RU239792U1 - A container for a two-component beverage, containing two annular grooves in the upper part, water, equipped with a side wall and a lower support platform for the capsule nest, a support for the capsule holder - Google Patents

Abstract

This utility model relates to beverage preparation devices, as well as specially adapted containers for these devices. The utility model can be used for operating the device in challenging conditions, such as by passengers in vehicles, particularly taxis. A container for a two-component beverage, which in its upper part contains two annular grooves, one above the other, wherein the container is provided with a holder for two capsules, which has two sockets, the shape and size of which allow the capsules to be installed in them, wherein the holder has a projection that allows it to be fixed in the upper or lower groove of the container, wherein the holder is configured to move from its upper position, in which its projection is in the upper groove of the container, to its lower position, in which its projection is in the lower groove of the container, wherein the container is provided with a piercer containing two piercing elements, which is located inside the container and is attached to the inside of the container, wherein the piercer is located in such a way that, when the holder is in its upper position, the piercing elements do not interact with the capsules, and when the holder is in its lower position, the piercing elements pierce the capsules, wherein the container contains water for preparing the beverage, wherein the capsule socket is provided with a side wall, the shape of the inner surface of which repeats the shape of the outer side surface of the capsules, and a lower support platform providing support for the lower portion of the capsules and integrally connected to the side wall of the nest, forming a single capsule nest body. The interior of the container is provided with a capsule holder support in the form of an annular platform, formed integrally from the interior of the side wall of the container. The technical result achieved by the utility model consists in increasing the operational safety of the claimed device. 3 ill.

Description

Field of technology

This utility model relates to beverage preparation devices, as well as specially adapted containers for these devices. The utility model can be used for operating the device in challenging conditions, such as by passengers in vehicles, particularly taxis.

State of the art

The prior art discloses containers for preparing and consuming beverages described in RU 218200 U1, 16.05.2023, RU 219996 U1, 18.08.2023, RU 221418 U1, 07.11.2023, RU 220130 U1, 28.08.2023, RU 220368 U1, 20.07.2023, RU 220129 U1, 28.08.2023, as well as in RU 229407 U1, 04.10.2024, RU 229400 U1, 04.10.2024, RU 228658 U1, 09.09.2024, and equipped with capsule holders, and also with piercing tools.

However, existing solutions require two capsules to prepare a two-component drink: one containing, for example, coffee, and the other containing powdered milk or sugar. To do this, after using the first capsule, remove it from the capsule slot, discard it, and insert the second capsule in its place.

In addition, neither the capsule holders nor the piercers are movable, so the capsule is pierced by the user when inserting them into the holder, immediately before preparing the drink.

Therefore, known solutions cannot be stored with capsules installed, and also require the user to properly install the capsules. Operating the coffee machine with incorrectly installed capsules can result in hot water splashing out, which can land on the passenger, burn them, and stain clothing and/or the car's interior.

Thus, the known designs are unsafe to operate.

The technical result achieved by the utility model consists in increasing the safety of operation of the device.

In order to achieve the technical result, a container for a two-component drink is claimed, which in its upper part contains two annular grooves, one above the other, wherein the container is provided with a holder for two capsules, which has two sockets, the shape and size of which allow the capsules to be installed in them, wherein the holder has a protrusion that allows it to be fixed in the upper or lower groove of the container, wherein the holder is configured to move from its upper position, in which its protrusion is in the upper groove of the container, to its lower position, in which its protrusion is in the lower groove of the container, wherein the container is provided with a piercer containing two piercing elements, which is located inside the container and is attached to the inside of the container, wherein the piercer is located in such a way that when the holder is in its upper position, the piercing elements do not interact with the capsules, and when the holder is in its lower position, the piercing elements pierce the capsules, wherein the container contains water for preparing the drink, wherein the capsule socket is provided with a side wall, the shape of the inner surface of which repeats the shape of the outer side the surface of the capsules, as well as a lower support platform that provides support for the lower part of the capsules and is inseparably connected to the side wall of the nest to form a single body of the capsule nest, while the inner part of the container is provided with a support for the capsule holder in the form of an annular platform made inseparable from the inner part of the side wall of the container.

The essence of the utility model is explained by illustrations:

Fig. 1 - device with installed capsule before capsule puncture. Side cross-sectional view.

