Capsule for preparing a nutritional beverage, with controlled outlet system
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nutritional drink preparation capsules lack an effective outlet system that ensures proper mixing of water with the food substance and controlled extraction, often resulting in uncontrolled spurting or rushing of the beverage.
Innovation Solution
A controlled outlet system featuring a spike-shaped body with a bowl-shaped hollow geometry, a flange with filtering openings, and a membrane with notches that breaks under increased hydrostatic pressure, directing the drink towards the outer side wall of the lower chamber for gradual extraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple outlet system is used in the capsule, then the device complexity is reduced, but the nutritional drink cannot be properly homogenized and may spurt or rush out uncontrollably
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet system is segmented into multiple functional components: a spike-shaped body with bowl-shaped hollow geometry for directing flow, a flange with filtering openings for filtration and flow distribution, and a membrane with notches for controlled rupture. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function, ensuring reliable drink extraction control without requiring excessive overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane is pre-formed with notches that are designed to break at specific locations under hydrostatic pressure. This preliminary preparation of the membrane structure ensures that when pressure builds up during drink preparation, the membrane ruptures in a controlled manner at the notches, directing the drink flow reliably without uncontrolled spurtin
2Productivity
If the nutritional drink flows out quickly, then the productivity of drink preparation is improved, but the drink loses homogeneity and spurts uncontrollably
Solution Approach 1:
The flange is provided with multiple filtering openings distributed across its surface, creating local flow paths. This local quality distribution ensures that the drink flows through multiple small openings rather than a single large opening, maintaining homogeneity while enabling sufficient flow rate for efficient drink preparation.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane transitions from a sealed state to a ruptured state dynamically during the drink preparation process. Initially, the membrane maintains pressure buildup for proper mixing, then ruptures at the pre-formed notches to control the release. This dynamic behavior allows the system to achieve both homogeneity during mixing and controlled extraction during release, balancing productivity and stability.
3Ease of manufacture
If the outlet system is simplified, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the ability to filter and control the nutritional drink flow is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The membrane is a thin film component that is sealed to the flange and spike-shaped body. This thin film structure is relatively simple to manufacture compared to complex rigid mechanisms, yet it provides precise flow control when it ruptures at the pre-formed notches. The membrane's flexibility allows it to seal effectively during pressure buildup and then rupture in a controlled manner, achieving both ease of manufacture and flow control precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane with pre-formed notches is designed to self-rupture under hydrostatic pressure without requiring external control mechanisms. The notches are positioned and sized so that the membrane automatically breaks at these locations when pressure reaches a certain level, providing precise flow control through the filtering openings in the flange. This self-service mechanism reduces manufacturing complexity while maintaining control precision.
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
This system ensures optimal homogenization and gradual release of the nutritional drink, reducing kinetic energy and preventing spurting, thereby enhancing the quality and consumption experience.
Implementation Method 1
when the notches are broken as a result of the increase in hydrostatic pressure inside the capsule
Implementation Method 2
a flange of the bowl, comprising a plurality of filtering openings for the nutritional drink
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Nutritional drink preparation capsule with a controlled outlet system, wherein the controlled outlet system comprises: a spike-shaped body that projects outward from the capsule producing a bowl-shaped geometry that projects towards the inside of a lower chamber of the capsule; a flange of the bowl, a perimeter flange of the lower chamber of the capsule; a membrane, wherein the membrane is sealed in a first sealing zone on the perimeter flange of the lower chamber of the capsule, and in a second sealing zone on the flange of the bowl. At the same time, the membrane is provided with notches to facilitate opening when the pressure increases inside the body of the capsule.