Mycelium-Bound Coffee Ground Cup Insulators for Thermal Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional coffee cup insulators made from materials like corrugated cardboard contribute to deforestation and have a significant carbon footprint, and existing alternatives do not effectively utilize coffee grounds, which are often disposed of or used in limited secondary applications.

Innovation Solution

A biodegradable coffee cup insulator and tray are produced by mixing coffee grounds with mycelium, compacting them to a specific humidity level, injecting into a mold, incubating with mycelium, and dehydrating to create a molded product that provides thermal insulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If conventional materials like corrugated cardboard are used for coffee cup insulators, then thermal insulation function is provided, but environmental harm increases due to deforestation and carbon footprint

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental harmVSAvoidthermal insulation function

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material composition parameters by using coffee grounds amalgam with mycelium instead of conventional cardboard, maintaining thermal insulation properties while eliminating deforestation and reducing carbon footprint associated with traditional materials

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite material by combining coffee grounds with mycelium to form a new insulator material that provides thermal protection while being environmentally friendly and biodegradable, resolving the contradiction between function and environmental harm

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of manufacture

If coffee grounds are disposed of in landfills or used in limited secondary applications, then waste management is simplified, but resource utilization efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewaste management simplicityVSAvoidresource utilization efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables coffee grounds to serve a dual purpose: first as waste material from brewing, then as a valuable raw material for manufacturing insulators, allowing the system to utilize its own byproduct and transform waste into a useful resource

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent recovers coffee grounds that would otherwise be discarded in landfills and transforms them into a valuable insulator material through molding and mycelium treatment, significantly improving resource utilization efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Reliability

If coffee grounds are ground immediately before brewing to maintain flavor, then beverage quality is improved, but production time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeverage qualityVSAvoidproduction time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary grinding of coffee beans before brewing, allowing the grounds to be prepared in advance and then utilized for insulator production, thereby maintaining beverage quality without adding time pressure to the brewing process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 offers an environmentally friendly, economical, and effective means to protect hands from hot cups while reducing waste by utilizing coffee grounds and other residues, providing a consistent product with a shiny appearance and improved handling of multiple cups.

Implementation Method 1

injecting the coffee ground amalgam with a mycelium, incubating the molded coffee ground amalgam injected with the mycelium for a period of time

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMycelium growth: Fermentation

Implementation Method 2

dehydrating the molded coffee ground amalgam injected with the mycelium at a set temperature

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDehydration: Evaporation

Implementation Method 3

The hot cup insulator is an economical and environmentally friendly means of protecting an individual's hand while they hold a disposable cup containing a hot liquid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentUS9908685B2Biodegradable molded product

Publication Date: 2018.03.06 JARAMILLO DE ECHEVERRI CARMENZA

AI summary

A method for producing a recyclable molded product is provided. The method includes injecting a coffee ground amalgam into a mold, injecting the coffee ground amalgam with a mycelium, incubating the molded coffee ground amalgam injected with the mycelium for a period of time, and dehydrating the molded coffee ground amalgam injected with the mycelium at a set temperature.