Portion Capsule with Transparent Flange for Visual Feature Detection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing portion capsules for beverage production machines lack a visually detectable feature that can be easily applied and read by detectors, limiting design flexibility and compatibility checks.

Innovation Solution

A portion capsule with a visually detectable feature on the capsule lid, arranged on the side facing away from the flange, allowing for transparent configuration to enable easy printing and reading through the flange and lid film, enhancing compatibility and design options.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the visually detectable feature is printed on the flange or lid film as in prior art, then the feature can be detected by the machine, but the application process becomes complex and reading requires specific detector orientations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of feature applicationVSAvoiddetector design complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of printing the feature on the flange or requiring the detector to read from the lid film side, the patent inverts the approach by placing the visually detectable feature on the lid film and enabling reading from the base element side through the transparent flange. This allows detectors to be positioned on the base element side, simplifying both application and detection geometry

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The transparent flange acts as an intermediary element that allows the detector to read the feature on the lid film from the opposite side. This mediator enables optical transmission through the flange material, facilitating feature detection without requiring direct line-of-sight from the lid film side

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the flange and capsule lid are made transparent to enable feature reading through them, then reading possibilities increase, but material selection and manufacturing become more constrained

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetector positioning flexibilityVSAvoidmaterial selection constraints

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies transparency locally to specific regions of the flange and lid film rather than requiring the entire structure to be transparent. This allows selective use of transparent materials only where optical reading is needed, while other portions can use standard capsule materials, thereby reducing overall manufacturing constraints

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS11981503B2Portion capsule for preparing a beverage with the aid of a beverage production machine, and use of a portion capsule

Publication Date: 2024.05.14 K-FEE SYSTEM GMBH

AI summary

A portion capsule for the preparation of a beverage with the aid of a beverage production machine, the portion capsule having a base element with a cavity for receiving a beverage raw material and having a capsule lid which closes the cavity, the base element includes a capsule bottom, a circumferential flange, and a capsule wall which extends from the capsule bottom to the circumferential flange, the capsule lid being fastened to the flange, the portion capsule having a feature which can be visually detected, in particular, by a detector of the beverage production machine.