Micronized Tea Cube Formulation for Residue-Free Instant Beverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tea bags require boiling water for preparation, generate residue upon disposal, and are not fully disposable, limiting convenience and environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
Development of tea cubes comprising a blend of granular sugar, micronized tea, and flavor, which can be dissolved in both hot and cold water, using a jet mill process to micronize tea leaves and optimize ingredient ratios for instant dissolution and minimal residue, enabling commercial-scale production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If tea bags are used for quick tea preparation, then preparation time is reduced, but residue is generated and they are not fully disposable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state and composition parameters of the tea product by micronizing tea leaves to extremely fine particles (less than 10 microns) and blending with sugar and flavorings. This parameter change enables complete dissolution in water, eliminating residue while maintaining quick preparation benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material consisting of micronized tea leaves, sugar, and flavorings in specific ratios. This composite formulation ensures complete solubility, eliminates residue, and provides enhanced taste while maintaining the convenience of quick preparation.
2Temperature
If tea bags require boiling water for preparation, then water temperature is sufficient for extraction, but labor and time are required to heat water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the solubility parameters of the tea product through micronization and composite formulation, enabling effective tea extraction at lower temperatures. This allows preparation with cold or ambient temperature water, eliminating the need to heat water while maintaining adequate extraction quality.
3Speed
If micronized tea is used in tea cubes, then dissolution speed is improved, but stickiness may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent formulates a composite material where micronized tea leaves are blended with sugar and flavorings in specific ratios. The sugar and flavorings act as binders that prevent excessive stickiness while the micronized tea particles ensure rapid dissolution. This balanced formulation achieves fast dissolution without harmful stickiness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different functional properties to different components of the composite: micronized tea provides dissolution speed, sugar provides structure and prevents stickiness, and flavorings enhance taste. Each component contributes locally to the overall performance, balancing dissolution speed with anti-stickiness properties.
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
Tea cubes provide quick, residue-free, and convenient tea preparation with a long shelf life, matching the taste of traditional tea bags while reducing labor and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
generating strong velocity gradients near the jet causing the suspended particles of the material to collide with each other and reduce themselves by attrition and collision
Implementation Method 2
holding the heavier oversized particles in the grinding chamber by centrifugal force
Implementation Method 3
exiting the jet fluid through an outlet at the center of the grinding chamber either from top or bottom, drawing the micronized particles with it to a cyclone collection system
Data Source
AI summary
A method for making tea cubes containing a blend of granular sugar, dry extract of either black or green teas, micronized tea and flavour comprises providing tea leaves that have been micronized in a jet mill (1) to simulate performance of instant tea without contributing any stickiness. Next, sugar and flavour are prepared for mixing and incorporating them with micronized tea. The particle size distribution of sugar is decided depending upon the percentage (%) of non-sugar ingredients in the cube formulation.