Cube-Shaped Coffee Capsule Sealing for Pressure Brewing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee capsule brewing systems face challenges with material efficiency, energy consumption, and complex packaging, as well as issues with material compression and turbulence during brewing, which affect the extraction process and waste reduction.
Innovation Solution
A cube-shaped coffee capsule without protruding collars, made from a uniform material composition, designed for hermetic sealing and capable of withstanding high pressure, allowing for compression from multiple sides and improved packability, with a brewing module that includes a compression mechanism to enhance extraction efficiency and reduce waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conical capsules with collars are used, then sealing during brewing is improved, but device complexity and packaging complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the collar component from the capsule design, extracting the sealing function from the collar and relocating it to the brewing chamber sealing surface. This eliminates the need for complex collar structures while maintaining reliable sealing during brewing.
Solution Approach 2:
The brewing chamber acts as an intermediary element that provides the sealing function previously required from the capsule collar. The brewing chamber's sealing surface against the capsule opening creates the necessary seal without requiring the capsule to have an integrated collar structure.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If extraction material is strongly compressed during capsule filling, then turbulence during brewing is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The extraction material is pre-compressed into a compacted state during capsule filling before the capsule is sealed. This preliminary compression reduces the volume and density of the coffee grounds, which in turn reduces turbulence during the brewing process when hot water flows through the capsule.
3Reliability
If aluminum capsules are used, then shelf life of extraction material is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameter of the capsule from aluminum to plastic, specifically polypropylene. This material substitution maintains the hermetic sealing properties necessary for long shelf life while significantly reducing the energy consumption associated with capsule production and disposal.
4Volume of moving object
If cube-shaped capsules without collars are used, then packability is improved, but sealing during brewing must be redesigned
Solution Approach 1:
The collar is completely removed from the capsule design, allowing the capsule to have a simple cube shape without protruding elements. This improves packability and storage efficiency while the sealing function is transferred to the brewing chamber-se capsule interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from conical capsules with collars to cube-shaped capsules without collars, changing the geometric dimension and form factor. This dimensional change optimizes the capsule for efficient packing and storage while requiring a corresponding change in the sealing mechanism to accommodate the new shape.
Data Source
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AI summary
Portion capsule (1) for a coffee machine has a plastic capsule wall, the capsule wall surrounding a closed interior filled with an extraction material, the capsule wall also being used by closing a brewing chamber of a coffee machine to introduce an extraction liquid under pressure and to discharge a Brewing process inside the capsule resulting extraction product by perforating elements (3) of an injector or Ausleitvorrichtung can be perforated, the capsule has the shape of a cube or cuboid except for a possible circumferential, maximum 1.5 mm laterally protruding edge. The capsule is characterized in that it is designed to be able to withstand an overpressure in its interior.