Tea Capsule Filtration and Overflow Brewing for Clearer Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for brewing tea from capsules result in poor quality beverages due to issues like turbidity, insufficient flavor, and hygiene concerns related to taste cross-contamination and bacterial growth, as they fail to maintain the freshness and optimal brewing conditions of leaf tea ingredients.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a capsule design with a filtering means and an overflow wall that allows the denser brewed liquid to move upwardly, creating a 'siphon' effect to ensure proper extraction and minimize contact with machine parts, while using low-pressure fluid injection and a pre-fabricated filter to maintain quality and hygiene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pressure-based extraction method is used for brewing tea from capsules, then extraction efficiency is improved, but beverage turbidity increases and quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the pressure-based mechanical extraction system with a gravity-based percolation system. Water is injected at low pressure and allowed to flow through the tea leaves naturally under gravity, eliminating the negative effects of high pressure while maintaining extraction efficiency. This substitution resolves the contradiction by achieving good extraction without the turbidity and quality issues caused by pressure extraction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the key extraction parameter from high pressure to low pressure with extended contact time. By injecting water at low pressure and allowing it to percolate through the tea leaves, the system achieves effective extraction without compacting the leaves or creating turbulence that causes turbidity. This parameter change resolves the contradiction between extraction efficiency and beverage clarity.
2Device complexity
If capsule contacts machine parts during brewing, then brewing process is simplified, but taste cross-contamination and hygiene issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the beverage dispensing function from the permanent machine structure and relocates it to the disposable capsule itself. The capsule includes an integrated dispensing nozzle that delivers the brewed beverage directly to the cup, eliminating contact between the beverage and permanent machine parts. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining simple brewing operation while preventing taste cross-contamination through single-use capsules.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable capsule acts as an intermediary between the water injection system and the final beverage delivery. All brewing operations occur within the sealed capsule environment, and the capsule itself serves as the conduit for beverage delivery, preventing direct contact between the beverage and machine parts. This intermediary approach resolves the contradiction by simplifying the brewing process while eliminating hygiene issues.
3Ease of operation
If water flows downward through capsule under gravity, then brewing process is simple, but beverage concentration is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic two-stage flow process: initial downward flow for wetting and extraction, followed by upward flow for concentration and dispensing. Water is injected downward to percolate through the leaves, then the brewed liquid is forced upward through a restricted outlet to create concentration and pressure for dispensing. This dynamic approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining simple gravity-based operation while achieving adequate beverage concentration.
Solution Approach 2:
The brewing process uses periodic action with distinct phases: water injection phase, percolation phase, and dispensing phase. The system cycles through these phases to ensure proper extraction and concentration without requiring complex continuous control mechanisms. This periodic approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining operational simplicity while achieving proper beverage concentration through phased processing.
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
This approach enhances the quality of the tea beverage by ensuring proper concentration, reduced turbidity, and improved taste, while reducing taste cross-contamination and hygiene issues, and simplifying capsule handling and production.
Implementation Method 1
brewing fluid which is introduced in the capsule... allowing the brewing fluid to traverse through the leaf tea ingredients
Implementation Method 2
extracting coffee beverage from capsules... injecting hot water into the capsule... liquid extract can be released
Implementation Method 3
overflow wall that allows the denser brewed liquid to move upwardly, creating a 'siphon' effect
Implementation Method 4
the denser brewed liquid to move upwardly... variation of pressure between the lower part of the space and the upper part of said space
Implementation Method 5
capsule design with a filtering means... brewed liquid that is filtered through the filtering means
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A method for preparing a beverage through a capsule (2) inserted in a beverage machine; the capsule comprising an enclosure (20) containing one or more beverage ingredients, wherein a brewing fluid is introduced in the enclosure to brew the said one or more beverage ingredients, wherein a brewed liquid is filtered by a filtering wall (22) and delivered from the capsule, wherein the filtering wall extends from substantially the bottom of the enclosure and said filtering wall is associated to an overflow wall (3) that forces the brewed liquid to traverse at least one overflow aperture (25). The method is particularly suitable for brewing a tea containing capsule.