Pierceable Beverage Container Closure for Sterile Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional self-serve beverage machines face issues with cross-contamination and reduced sterility due to the integration of piercing elements within the appliance, which are susceptible to contamination and difficult to maintain sterility.
Innovation Solution
A beverage container design featuring a vessel with a pierceable membrane and a movable element that can be externally controlled to pierce the membrane, allowing for the dispensing of beverage material while maintaining sterility, and incorporating a gas inlet port for pressurized gas to aid in the dispensing process, which can be integrated with a beverage machine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the piercing element is integrated into the beverage machine, then the beverage can be dispensed, but cross-contamination and reduced sterility occur
Solution Approach 1:
The piercing element is extracted from the beverage machine and integrated into the closure instead. The closure with the movable element and piercing element is attached to the container, allowing the piercing action to occur outside the machine's internal environment, thereby preventing cross-contamination of the machine while maintaining dispensing functionality.
2Productivity
If the piercing element is part of the appliance, then beverage dispensing is enabled, but sterility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into separate functional components: the closure with movable element and piercing element is separated from the beverage machine's internal piercing mechanism. This segmentation allows the piercing function to be performed by a sterile, externally attached component rather than a shared internal component, thereby maintaining sterility while enabling dispensing.
3Reliability
If a movable element is used to pierce the membrane externally, then sterility is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The piercing element is nested within the movable element, which is in turn attached to the closure. This nested arrangement consolidates multiple functions (sealing, piercing, and dispensing control) into a compact integrated unit, reducing the overall complexity compared to having separate external piercing mechanisms while maintaining sterility through external control.
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 effectively prevents cross-contamination and ensures sterility by external control of the piercing mechanism, allowing for efficient and hygienic dispensing of beverages, while the gas inlet enhances the flow of beverage material, improving the overall usability and hygiene of the system.
Implementation Method 1
a movable element positioned outside of the internal space that is movable relative to the membrane. The movable element can pierce the membrane so as to allow the beverage material to exit the internal space
Implementation Method 2
a gas inlet port arranged to couple with a gas supply of a beverage machine and deliver gas into the internal space through a hole in the membrane to force beverage material to flow into the channel
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods and containers for forming a beverage. A container includes a closure arranged with a movable element that is movable to pierce a membrane and permit beverage material in the container to exit. The movable element can include a piercing element that pierces the membrane. Gas can be introduced into the container to force beverage material to exit the container. A gas inlet port can be provided with the closure and arranged to mate with a gas source of a beverage machine.