System for preparing food or beverages from a pack
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible food or beverage packs with embedded process data identifiers often suffer from damage or errors, leading to incorrect product preparation, and require cumbersome detachment or insertion of separate data elements, making the process uncomfortable and prone to mistakes.
Innovation Solution
A flexible pack design with integrated identification means within the fitment assembly, arranged on both sides of the fluid inlet, using punched-hole codes or optically/mechanically readable codes, ensuring reliable data retrieval and minimizing error possibilities, while allowing reversible reading and easy user interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If identification means are provided separately from the container or detached, then the system can read process data, but the consumer needs to detach or insert separate elements making the process uncomfortable
Solution Approach 1:
The identification means are integrated directly into the fitment assembly, merging the data carrier with the functional component. This eliminates the need for separate detachment or insertion steps while ensuring the data is reliably read during the brewing process, as the fitment assembly is already positioned in the machine for operation.
2Ease of manufacture
If identifiers are provided on flexible packs, then less material is used and storage space is reduced, but the identifiers can be damaged or contain errors leading to incorrect preparation
Solution Approach 1:
The identification means are positioned on the fitment assembly in a location that is protected from damage during handling and storage, while still being accessible for reading. The fitment assembly acts as a protective structure that shields the identification means from the harsh conditions that affect flexible pack identifiers.
3Measurement precision
If identification means are arranged in a free area of the fitment assembly, then they can be reliably read, but the design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fitment assembly serves multiple functions: it provides the structural interface between the container and the brewing system, controls fluid flow, and houses the identification means. By integrating these functions into a single component, the design complexity is managed while ensuring reliable data reading in a dedicated free area.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c
Figure 2a~2c
AI summary
The invention refers to a pack (10) for preparing food or beverage products comprising: at least one container (10') having an inner volume where at least one base ingredient for the preparation of the food or beverage product is stored, said inner volume being defined by sheets of material joined to one another at their edges; a fitment assembly (20) through which the food or beverage product is delivered, and identification means (30) comprising the information on the food or beverage product to be prepared; the identification means (30) being arranged in the fitment assembly (20), particularly in a free area of the fitment assembly (20) where they can be reliably read.