Compact Plant Powder Tablets for Hot Drinks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for compacting plant powders into stable, aroma-preserving, and easily disintegrable products for preparing hot drinks face challenges such as instability, fragility, and alteration of gustatory properties due to high pressure compaction, and require excipients that are edible and non-tasting.
Innovation Solution
Compacting plant powders at constant volume rather than constant pressure to maintain resistance and preserve gustatory properties, with specific conditions for temperature, pressure, and compaction time to achieve stable and aroma-rich compact products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If plant powders are compacted at high pressure to create stable products, then product stability and resistance improve, but gustatory properties and aroma are altered or lost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the compaction parameters by maintaining constant volume rather than applying continuous high pressure, and by controlling temperature during compaction. This allows achieving product stability while preserving aroma and gustatory properties through optimized physical parameters during the compaction process.
2Ease of operation
If plant powders are compacted into tablets for easy handling, then ease of handling and transport improve, but product fragility and instability increase
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the compaction approach to constant volume maintenance with controlled temperature and pressure parameters, the invention produces tablets that are both easy to handle and stable, avoiding the fragility issue associated with traditional high-pressure compaction methods.
3Stability of the object's composition
If excipients are added to improve tablet stability, then product stability improves, but taste alteration occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts or eliminates the need for excipients by using constant volume compaction with controlled temperature and pressure. This approach achieves tablet stability through physical parameter control rather than chemical additives, thereby preserving the natural taste and aroma of the plant powder.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If powder is used to facilitate aroma exhalation, then aroma exhalation improves, but volume relative to weight increases and dosage becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state from loose powder to compacted tablet through constant volume compaction with controlled temperature and pressure. This maintains good aroma exhalation properties while significantly reducing volume and improving dosage precision.
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 results in compact products that are resistant, easy to handle, and disintegrate well in water, maintaining aroma and taste, suitable for preparing hot drinks by lixiviation, percolation, or infusion with reduced bitterness and improved extraction yields.
Implementation Method 1
said powder is compacted down to a reduced volume comprised between 15 and 60% of the initial volume
Implementation Method 2
the compaction stress is maintained at substantially constant volume
Implementation Method 3
The coffee powder is placed in a paper filter borne by a coffee machine; the filter generally has an approximately conical shape and hot water is poured which licks and/or passes through the powder
Implementation Method 4
hot water is poured which licks and/or passes through the powder and slowly passes through the paper filter by flowing down under the effect of simple gravity
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to tablets allowing hot drinks to be prepared by lixiviation and especially coffee. It also relates to the preparation method by which said tablets may be made.