Fig. 2 - The device with the capsule installed after puncture. Side cross-sectional view.

Fig. 3 - The device. Side sectional view. A - before installation in a car coffee machine. B - after installation in a car coffee machine.

In this case:

1 - Car coffee machine

2 - Capacity

3 - Upper groove of the tank

4 - Lower groove of the tank

5 - Capsule holder

6 - Capsules

7 - Ledge

8 - Piercing elements

9 - Puncturer

10 - Side wall and lower support platform of the capsule nest

11 - Water

12 - Capsule holder support.

Implementation of a utility model

The body of the water tank is designed with rigidity that ensures the device can be used without being damaged during user manipulation of the device at all stages of operation.

To prepare a two-component drink, two capsules are required: one containing, for example, coffee, and the other, powdered milk or sugar. To do this, after using the first capsule, remove it from the capsule slot, discard it, and insert the second capsule in its place. However, after using the first capsule, the glass already contains liquid. Removing the capsule leaves the liquid open, which can cause liquid to splash onto a passenger and/or the vehicle interior while the vehicle is moving, during sudden maneuvers, or when braking. Furthermore, an removed capsule may leak from punctures, and liquid from the capsule may stain the passenger or vehicle. To reduce the risk of this hazard, the device holder contains two capsule slots, allowing two capsules to be inserted simultaneously. This solution eliminates the need to remove the first capsule and keeps the liquid inside the glass closed at all times, improving safety.

A beverage container 2 comprises two annular grooves 3 and 4 in its upper portion, one above the other. The container is provided with a holder 5 for two capsules 6, which has two recesses of a shape and size that allow the capsules to be installed therein. The holder has a projection 7 that allows it to be fixed in the upper or lower grooves of the container. Furthermore, the holder is movable from its upper position, in which its projection is in the upper groove of the container, to its lower position, in which its projection is in the lower groove of the container. The container is provided with a piercer 9, containing two piercing elements 8 (e.g., needles), which is located inside the container and is attached to the interior of the container. The piercer is positioned such that when the holder is in its upper position, the piercing elements do not interact with the capsules, and when the holder is in its lower position, the piercing elements pierce the capsules.

To prepare the drink, water is forced under pressure through the capsules. To add water to the coffee machine, pour water from a bottle into the device. This involves opening the bottle, turning it upside down, and pouring the water into the device. In a moving vehicle, subject to shaking, braking, or sudden maneuvers, this operation could result in water spilling onto the user and/or interior components. To reduce the risk of this hazard, the device contains the water from which the drink is prepared.

The coffee machine is designed to receive water from the container using a receiving piercer, a pointed tube designed to pierce the lid. The piercer is lowered vertically to the bottom of the container, for example, by a lever or linear actuator, with the opening of the tube facing downwards and a pump drawing water out of the container. The water passes through the beverage preparation components and, through the upper piercer, is fed into the capsules. After passing through the capsule filler, it flows into the container as the finished beverage.

Water in the container ensures the functional integrity of the device and serves as a medium that functions as part of the device. Without water in the container, the functional integrity of the device is compromised, and the stated technical result—improved operational safety—would not be achieved, as preparing a drink requires pouring water into the coffee machine, which is inconvenient and unsafe in moving vehicles. Furthermore, the presence of water in the container for preparing the drink ensures procedural integrity. In this case, water is not simply a content, like water in a drinking glass; it is an active component of the technological process, representing an assembly operation, since the glass is filled with water directly during production, and then it is constantly present in the container until the beverage is produced. This eliminates the need for interaction with water, thereby increasing the operational safety of the device.

When pressurized water is injected into the capsules through punctures in the top of the capsules, the water, as it passes through the beverage extract, creates pressure within the capsule body. This pressure creates tension on the capsule body walls, which can cause them to stretch and thin. This can lead to rapid rupture of the capsule body and an explosive spray of hot water under pressure from the ruptured capsule body. Such a capsule explosion under pressure can damage the inside of the cup, potentially causing hot liquid to splash onto the user. To reduce the likelihood of this hazard, the device includes a capsule housing with a side wall whose inner surface matches the outer side surface of the capsule, as well as a lower support plate that provides support for the lower portion of the capsules and is permanently connected to the side wall of the housing, forming a single capsule housing. The lower support plate is equipped with a hole that allows the lower portions of the capsules to be pierced and the finished beverage to flow from the lower capsule piercings into the glass. The hole's position corresponds to the position of the lower piercing elements and allows the lower piercing elements to reach the capsules. The connection between the lower support plate and the side wall of the capsule housing can be accomplished by soldering, gluing, or casting.

