Beverage Capsule Cup Body with Annular Trough Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage capsule designs face challenges in providing effective sealing and economical production while ensuring hydraulic integrity during beverage preparation, particularly with the interaction of pressurized liquids and ingredients.
Innovation Solution
A cup-shaped body for beverage capsules is formed using a method involving a frusto-conical primary side wall, a cylindrical section, and a divergent secondary side wall, with an annular trough that allows for plastic deformation to create a tapered seal, utilizing an aluminium sheet or laminate material with polymer layers for enhanced sealing and deformation capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dedicated sealing member is added to the capsule, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is merged with the capsule body itself. The side wall of the capsule is designed with an annular trough that directly forms the sealing interface with the enclosing member, eliminating the need for separate sealing members. This integration maintains reliable sealing while reducing structural complexity and production costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The side wall of the capsule serves multiple functions: it contains the beverage ingredient, provides structural support, and creates the sealing interface with the enclosing member through the annular trough. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated sealing components while maintaining effective sealing.
2Reliability
If high closing forces are used to ensure sealing, then sealing reliability is improved, but energy consumption and machine wear increase
Solution Approach 1:
The capsule side wall is designed with sufficient flexibility to deform plastically around imperfections in the enclosing member. The annular trough in the side wall can conform to the leading edge of the enclosing member through plastic deformation, creating an effective seal without requiring excessively high closing forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism relies on controlled plastic deformation of the side wall material rather than elastic deformation. This change in deformation parameter allows the capsule to maintain sealing effectiveness at lower closing forces, reducing energy consumption and machine wear.
3Ease of manufacture
If the capsule structure is simplified for economical production, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but sealing effectiveness may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is integrated into the basic capsule structure through the annular trough in the side wall, eliminating the need for separate sealing components. This simplifies the manufacturing process and reduces production costs while maintaining effective sealing through the deformable side wall design.
Solution Approach 2:
The capsule is designed as a disposable component with a deformable side wall that creates its own seal. This eliminates the need for expensive, reusable sealing mechanisms in the machine, making the overall system more economical despite the single-use nature of the capsule.
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 method enables the production of economical and effectively sealed beverage capsules that can deform around imperfections, ensuring a reliable hydraulic seal during the preparation process without requiring high closing forces, thus improving the overall efficiency and functionality of the beverage preparation system.
Implementation Method 1
an annular trough that allows for plastic deformation to create a tapered seal
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A method of forming a cup-shaped body for a beverage capsule comprising the steps of: a) in a first stage drawing a sheet of material into a cup-shaped body preform; and b) in a second stage transforming the cup-shaped body preform into the cup-shaped body; wherein after the first stage the cup-shaped body preform comprises a base and a preformed side wall which extends from the base to a rim; wherein the preformed side wall comprises: an outwardly-extending step proximate the rim; a primary side wall section extending between the base and the outwardly-extending step; and a secondary side wall section extending between the outwardly-extending step and the rim; wherein in the second stage the preformed side wall is deformed such that the cup-shaped body comprises the base and a side wall which extends from the base to the rim; wherein the side wall comprises: an annular trough; a first side wall section extending between the base and the annular trough; and a second side wall section extending between the annular trough and the rim.