Filtered Beverage Capsule With High-Velocity Mixing Jet
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for preparing nutritional compositions, such as infant formulas, are inconvenient and pose a risk of contamination due to the need for boiling water and repeated preparation, which can lead to infection risks, especially for vulnerable populations like infants and the elderly, as they do not ensure complete pathogen removal and proper mixing.
Innovation Solution
A capsule with a filter having multiple filtering orifices and a flow collection member that focuses the liquid flow into a high-velocity jet, ensuring effective pathogen removal and complete mixing of ingredients with the liquid, thereby enhancing safety and convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a filter is placed upstream of the compartment to remove pathogens and particles, then the safety and purity of the nutritional composition is improved, but the liquid velocity is significantly reduced after passing through the filter, causing insufficient dissolution and mixing of ingredients
Solution Approach 1:
The capsule is divided into distinct functional zones: an upstream filtration zone with the filter element, and a downstream mixing zone with the compartment containing ingredients. This segmentation allows the filter to remove pathogens and particles while maintaining sufficient liquid velocity for effective dissolution and mixing in the compartment, as the filter is positioned to avoid blocking the main flow path into the compartment.
Solution Approach 2:
A flow distribution channel acts as an intermediary element between the filter and the compartment. This channel receives filtered liquid and distributes it uniformly into the compartment, ensuring that the liquid maintains adequate velocity for effective mixing while the filter continues to provide pathogen and particle removal. The intermediary channel prevents direct pressure loss from affecting the mixing efficiency.
2Reliability
If the filter is placed upstream of the compartment, then the risk of clogging by nutritional solids is avoided, but the liquid velocity is significantly reduced after passing the filter, resulting in insufficient dissolution and mixing
Solution Approach 1:
The capsule structure segments the filtration function from the mixing function. The filter is positioned upstream in a dedicated filtration zone, separated from the compartment containing nutritional solids. This spatial segmentation prevents solids from clogging the filter while maintaining sufficient liquid velocity for complete dissolution and mixing in the compartment.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow distribution channel serves as an intermediary that receives filtered liquid and delivers it to the compartment containing ingredients. This intermediary ensures uniform distribution of liquid throughout the compartment, promoting complete mixing and dissolution without requiring the liquid to pass directly through the filter at high velocity, thus preventing both clogging and incomplete mixing.
3Ease of operation
If ready-to-feed single serve portions are used, then the convenience of preparation is improved, but the cost is increased and the risk of contamination remains if not consumed immediately
Solution Approach 1:
The capsule is pre-filled with a precise unit dose of concentrated nutritional ingredients and equipped with an integrated filter system. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for separate preparation steps (boiling water, sterilizing containers, measuring ingredients), providing convenience while the integrated filter ensures pathogen removal from the liquid before it contacts the ingredients, reducing contamination risk even during storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The capsule contains all necessary components for safe and convenient preparation: pre-measured ingredients, an integrated filter for pathogen removal, and a structure that enables direct liquid injection. The system performs the filtration and mixing functions automatically when liquid is injected, eliminating the need for external preparation equipment or steps, thus providing both convenience and contamination protection.
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 solution ensures safe and convenient preparation of nutritional compositions by effectively removing contaminants and ensuring complete dissolution and dispersion of ingredients, reducing the risk of infection and improving nutritional delivery.
Implementation Method 1
a filter having a plurality of filtering orifices
Implementation Method 2
a flow collection member placed downstream of the filter and upstream of the compartment to collect the filtered liquid from the filter; wherein said collection member comprises at least one restriction orifice to focus the flow of liquid in at least one jet of liquid at high velocity
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~5A
AI summary
A capsule (1) for use in a beverage production device, the capsule containing ingredients to produce a nutritional or food liquid when a liquid is fed into the capsule at an inlet face thereof, the capsule being provided with a filter (4) having a plurality of filtering orifices (6), wherein it comprises a flow collection member (5) placed downstream of the filter to collect the filtered liquid from the filtering orifices. The collection member comprises at least one restriction orifice to focus the flow of liquid in at least one jet of liquid at high velocity in the compartment (8) containing the ingredients. The invention is particularly advantageous for producing a nutritional liquid (e.g., infant formula) or a food from powdered ingredients.