Reinforcement ring for capsules for obtaining beverages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing reinforcement rings for beverage capsules are made with significant amounts of material, making them expensive and non-biodegradable, while also being inflexible and difficult to process, which hinders their compostability and stability.
Innovation Solution
A reinforcement ring design featuring a side wall with a groove at one extremity, reducing material usage, enhancing elasticity, and allowing for asymmetrical mass distribution, which also aids in compostability and easier processing, while maintaining mechanical and functional features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If reinforcement rings are made with considerable amounts of material, then mechanical strength and stability are improved, but production cost increases and biodegradability/compostability requirements cannot be met
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a groove at the second extremity of the side wall, which locally reduces material thickness while maintaining overall structural integrity. This allows the ring to use less material overall while preserving strength where needed, resolving the contradiction between material quantity and mechanical strength
Solution Approach 2:
The groove effectively segments the side wall into regions of different thickness, creating a non-uniform structure that optimizes material distribution. This segmentation allows reduced material usage in less critical areas while maintaining strength in load-bearing regions
2Ease of manufacture
If reinforcement rings are made with uniform thickness, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but flexibility and elasticity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By introducing a groove that creates localized thickness variation, the patent transforms the uniform thickness design into a non-uniform one. This local modification enhances flexibility and elasticity without significantly complicating the manufacturing process, as the groove can be integrated into existing molding operations
3Stability of the object's composition
If reinforcement rings have symmetrical mass distribution, then structural balance is maintained, but processing and sorting efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The groove at the second extremity creates asymmetrical mass distribution in the reinforcement ring. This asymmetry provides distinctive features that improve processing efficiency during manufacturing and sorting operations, while the overall circular geometry maintains sufficient structural balance for functional performance
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a reinforcement ring (10) for capsules for obtaining beverages, for example coffee, comprising a side wall (1) and a flat surface (5), preferably having a uniform thickness, protruding from the side wall. The reinforcement ring is characterized in that the side wall comprises a groove (6) at the extremity opposite the flat surface, so as to reduce the thickness of the side wall at said extremity and to reduce the total amount of material used to produce the ring. Said reinforcement ring can be used to reinforce the body of a capsule for obtaining beverages for example made of a filtering material. The present disclosure also refers to the machine for welding said reinforcement ring to the capsule body and to a system for producing beverages comprising a container into which the capsule with said reinforcement ring is inserted during the step of supplying pressurized water.