Paper Drink Capsule With Reinforced Rim for Infusion Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing paper capsules for infused drinks face issues with sealing due to a peripheral annular rim that is too fine and soft, leading to malfunctions and inadequate compression of aromatic substances, which affects infusion quality.
Innovation Solution
A paper capsule design with a tray-like body made from deformable paper and a reinforced annular rim of greater thickness or rigidity, allowing adaptation to different infusion chamber sizes and ensuring a secure seal, achieved through folding, reinforcement rings, or additional materials like resin or gum, to enhance compression and sealing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the peripheral annular rim is made from the same thickness as the initial sheet of paper, then the capsule is lightweight and easy to manufacture, but the rim becomes too fine and soft, causing sealing problems at the infusion chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the rim from the rest of the capsule body. The rim is formed with greater thickness and rigidity specifically at the sealing location, while the rest of the capsule maintains thin paper construction. This localized structural enhancement ensures reliable sealing at the infusion chamber without compromising the overall lightweight and eco-friendly design of the capsule.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining paper with materials of greater rigidity in the rim structure. This could involve layering paper with rigidified paper sections or incorporating materials like resin or gum to enhance rim stiffness. The composite approach allows the capsule to maintain paper's environmental benefits while achieving the mechanical strength needed for reliable sealing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the tray-like body is made from reduced thickness paper, then the capsule walls have reduced rigidity and high deformability for adapting to different infusion chambers, but the aromatic substance cannot be adequately compressed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a differentiated structural system where the thin, deformable paper body provides adaptability to various infusion chamber shapes, while the locally reinforced rim provides the necessary structural support for compression. The rim acts as a rigid framework that enables effective compression of aromatic substances, while the flexible body adapts to the chamber geometry.
3Reliability
If the peripheral annular rim has greater thickness or rigidity, then sealing reliability improves, but the capsule manufacturing becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the capsule into distinct functional zones: the thin paper body for adaptability and the thickened rim for sealing. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently - the body remains simple and deformable while the rim provides structured reinforcement. The rim can be formed as a separate element or as a distinct zone in the paper structure, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving reliable sealing.
Data Source
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AI summary
A capsule for making an infused drink comprises a tray-like body (12) substantially cylindrical or a truncated cone shape made from a sheet of paper or paper material and open at one end (14), and a cover or sealing film (16) applied to said open end of the tray-like body, The capsule is further provided with a peripheral annular rim (18) suitable for abutting with a support surface which surrounds an infusion chamber of an infusion group when the capsule is inserted in said chamber. The peripheral annular rim (18) has a greater rigidity than the tray-like body (12), for example achieved by giving said rim a greater thickness than the thickness of the walls which define said tray-like body (12).