Frozen Beverage Receptacle for Oxidation-Safe Portion Brewing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current machine-based coffee brewing systems face issues with maintaining freshness, versatility in beverage potency and serving sizes, and recycling due to the use of dry solid or powder-based receptacles, which lead to oxidation of flavor compounds, inconsistent brewing, and environmental concerns from non-recyclable materials.
Innovation Solution
A receptacle configured for frozen content that is gas impermeable, recyclable, and designed for machine-based systems to facilitate melting and dilution, allowing for controlled portioning and the use of inert gases to preserve flavor and aroma, enabling the creation of consumable beverages with desired taste, strength, volume, and texture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If dry solid or powder-based receptacles are used in machine-based brewing systems, then convenience and automation are improved, but freshness is lost due to oxidation of flavor compounds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inert atmosphere packaging by replacing air with nitrogen gas in the receptacle headspace and using nitrogen-flushed barriers between coffee portions. This prevents oxidation of flavor compounds while maintaining the convenience of single-serving automated brewing. The nitrogen atmosphere is maintained throughout storage and brewing, eliminating the harmful oxidation effect while preserving the improved ease of operation.
2Volume of moving object
If a finite-sized package contains dry coffee grounds, then portability and storage are improved, but versatility in beverage potency and serving sizes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a larger coffee supply into multiple single-serving portions within one receptacle, separated by nitrogen-flushed barriers. Each portion can be individually brewed, allowing consumers to make multiple servings with consistent quality. This segmentation maintains a compact portable package while enabling versatile serving options - each portion can be brewed to different potencies by adjusting water volume or brew parameters, thus resolving the contradiction between small package size and beverage versatility.
3Reliability
If single-serving receptacles are used for each brewing, then freshness and consistency are improved, but recycling and environmental sustainability are worsened due to large numbers of disposable receptacles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables recovery and recycling of the receptacle by designing it to be used for multiple servings rather than being discarded after one use. The multi-portion receptacle with nitrogen barriers maintains freshness and brewing consistency across multiple uses, and the single reusable receptacle generates far fewer waste materials compared to multiple single-use receptacles. This approach recovers the receptacle value and enables recycling while maintaining reliability of freshness and consistency.
4Ease of operation
If ground coffee is packaged with large surface area exposure, then ease of brewing is improved, but oxidation and flavor loss are accelerated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses nitrogen atmosphere to displace oxygen around the ground coffee throughout storage and brewing. The nitrogen-flushed barriers and nitrogen headspace create an oxygen-free environment that prevents oxidation of the large surface area of ground coffee, eliminating the harmful effect while maintaining brewing readiness. The coffee remains easily accessible for brewing but is protected from oxidation by the inert nitrogen atmosphere.
5Stability of the object's composition
If CO2 degassing is allowed before packaging, then receptacle structural integrity is improved, but aromatic compounds are depleted along with the CO2
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the degassing action immediately before sealing the receptacle during the packaging process, rather than allowing prolonged pre-packaging degassing. This preliminary action removes excess CO2 that would cause structural issues, but minimizes the time for aromatic compound loss. The rapid sealing after brief degassing preserves aromatics while maintaining structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.
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 provides consumers with consistently high-quality beverages by preserving flavor and aroma, offering versatile serving sizes, and promoting recycling through the use of recyclable materials, enhancing the convenience and sustainability of beverage preparation.
Implementation Method 1
The issue of maintaining freshness can occur, for example, when the dry solid is a finely ground coffee. This issue is largely the result of unwanted oxidation of critical flavor and aroma compounds in the coffee grounds
Implementation Method 2
The receptacle is configured for insertion into an apparatus that is configured to create a consumable liquid beverage from the frozen content within the receptacle
Implementation Method 3
a heated liquid to melt and dilute the frozen contents
Implementation Method 4
facilitate the melting and/or diluting of the frozen contents and creation of a ready-to-consume food or beverage therefrom
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are provided for creating a consumable liquid food or beverage product from frozen contents. A container is configured for insertion into an apparatus. The container includes a frozen content, a receptacle defining an opening and a cavity for receiving and storing the frozen content, and a closure formed over the opening of the receptacle for sealing the frozen content within the cavity of the receptacle. The receptacle is perforable, and the container is configured for insertion into an apparatus that is configured to create a consumable liquid beverage from the frozen content within the container, such that the frozen content is extracted through a perforation created in the receptacle by the apparatus.