The capsule holder's design, using the capsule socket's side wall and lower support pad, helps contain the water pressure entering the capsules, preventing their walls from stretching. Since, according to Pascal's law, the pressure exerted on a liquid or gas is transmitted unchanged in all directions at any point, causing the capsule walls to stretch, the lower support pad absorbs some of the water pressure, thereby preventing both lateral and downward wall stretching, preventing their thinning and rupture, and thus increasing the safety of the device.

The capsule holder moves from its upper to its lower position, which is used to pierce the lower portions of the capsules, when the upper capsule piercers, which are part of the beverage preparation device, press onto the capsules. If the device is not installed evenly in the beverage preparation device, or if the capsule seat is deformed, for example, due to improper storage or transportation, or if the capsule piercer mechanism or device holder in the coffee machine is deformed, for example, due to temperature effects from the environment and/or from the beverage preparation device elements, the capsule seat may end up higher than its normal position, i.e., closer to the capsule piercer. This may result in the capsule being crushed and the capsule seat being destroyed when the upper capsule piercers are lowered onto the capsules. This will result in water being sprayed under pressure into the capsules through the capsule piercers, which may burn the user, stain their clothing, and/or the interior of the vehicle.

To reduce the likelihood of this situation, the device is equipped with a capsule holder support, a ring-shaped platform inseparably molded or bonded to the inside of the container sidewall. The capsule holder support is made of hard plastic and is designed to support the capsule holder in its lowered position. The capsule holder support has several through-holes to allow the beverage to flow when the container is tilted. These holes ensure that the entire beverage flows out of the glass through these openings when consumed. The capsule holder support is permanently positioned on the inside of the container wall and does not move when the upper capsule piercers are lowered. This increases the rigidity of the capsule seat in the lowered position, reducing the likelihood of capsule seat failure due to excessive pressure from the upper capsule piercers, thereby improving the safety of the device.

The utility model works as follows:

The user can use a beverage container pre-packaged with a capsule corresponding to the beverage's recipe. Alternatively, the user can customize the drink by inserting the appropriate capsules into the beverage container holder. Importantly, the capsules are not punctured during installation, and the user does not need to change the capsule to obtain a two-component beverage.

The user then places the beverage container into the coffee machine, which, by moving the holder, pierces the capsules from below.

The coffee machine is designed to simultaneously pierce the capsules from above with the upper piercers and cut a drinking hole. For this purpose, the coffee machine is equipped with a knife, which is a component of the coffee machine designed to cut a drinking hole when the piercers are lowered onto the device.

The coffee machine then heats and forces pressurized water through the capsules into the container, resulting in a ready-to-drink beverage for the user, which is then dispensed through the opening created by cutting the drinking hole. This innovation thus improves the safety of the device.

Claims (1)

A container for a two-component beverage, which in its upper part contains two annular grooves, one above the other, wherein the container is provided with a holder for two capsules, which has two sockets, the shape and size of which allow the capsules to be installed in them, wherein the holder has a projection that allows it to be fixed in the upper or lower groove of the container, wherein the holder is configured to move from its upper position, in which its projection is in the upper groove of the container, to its lower position, in which its projection is in the lower groove of the container, wherein the container is provided with a piercer containing two piercing elements, which is located inside the container and is attached to the inside of the container, wherein the piercer is located in such a way that, when the holder is in its upper position, the piercing elements do not interact with the capsules, and when the holder is in its lower position, the piercing elements pierce the capsules, wherein the container contains water for preparing the beverage, wherein the capsule socket is provided with a side wall, the shape of the inner surface of which repeats the shape of the outer side surface of the capsules, and also a lower support platform, providing support for the lower part of the capsules and inseparably connected to the side wall of the nest with the formation of a single body of the capsule nest, wherein the inner part of the container is provided with a support for the capsule holder in the form of an annular platform, made inseparable from the inner part of the side wall of the container.