Pack, preparation machine, system and method for preparing food or beverage products, as well as use of a pack
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flexible sachets for preparing beverages face issues such as pressure-induced bubble formation, uncontrollable rupture, and incomplete dissolution due to lack of control over the dispensing outlet, which are not suitable for all types of beverages like tea and result in residual product in the pouch.
Innovation Solution
A pack design with primary and secondary inlet areas that allow controlled injection of fluids at different angles and pressures, creating optimal turbulences for dissolution, and a dispensing outlet that opens only when the product is properly prepared, using a flexible sheet that can be cut to access the outlet, along with a machine that pierces, injects, and cuts the sheet to manage fluid flow and pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If pressure is increased to open the closing means, then the beverage can evacuate through the outlet, but bubbles form at the surface and the opening becomes uncontrollable
Solution Approach 1:
The closing means is divided into two separate functional elements: a first closing element that seals the outlet and a second closing element that seals the inlet. This segmentation allows independent control of beverage evacuation and water introduction, eliminating the harmful effects of pressure-induced bubble formation while maintaining operational ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The closing means employs dynamic control through a microprocessor that independently manages the opening/closing sequences of both closing elements. This dynamic control system replaces static pressure-based opening with programmable sequential operation, preventing uncontrollable opening and bubble formation while ensuring proper beverage evacuation.
2Productivity
If the outlet is open during water introduction, then dissolution can occur, but the product is delivered before proper preparation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary dissolution by introducing water through the inlet while the first closing element keeps the outlet sealed. Only after dissolution is complete does the microprocessor open the outlet to deliver the prepared product. This preliminary action sequence ensures proper preparation before delivery, maintaining both productivity and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The microprocessor controls the closing means with feedback mechanisms that monitor the dissolution process and timing. The system adjusts the opening/closing sequences based on predetermined parameters, ensuring the outlet opens only after proper dissolution occurs, thereby preventing premature product delivery while maintaining efficient processing.
3Strength
If a rigid body capsule is used, then structural strength is maintained, but material usage and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The capsule employs a flexible shell made of thin film material that provides sufficient structural integrity for containing and processing the product. This flexible shell design replaces rigid body construction, significantly reducing material consumption and production cost while maintaining the necessary strength for the beverage preparation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The capsule utilizes composite material construction combining flexible shell material with integrated closing elements and inlet/outlet structures. This composite approach achieves the required structural strength through material composition rather than thickness, reducing overall material usage and production cost compared to traditional rigid body capsules.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the sachet is enclosed in the machine during processing, then consumer safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The potentially harmful function of high-pressure opening is extracted and relocated to the machine's controlled environment. The closing means is designed to open only under machine control during the beverage preparation process, containing any pressure-related hazards within the machine rather than requiring extensive external enclosure structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The closing means incorporates self-contained safety features where the first and second closing elements automatically seal their respective openings. This self-service mechanism ensures safe containment during processing without requiring complex external enclosure structures, maintaining consumer safety while minimizing device 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
Ensures proper dissolution and foaming of ingredients, prevents premature delivery of undiluted powder, and allows for efficient emptying of the pack, improving user experience and safety by controlling the dispensing process.
Implementation Method 1
The primary and secondary inlets are configured for introducing the fluid under the form of a jet in the inner volume of the container
Implementation Method 2
the ingredient for the preparation of a food or beverage product, in particular instant coffee or other soluble materials
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~1d
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention refers to a pack (100) for preparing a food or beverage product from one or more ingredients, the pack comprising an insert (10) and a container (20); the container (20) being configured by at least one flexible sheet folded in such a way to configure a container where one or more ingredients can be stored; the pack (100) further comprising an obturable entry (111) which is communicated with a dispensing outlet (11) through which the food or beverage product is delivered, the obturable entry (111) being able to be obturated so that partial or complete closure of the dispensing outlet (11) is achieved. The invention further refers to a preparation machine (50) cooperating with a pack (100) to prepare a food or beverage product, to a system for preparing a food or beverage product comprising a pack (100) and a preparation machine (50), to the use of a pack (100) and to a method for preparing a food or beverage product.