Vacuum-Sealed Coffee Capsule With Compressed Tablet Filtration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealed capsules for beverage preparation, such as espresso coffee, do not effectively enhance extraction efficiency and are not optimized for size reduction without compromising the seal and material integrity.
Innovation Solution
A sealed capsule design featuring a cup-shaped body with a flange-like top and a flexible lid, where granular material is compressed to form a compact tablet under a compressive load, and a vacuum is created to adhere the lid, eliminating the need for an internal filter and ensuring oxygen and moisture impermeability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If granular material is compressed to form a compact tablet, then beverage extraction efficiency is improved, but capsule volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The granular material is pre-compressed into a compact tablet form before sealing in the capsule. This preliminary compression action increases the density of the coffee grounds, allowing for better extraction efficiency while maintaining a compact capsule size. The compression is performed during the manufacturing process, creating a dense tablet that extracts more effectively during brewing.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical state of the granular material is changed from loose granules to a compressed dense tablet form. This parameter change in density and compactness improves the extraction efficiency by creating better contact between the water and coffee material, while the compact tablet form helps maintain a smaller capsule volume.
2Reliability
If a vacuum is formed to adhere the lid to the tablet, then seal integrity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A vacuum is formed inside the capsule chamber during the sealing process, creating a pressure differential that causes the flexible lid to adhere tightly to the compressed tablet. This pneumatic approach ensures excellent seal integrity and prevents oxygen and moisture penetration, protecting the coffee material while maintaining a simple capsule structure without requiring complex mechanical fastening systems.
3Productivity
If compressive load is applied to form tablet, then extraction efficiency is improved, but manufacturing equipment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compression of granular material into a tablet is performed as a preliminary manufacturing step before capsule sealing. By integrating this compression action into the manufacturing process, the equipment complexity is managed through standardized compression mechanisms, while the benefit of improved extraction efficiency is achieved through the resulting dense tablet structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The application of compressive load changes the physical parameters of the granular material, transforming it into a dense tablet with improved extraction characteristics. This parameter change in density and compactness is achieved through controlled compression during manufacturing, balancing equipment requirements with extraction performance.
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 design enhances beverage extraction efficiency, allows for a compact capsule size, and maintains a sealed environment, with the compressed granular material acting as a filter bed during preparation, improving the quality and consistency of the beverage.
Implementation Method 1
the granular material is first compressed inside said chamber in a direction perpendicular to the plane containing the flange, with a compressive load preferably of between 2 and 50 Kg per cm2 of the average cross-sectional area of the chamber, so as to form a compact tablet of said material
Implementation Method 2
a vacuum is formed inside said chamber to a degree such that the lid adheres to the upper surface of said tablet
Data Source
AI summary
A capsule (1) sealed without an internal filter. The capsule includes a cup-shaped body (2) with an outwardly projecting flange (2a), and a flexible lid (3) welded to the flange (2a) to define with the latter a sealed chamber (4) which is impermeable to oxygen and moisture and contains a quantity of granular material (5). The granular material (5) is first compressed inside the chamber (4) in a direction perpendicular to the plane containing the flange (2a), with a compressive load preferably of between 2 and 50 Kg per cm2 of the average cross-sectional area of the chamber (4), so as to form a compact tablet (5) of the material. A vacuum is formed inside the chamber (4) to a degree such that the lid (3) adheres to the upper surface of the tablet (5).