Deformable Coffee Capsule Sealing to Reduce Extraction Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coffee and tea capsules for extraction machines often lead to a significant amount of extraction fluid leaking outside or laterally, reducing the efficiency of the extraction process and not being environmentally friendly.
Innovation Solution
A capsule design featuring a deformable area made from biodegradable plastic that deforms plastically during use, creating a sealing interaction with the extraction machine's receptacle, reducing fluid leakage and being compostable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid capsule structure is used, then the capsule maintains its shape and structural integrity, but extraction fluid leaks significantly outside and laterally past the capsule
Solution Approach 1:
The capsule incorporates a deformable area that transitions from a rigid state during insertion to a deformable state during extraction. The deformable area is designed to plastically deform under extraction fluid pressure, creating a sealing interaction with the capsule receptacle that prevents fluid leakage while maintaining structural integrity in the rigid portions of the capsule.
Solution Approach 2:
The capsule utilizes material parameter changes by employing a material with specific mechanical properties that allow plastic deformation at extraction temperatures. The deformable area's material properties are optimized to deform plastically when exposed to extraction fluid pressure and temperature, transforming from a non-sealing state to a sealing state that prevents fluid loss.
2Loss of substance
If a deformable area is added to create sealing interaction, then fluid leakage is reduced by up to 90%, but the capsule structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The capsule is segmented into distinct functional areas: rigid portions that maintain structural integrity and a specific deformable area that creates sealing interaction. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function optimally without requiring the entire capsule structure to be complex or deformable.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable quality is localized to a specific area of the capsule rather than being distributed throughout the entire structure. The deformable area is strategically positioned to interact with the capsule receptacle and prevent fluid leakage, while the rest of the capsule maintains its simple rigid structure for ease of manufacturing and insertion.
3Reliability
If traditional non-biodegradable materials are used, then the capsule provides adequate sealing and durability, but it is not environmentally friendly and not compostable
Solution Approach 1:
The capsule employs composite material construction, combining materials with different properties to achieve both reliable sealing and environmental compatibility. The material composition is designed to provide the necessary mechanical strength for structural integrity while incorporating biodegradable components that allow composting after use, eliminating environmental harm.
Solution Approach 2:
The material parameters are optimized to balance durability during use with biodegradability after disposal. The material is engineered to maintain its mechanical properties and sealing reliability under extraction conditions (temperature, pressure) while being susceptible to biological degradation under composting conditions, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and environmental friendliness.
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 deformable capsule design significantly reduces fluid leakage by up to 90% and offers an environmentally friendly, compostable solution for coffee and tea extraction, enhancing the extraction process's efficiency and sustainability.
Implementation Method 1
a deformable area (33a, 33b, 47a, 47b, 47c) which is designed to deform when the capsule (11) is used in the extraction machine (1) and/or under the conditions prevailing during use of the capsule (11) in the extraction machine (1) and/or under the conditions prevailing during the performance of the extraction process plastically to deform and interact sealingly with a capsule receptacle of the extraction machine (1)
Implementation Method 2
flow through the capsule, whereby through the contact of extraction fluid with the extraction material an extract is formed
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a capsule for use in an extraction machine, comprising a base (41), a side wall (31) and a cover (21), which together form a chamber (13) for an extraction material. The capsule (11) comprises a deformable region (33, 47) designed for outward plastic deformation in the conditions prevalent during the extraction process, and for sealing interaction with a capsule receiver of said extraction machine. The invention also relates to an extraction method in which such a capsule is used.