Single Serve Coffee Capsule Textile Fabric Filtration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing portion capsules for coffee drinks face challenges in producing uniform coffee volumes with sensory-perfect crema-free drinks, particularly for volumes over 80 ml, as they often result in bitter or sour tastes due to the extraction of undesirable flavor components, and current systems provide disproportionate beverage yields with fixed packaging volumes.

Innovation Solution

The use of a portion capsule with a textile fabric having specific air permeability and basis weight, combined with varying roasting levels, grinding degrees, and coffee amounts, allows for adjustable beverage volumes and sensory quality, preventing crema formation by optimizing brewing pressure and extraction efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the amount of ground coffee is increased to obtain desired beverage volume, then beverage volume is improved, but undesirable flavor components are flushed out leading to bitter and sour taste

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebeverage volumeVSAvoidbitter and sour taste
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes multiple parameters simultaneously: coffee amount (4-11g), particle size (D[4.3] value 200-800 μm), and roasting level (color value 20-170) to optimize the extraction process. This coordinated parameter adjustment allows achieving desired beverage volumes while preventing over-extraction of undesirable flavor components by finding the optimal balance point for each parameter combination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If the coffee particles are ground finer to increase extraction efficiency, then extraction efficiency is improved, but pressure in the extraction space increases leading to additional extraction of undesirable ingredients

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveextraction efficiencyVSAvoidundesirable flavor components
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent establishes an optimal particle size range (D[4.3] value 200-800 μm) that balances extraction efficiency with pressure control. This parameter optimization ensures sufficient surface area for efficient extraction while preventing excessive pressure buildup that would extract undesirable bitter and sour components from the coffee grounds.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If brewing pressure is increased to improve extraction, then extraction efficiency is improved, but crema is formed which is undesirable for certain coffee drinks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveextraction efficiencyVSAvoidcrema formation
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the brewing pressure parameter within a specific range (6-15 bar) to achieve efficient extraction of desirable coffee components while preventing the formation of crema. This pressure optimization, combined with controlled particle size and coffee amount, ensures that extraction occurs without generating the emulsion foam characteristic of crema.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Quantity of substance

If the beverage volume is increased beyond 150 ml, then beverage volume is improved, but over-extraction occurs leading to bitter and sour taste

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebeverage volumeVSAvoidbitter and sour taste
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent coordinates multiple parameters including coffee amount (4-11g), particle size (D[4.3] value 200-800 μm), and brewing pressure (6-15 bar) to achieve optimal extraction for larger beverage volumes (80-350 ml). This multi-parameter optimization prevents over-extraction and the associated bitter and sour flavors even when preparing larger volumes of coffee.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

This solution enables the production of sensory-perfect coffee drinks with variable volumes between 80 ml and 350 ml, ensuring consistent taste and crema-free beverages by coordinating the coffee's roasting level, grinding degree, and amount within the capsule, improving yield and sensory properties.

Implementation Method 1

a textile fabric and a beverage substance are arranged, the beverage substance being stored in the portion capsule and for extraction in the portion capsule through the textile fabric by means of pressurized hot water

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 2

extraction in the portion capsule through the textile fabric by means of pressurized hot water

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectExtraction: Liquid-Liquid Extraction

Data Source

PatentEP2925639B1Single serve capsule for producing a coffee beverage without crema
Publication Date: 2018.09.12 K-FEE SYSTEM GMBH

AI summary

The invention relates to a single serve capsule for producing a coffee beverage. The single serve capsule has a capsule base body, in which a textile fabric and a beverage substance are arranged, said beverage substance being provided in the single serve capsule in order to be stored and to be extracted from said capsule through the textile fabric by means of pressurised hot water. The beverage substance is substantially in powder form and comprises roasted, ground coffee, and the textile fabric has a mass per unit area of at least 100 g/m2.