Reusable Beverage Filter Cover With Airtight Hinged Seal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Single serving hot beverage machines generate waste and incur excess costs due to the disposable nature of prefilled filter containers, which are not reusable or refillable, leading to inefficiencies in beverage preparation and storage.
Innovation Solution
A cover for single serving beverage filter containers with a hingedly attached door and angled flange allows for re-use and re-filling by creating an air-tight seal, enabling the containers to be refilled with fresh coffee grounds and reused multiple times while maintaining freshness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If disposable prefilled filter containers are used, then convenience and ease of operation are improved, but waste and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables recovery and reuse of the filter container body after brewing. The removable cover with sealing flange allows the container to be emptied, cleaned, and refilled with fresh coffee grounds, transforming a single-use disposable item into a reusable vessel that maintains convenience while eliminating waste
2Ease of operation
If disposable prefilled filter containers are used, then ease of operation is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reusable cover design allows the filter container to be refilled and used multiple times, eliminating the need to purchase new disposable containers with each use, thereby reducing overall cost while maintaining operational convenience
3Adaptability or versatility
If the container is opened for refilling, then reusability is improved, but freshness is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The removable cover acts as an intermediary sealing mechanism that allows controlled access to the container interior. The flange with sealing surface creates an air-tight barrier when closed, protecting coffee grounds from oxidation and moisture while enabling easy removal for refilling, thus maintaining freshness despite repeated use
4Object-affected harmful factors
If an air-tight seal is created for storage, then freshness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is segmented into a removable main body and a hinged door mechanism. This segmentation allows the sealing function to be achieved through simple geometric features (flange and sealing surface) rather than complex mechanisms, maintaining freshness while keeping the device simple and easy to manufacture
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 reduces waste and costs by allowing the reuse and refilling of single serving beverage filter containers, keeping the contents fresh for extended periods and eliminating the need for new containers with each use.
Implementation Method 1
a flange extending from an outer perimeter of the body, the flange being angled inward towards a center of the body and extending past a bottom face of the body
Implementation Method 2
a door positioned at the center of the body, the door being hingedly attached to the body, and being configured to seal of an aperture formed by the body when the door is in a first closed position and providing fluid communication through the aperture when in a second open position
Data Source
AI summary
A cover for single serving beverage filter containers is provided. The cover may have a body forming an aperture at its center, a door hingedly attached to the body and capable of covering the aperture, and a flange extending from an outer perimeter of the body. A spring may allow the door to be biased in a closed position to cover the aperture.