the sealing seam to be 75-85% of the filter element diameter, and the inner diameter to be 67-77% of the filter element diameter. This specific dimensional parameter range creates optimal sealing performance while minimizing foam generation during beverage extraction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a toroidal (circular/curved) sealing seam geometry instead of linear or angular sealing patterns. This curved toroidal shape provides continuous sealing contact around the filter element perimeter, improving sealing reliability while the smooth curvature prevents turbulence and foam formation during fluid flow
2Reliability
If the sealing seam is made larger to improve sealing, then sealing reliability increases, but pressure loss increases and foam formation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the sealing seam dimensions as a proportion of the filter element diameter (outer diameter: 75-85%, inner diameter: 67-77%). This parameter optimization ensures adequate sealing coverage while maintaining sufficient flow area, preventing excessive pressure loss
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the sealing seam is made smaller to reduce foam formation, then foam formation decreases, but sealing reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes specific dimensional parameters for the sealing seam (outer diameter: 75-85% of filter element diameter, inner diameter: 67-77% of filter element diameter, width: 1-1.5mm). These parameters ensure sufficient sealing coverage for reliability while minimizing the sealing area that could generate foam
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 toroidal sealing seam and felt structure configuration result in minimal foam formation during beverage preparation, enhancing the quality and consistency of the beverage produced, with the felt structure effectively managing fluid flow and pressure distribution.
Implementation Method 1
The sealing seam which connects the filter element to the base of the single serve capsule in a materially integral manner is preferably applied by ultrasonic welding
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a single serve capsule for preparing a beverage, comprising a side wall and a bottom, which together define a space, a filter element being sealed to the bottom within said space.