Infusion Tablet Aggregation and Ultrasonic Coating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing apparatuses for making infusion-based food products face issues with bulk material handling, hygiene, frequent cleaning needs, limited production output, reliability, maintenance, and size constraints, leading to product contamination and inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus that aggregates raw material particles into compact tablets, applies a biodegradable outer surface layer, and uses ultrasonic energy to adhere and shape the layer, facilitating easy handling, cleaning, and packaging while minimizing contamination risks and optimizing production.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If bulk material is handled in the apparatus, then production output is improved, but contamination risk increases and cleaning frequency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction outputVSAvoidcontamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The raw material particles are aggregated into compact tablets before being placed into the wrapping material, performing the necessary consolidation action in advance to prevent contamination during handling and storage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses disposable wrapping materials that are discarded after a single use, eliminating the need for cleaning and sanitizing the wrapping components, thus reducing contamination risk while maintaining production output

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Productivity

If bulk material is handled in the apparatus, then production output is improved, but cleaning frequency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction outputVSAvoidcleaning frequency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The aggregation of particles into tablets is performed in advance, so that only the finished tablets need to be handled during production, reducing the time required for cleaning and maintenance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The disposable wrapping materials eliminate the need for frequent cleaning of wrapping components, reducing the time lost to cleaning operations while maintaining high production output

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Ease of operation

If particles are aggregated into tablets, then handling ease is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandling easeVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses a vibrating mechanism to aggregate particles into tablets, providing a simple and effective method that improves handling ease without significantly increasing device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #18Mechanical vibration

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces complex mechanical aggregation systems with a simpler vibrating mechanism, achieving particle consolidation while minimizing the increase in device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 enables the production of alternative products with reduced contamination risks, easy maintenance, high output, and compact design, addressing the limitations of existing systems while ensuring hygiene and reliability.

Implementation Method 1

uses ultrasonic energy to adhere and shape the layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUltrasonic vibration: Ultrasonic Vibration

Data Source

PatentEP3325348B1Apparatus for making a food product for making a drink by infusion in a respective liquid

Publication Date: 2019.11.13 M B SARLONSABILITA LIMITATA

Figure 1a~1h
Figure 2a~2q
Figure 3

AI summary

An apparatus (10) for making a product, preferably a food product for making a drink by infusion in a respective liquid, preferably in water, especially in hot water; the product being obtained from a raw material comprising or formed by respective particles, in particular powder, granules, pieces or the like, for example of roasted and ground coffee; the apparatus comprises supporting means (12) for means (14) for making respective products starting from a respective predetermined or measured portion of raw material, which making means (14) comprise means (16) for aggregating particles of the predetermined portion of raw material.