Tea Capsule Overflow Wall for Upward-Flow Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for brewing tea from capsules result in poor quality beverages due to issues like taste cross-contamination, turbidity, and inadequate extraction of ingredients, which are sensitive to oxygen and light, and require improved brewing conditions to maintain freshness and hygiene.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a capsule with a filtering wall and an overflow wall that forces the brewed liquid to pass through an overflow aperture above the median horizontal plane, creating a 'siphon' effect to ensure denser liquids are extracted while maintaining slow flow and full ingredient interaction, reducing turbidity and improving taste, and using a pre-fabricated filter to prevent cross-contamination and maintain hygiene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pressure is used for brewing tea from capsules, then extraction efficiency is improved, but the beverage becomes too turbid and of poor quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the brewing parameters by using low pressure (below 0.2 bar) instead of high pressure, and introduces an upward flow direction through the overflow aperture positioned above the median horizontal plane. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by achieving proper extraction without creating turbidity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional downward flow direction by positioning the overflow aperture above the median horizontal plane, forcing the brewed liquid to move upward. This inversion allows denser liquid portions to be extracted while preventing bypassing of ingredients, resolving the quality issue without sacrificing extraction efficiency.
2Speed
If high pressure injection is used, then brewing speed is improved, but ingredient bypassing occurs and extraction is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter to below 0.2 bar and introduces upward flow through the overflow aperture. This combination maintains adequate brewing speed while preventing ingredient bypassing, as the upward flow ensures water passes through all ingredient mass rather than channeling through paths of least resistance.
3Productivity
If capsules are sequentially brewed in the machine, then productivity is improved, but taste cross-contamination occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the brewing process from permanent machine parts by using a disposable capsule system with integrated filtering and overflow walls. The beverage is delivered directly from the capsule without contacting permanent machine surfaces, eliminating the source of taste cross-contamination while maintaining high throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses disposable capsules that are discarded after single use. Each capsule contains the beverage ingredients and filtering mechanisms, and is disposed of after one brewing cycle. This eliminates taste cross-contamination between sequential brews while maintaining productivity.
4Quantity of substance
If upward flow is used to extract denser liquid, then beverage concentration is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into the capsule structure: the filtering wall, overflow wall with aperture, and ingredient containment are integrated into a single capsule unit. This simplifies the overall system while achieving upward flow for dense liquid extraction, as the complexity is contained within the disposable capsule rather than the permanent machine.
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 method enhances the quality of the tea beverage by ensuring proper concentration, reduced turbidity, and improved taste, while also simplifying capsule production, handling, and hygiene, and reducing cross-contamination and hygiene issues.
Implementation Method 1
an effect similar to a 'siphon' can be obtained that acts to enable the denser liquid to leave the capsule and to become dispensed
Implementation Method 2
the denser liquid that is filtered through the filtering means and is able to overcome said overflow aperture
Implementation Method 3
the darker brewed beverage portion tends to stay in the bottom of the cartridge because of its density that is higher than the rest of the beverage
Data Source
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.