Coffee Capsule Delivery Wall With Calibrated Orifice Back Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee capsule systems face challenges in consistently controlling the opening of the extraction face and maintaining flow consistency due to factors like membrane thickness and ground coffee characteristics, which can lead to inconsistent coffee extraction quality.
Innovation Solution
A capsule design featuring an inverted cup-shaped body with a calibrated orifice in the delivery wall that generates back pressure, ensuring consistent coffee extraction by preventing the delivery wall from tearing against the capsule holder, and using a filtering wall to maintain homogeneous flow and prevent clogging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a membrane with precisely controlled thickness is used for the extraction face, then the opening control is improved, but the consistency of flow is affected due to variations in membrane characteristics and ground coffee properties
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the critical parameter from membrane thickness to orifice diameter. The delivery wall includes a calibrated orifice with a diameter between 0.1-0.5mm that is much smaller than the membrane thickness, making the flow characteristics dependent on the orifice dimension rather than the membrane thickness. This parameter substitution resolves the contradiction by providing a more stable and controllable flow restriction that is less sensitive to manufacturing variations in the membrane.
2Device complexity
If the delivery wall is designed to be tearable against the capsule holder, then the opening mechanism is simple, but the extraction quality becomes inconsistent due to uncontrolled tearing behavior
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by pre-forming a calibrated orifice in the delivery wall before the extraction process. The orifice is precisely manufactured with a specific diameter (0.1-0.5mm) that controls the flow characteristics. During extraction, the delivery wall is pressed against the capsule holder with relief and recessed elements, but instead of tearing, the pre-formed orifice provides controlled flow. This preliminary preparation of the orifice ensures consistent extraction quality while maintaining a relatively simple overall mechanism.
3Reliability
If a calibrated orifice with small diameter is used in the delivery wall, then the flow consistency is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for precise orifice calibration
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the orifice diameter to a specific range (0.1-0.5mm) that is small enough to provide significant flow restriction and consistency, but large enough to be manufacturable with standard precision techniques. The orifice diameter is designed to be much smaller than the membrane thickness (0.1-0.5mm vs. several micrometers), which allows the orifice to be the dominant flow restriction element. This parameter selection balances manufacturing feasibility with flow consistency requirements.
4Ease of operation
If the capsule holder has relief and recessed elements for membrane tearing, then the opening mechanism is effective, but many factors affect the opening control making it difficult to repeatedly control
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces an intermediary element - the calibrated orifice in the delivery wall - that mediates between the capsule holder's relief and recessed elements and the coffee extraction process. The orifice acts as a flow restrictor that is not dependent on the membrane tearing behavior. During pressing, the delivery wall contacts the capsule holder elements, but the flow is controlled through the pre-formed orifice rather than through membrane rupture. This intermediary orifice decouples the opening mechanism from the flow control, improving repeatability.
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 solution provides a consistent and high-quality coffee extraction by maintaining elevated pressure and ensuring the coffee grains interact intimately with water, resulting in a controlled flow through the calibrated orifice, improving the overall coffee production process.
Implementation Method 1
The wall also provides through the restriction created by the calibrated orifice a certain back pressure which generates an elevated pressure in the capsule during extraction
Implementation Method 2
using a filtering wall to maintain homogeneous flow and prevent clogging
Data Source
AI summary
A capsule for the production of a beverage in a beverage production machine comprising a capsule holder with relief and recessed elements. The capsule includes an inverted cup-shaped body forming a chamber containing beverage ingredients; a bottom injection wall; a sidewall; and a delivery wall which is sealed to the body. The delivery wall is configured and dimensioned to include a calibrated orifice or perforating means to provide a calibrated orifice with the beverage delivery wall not being tearable against the capsule holder during extraction. The wall also provides through the restriction created by the calibrated orifice a certain back pressure which generates an elevated pressure in the capsule during extraction. Also, a system and method for producing a beverage from the capsules of the invention.