Capsule, food or beverage preparation machine for processing a capsule, and food or beverage preparation process implementing such a food or beverage preparation machine and capsule

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing food or beverage ingredient containers made of plastics or plastic laminates are difficult to recycle or compost, leading to waste management issues and energy consumption.

Innovation Solution

Development of a container composed of dissolvable materials, such as edible materials like seaweed, celluloses, or polysaccharides, which can easily compost or dissolve when wet, eliminating the need for separate packaging and reducing waste handling energy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If containers are made of plastics or plastic laminates, then they provide sufficient structural strength and barrier properties, but they are difficult to recycle or compost leading to waste management issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidrecyclability

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The container material is changed from conventional plastics to dissolvable materials that can degrade under specific environmental conditions (moisture, temperature, time), transforming the waste management parameter from permanent persistence to temporary functionality followed by natural degradation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The container is designed as a single-use disposable item made from inexpensive dissolvable materials, accepting its short lifecycle from manufacturing through use to natural degradation, eliminating the need for durable construction and complex recycling infrastructure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Temperature

If containers are made thicker to withstand hot liquid injection, then they provide better thermal resistance and structural integrity, but they take longer to compost or dissolve

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal resistanceVSAvoidcomposting time

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The container is pre-engineered with an openable part that allows the dose to be separated before liquid injection, eliminating the need for the container to withstand high-temperature hot liquid injection, thereby enabling use of thinner, faster-dissolving materials

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The dose is extracted from the container before the container is exposed to harsh conditions (hot liquid injection), allowing the container to be made of thinner, more rapidly degradable material since it no longer needs to serve as a protective barrier during the brewing process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If additional packaging or envelopes are used to protect the container, then they provide better protection during storage and transport, but they generate additional plastic waste

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection during storageVSAvoidpackaging waste

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The container is designed to be self-sufficient without requiring separate protective packaging or envelopes, merging the functions of protection and containment into a single integrated dissolvable structure that degrades completely after use

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The dissolvable container material provides multiple functions: it protects the dose during storage and transport, contains the ingredient during use, and then serves as compostable waste material, eliminating the need for additional protective packaging layers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 dissolvable container facilitates quick and efficient composting or dissolution, reducing waste and energy consumption while enhancing user experience by eliminating the need for additional packaging and promoting sustainable waste handling.

Implementation Method 1

the container is composed of at least one dissolvable material... the container can be easily and quickly composted or dissolved, while requiring little or no energy from the user to handle the produced waste. It suffices that the used container gets wet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDissolution: Solvation

Implementation Method 2

the container can be easily and quickly composted or dissolved

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectComposting: Composting

Data Source

PatentUS20230415975A1Capsule, food or beverage preparation machine for processing a capsule, and food or beverage preparation process implementing such a food or beverage preparation machine and capsule

Publication Date: 2023.12.28 SOCIETE DES PRODUITS NESTLE SA

AI summary

The invention is directed to a capsule comprising a container (1) enclosing a dose (2). The container (1) is composed of a dissolvable material and has an openable part for cooperating with the preparation machine so as to open the container (1) sufficiently for the dose (2) to be separable from the container (1). The invention is also directed to a preparation machine for processing a capsule. The preparation machine comprises an opening unit (125) having ii) an opening configuration where it cooperates with an openable part of the capsule to open the container (1) sufficiently for the dose (2) to be separable from the container (1). The invention is further directed to a food or beverage preparation process implementing such a capsule and preparation machine.