Tea Capsule Overflow Wall for Concentrated Low-Turbidity Brewing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage capsules fail to deliver high-quality tea beverages due to issues with taste cross-contamination, turbidity, and inadequate brewing conditions, which affect the quality and hygiene of the final product.
Innovation Solution
A capsule design featuring a filtering wall and an overflow wall that creates a 'siphon' effect, allowing denser liquids to be captured and dispensed while ensuring full interaction of beverage ingredients with brewing fluid, reducing turbidity and improving beverage concentration, with a filtering media and puncture mechanism to prevent pressure buildup and maintain freshness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If pressure-based extraction method is used for brewing tea in capsules, then beverage concentration can be improved, but turbidity increases and quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies hydraulic principles by using water pressure to force brewed liquid through a filtering wall. The brewing fluid is injected under pressure into the capsule, passes through the beverage ingredients, and is then filtered through the filtering wall which removes turbidity while maintaining concentration. This hydraulic filtration system resolves the contradiction between concentration and turbidity.
2Productivity
If sequential brewing of multiple capsules is performed, then productivity increases, but taste cross-contamination occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the brewing liquid directly from the capsule through a puncture means that creates an outlet in the closing membrane. The liquid is taken out through the capsule wall itself rather than flowing through external machine parts. This extraction method prevents taste residue from remaining on permanent machine parts, eliminating cross-contamination between sequential brews while maintaining high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The capsule acts as a disposable single-use container that is discarded after one brewing cycle. By using a disposable capsule rather than reusable components for liquid flow, the system eliminates the need to clean permanent brewing surfaces, preventing taste cross-contamination between sequential uses while enabling continuous high-speed brewing.
3Quantity of substance
If high pressure is applied for extraction, then beverage concentration improves, but ingredient freshness is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The capsule is hermetically sealed before brewing to protect ingredients from oxidation and degradation during storage. The sealing is maintained until the moment of brewing, at which point a puncture means creates an outlet. This preliminary sealing action preserves ingredient freshness throughout storage while allowing concentrated extraction to occur during the brief brewing moment, resolving the contradiction between concentration and freshness.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If filtering wall is added to reduce turbidity, then beverage quality improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filtering function is merged with the capsule wall structure itself. The filtering wall is integrated into the capsule body as an inherent component rather than being a separate external filter device. This merging approach reduces overall system complexity while effectively reducing turbidity, as the filter becomes part of the disposable capsule rather than a separate machine component.
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 capsule design enhances the quality of tea beverages by improving concentration, reducing turbidity, and minimizing taste cross-contamination, while maintaining ingredient freshness and convenience in handling and cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
an overflow wall which creates a 'siphon' effect, allowing denser liquids to be captured and dispensed
Implementation Method 2
a filtering wall delimiting at least one filtering side of the enclosure
Implementation Method 3
comprises at least one overflow aperture or is associated with at least one puncture means capable of producing at least one overflow aperture
Data Source
AI summary
Capsule for the preparation of a beverage in a beverage machine comprising an enclosure (20) containing one or more beverage ingredients, a filtering wall (22) delimiting at least one filtering side of the enclosure, wherein the capsule further comprises an overflow wall (3B) that is positioned in the path of the brewed liquid after the filtering wall and which comprises at least one overflow aperture or is associated with at least one puncture means (8A, 8B) or, respectively, puncture indication means capable of producing or, respectively, indicating at least one overflow aperture. The capsule of the invention is designed for delivering a brewed liquid at relatively low pressure and is more particularly suited for tea beverages.