Compostable lid intended to seal a capsule and a capsule sealed by the lid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current coffee capsules are not compostable, and there is a lack of a satisfactory compostable lid that is resistant to moisture and pressure, preventing coffee powder from passing through during brewing, while also being integrated into existing manufacturing processes without substantial modifications.
Innovation Solution
A compostable lid composed of a multilayer complex including a non-woven material with at least 50% biodegradable fibers, an adhesive layer suitable for food contact, and a vegetable parchment support, which is heat-sealable and resistant to pressure, ensuring the lid does not tear and prevents coffee powder from passing through during brewing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a compostable lid made of biodegradable materials is used, then the environmental sustainability is improved, but the resistance to moisture and pressure deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is constructed as a multilayer composite structure combining different materials: a non-woven material layer (at least 50% biodegradable fibers) for compostability, an adhesive layer for bonding, and a vegetable parchment support layer for structural integrity. This composite structure allows the lid to simultaneously achieve environmental sustainability through biodegradable content and reliable resistance to moisture and pressure during brewing through the protective parchment layer.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a compostable lid with biodegradable fibers is used, then the compostability is improved, but the prevention of coffee powder passage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The multilayer composite structure includes a non-woven material layer with at least 50% biodegradable fibers that provides compostability, while the vegetable parchment support layer provides the necessary barrier properties to prevent coffee powder from passing through during brewing. The combination of these different material layers allows both compostability and effective filtration to be achieved simultaneously.
3Strength
If a multilayer complex structure is used, then the resistance to tearing is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is formed as a multilayer complex where each layer serves a specific function: the non-woven material layer provides compostability, the adhesive layer ensures bonding between layers, and the vegetable parchment support layer provides structural strength and resistance to tearing. While the structure is multilayered, the manufacturing process integrates these layers in a coordinated manner that achieves the required strength without excessive complexity.
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 compostable lid meets the requirements of being resistant to moisture and pressure, maintaining integrity during brewing, and is compostable according to the EN 13432 standard, ensuring environmental sustainability and compatibility with existing manufacturing processes.
Implementation Method 1
a non-woven material comprising fibers, of which at least 50% by weight of the fibers are composed of biodegradable fibers; an adhesive layer suitable for coming into contact with food; and a support composed of a vegetable parchment
Implementation Method 2
resistant to pressure, ensuring the lid does not tear and prevents coffee powder from passing through during brewing
Data Source
AI summary
A compostable lid intended to seal a beverage capsule is provided. The lid is composed of a multilayer complex successively comprising a non-woven material wherein at least 50% by weight of the fibers are composed of polylactic acid (PLA), an adhesive layer suitable for coming into contact with food, and a support layer composed of a vegetable parchment.