RU240470U1 - A container for a single-component beverage containing two annular grooves in the upper part, water, equipped with a positioner, a positioner bridge, an adhesive layer, and a bottom made of natural rubber - 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 single-component beverage, which in its upper part contains two annular grooves, one above the other, wherein the container is provided with a holder for one capsule, which has one opening, the shape and size of which allows the capsule to be installed in it, 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 one piercing element, which is located inside the container and 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 element does not interact with the capsule, and when the holder is in its lower position, the piercing element pierces the capsule, wherein the container contains water for preparing the beverage, wherein the piercer is provided with a capsule positioner, the internal shape of which repeats the external shape of the lower part capsules, wherein the capsule positioner is provided with positioner bridges connecting the positioner and the walls of the container, wherein the capsule holder is provided with an adhesive layer located in the area of contact with the capsule, wherein the elastomeric material of which the bottom is made is attached to the container body by gluing and allows for perforation of the bottom by a coffee machine piercer and restoration of the integrity of the bottom after removal of the container from the coffee machine piercer, wherein the elastomeric material is natural rubber with a thickness of 1.5-2 mm. The technical result achieved by the utility model consists in increasing the operational safety of the 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 beverage preparation containers 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, as well as piercers.

However, in known solutions, neither the capsule holders nor the piercers are movable; therefore, the capsule is pierced by the user when inserting it 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 operational safety of the claimed device.

In order to achieve the technical result, a container for a single-component beverage is claimed, which in its upper part contains two annular grooves, one above the other, wherein the container is provided with a holder for one capsule, which has one opening, the shape and size of which allows the capsule to be installed in it, 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 one piercing element, which is located inside the container and 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 element does not interact with the capsule, and when the holder is in its lower position, the piercing element pierces the capsule, wherein the container contains water for preparing the beverage, wherein the piercer is provided with a capsule positioner, the internal shape of which repeats the external the shape of the lower part of the capsule, wherein the capsule positioner is provided with positioner bridges connecting the positioner and the walls of the container, wherein the capsule holder is provided with an adhesive layer located in the area of contact with the capsule, wherein the elastomeric material from which the bottom is made is attached to the body of the container by gluing and provides the possibility of perforating the bottom with a coffee machine piercer and restoring the integrity of the bottom after removing the container from the coffee machine piercer, wherein the elastomeric material is natural rubber with a thickness of 1.5-2 mm.

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 - Capsule

7 - Ledge

8 - Piercing element

9 - Puncturer

10 - Positioner

11 - Positioner jumper

12 - Water

13 - Elastomeric material

14 - Adhesive layer

Implementation of a utility model

The body of the water tank is made with rigidity that ensures the possibility of using the device without its destruction during user manipulation of the device at all stages of operation of the declared device.

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 one capsule 6, which has a single opening of a shape and size suitable for inserting a capsule therein. The holder has a projection 7 that allows it to be fixed in the upper or lower groove 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, comprising a piercing element 8 (e.g., a needle), which is located inside the container and attached to the interior of the container. The piercer is positioned such that, when the holder is in its upper position, the piercing element does not interact with the capsule, and when the holder is in its lower position, the piercing element pierces the capsules.

To prepare a drink, water is forced under pressure through a substance contained in a capsule. To add water to the coffee machine, pour water from a bottle into the device. This requires 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.

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 lower receiving piercer no longer functions, thereby disrupting the functional integrity of the device. 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 claimed device.

When moving the capsule from the upper to the lower position, the capsule may become tilted, causing the lower portion of the capsule to fail to pierce. This could result in water dispensed through the upper piercing hole splashing out through the connection between the upper piercer and the capsule, or could cause a rupture in the brewing unit's water lines. This situation creates a risk of hot water splashing onto the user.

To reduce the likelihood of such a hazard, the lancing device is equipped with a positioner attached to the lancing device. The internal shape of the positioner matches the external shape of the lower portion of the capsule. This positioner is designed to position the capsule as it moves from the upper to the lower position and is pierced. This positioner prevents the capsule from tilting and ensures that the lower portion of the capsule is pierced, increasing the safety of the device.

Due to the softness of the material from which the positioner may be made, the positioner may deviate to the side, thus, the capsule, entering the positioner, may become crooked and/or get stuck in the positioner, as a result of which the puncture of the lower part of the capsule may not occur.

To reduce the likelihood of such a hazard, the device includes positioner bridges connecting the positioner and the side wall of the container. These bridges are cast or bonded integrally to the positioner and the container wall, increasing the rigidity of the positioner. Thus, the capsule positioner, connected to the container via a bridge, reduces the likelihood of capsule distortion and increases the likelihood of successful puncture of the lower portion of the capsule, thereby enhancing the operational safety of the claimed device.

When tilting the device while drinking, the liquid inside the device may press on the inserted capsule, causing the capsule to fall out of the capsule slot. This could result in hot beverage leaking through the unsealed capsule slot onto the user. To reduce the risk of this hazard, the capsule holder is equipped with an adhesive layer located in the capsule contact area, designed to adhere the capsule to the capsule slot.

The adhesive used is a food-grade hot-melt adhesive, such as silicone adhesive, epoxy resin, or other solvent-free adhesives that emit low levels of volatile organic compounds, making them safe for food contact. The adhesive layer is pre-applied to the finished product in a continuous layer or in dots.

The presence of an adhesive layer on the capsule seat where it contacts the device prevents capsules from falling out of the capsule socket. The adhesive layer in the capsule-lid contact area secures the capsule in the socket, preventing it from falling out and increasing the safety of the device.

Pouring water from the container into the coffee machine also carries the risk of spilling onto the user and/or interior components of the vehicle. To reduce the risk of this risk, the elastomer material of the bottom is glued to the container body. This allows the bottom to be perforated by the lower receiving piercer of the coffee machine, which is part of the beverage preparation unit, and the bottom to be restored to its original shape after the container is removed from the piercer.

Natural rubber (NR), derived from Hevea latex, can be used as such a material. Natural rubber has exceptional elasticity (elongation at break up to 1000%), low residual deformation, and the ability to restore its original shape after severe deformation, making it ideal for use as a material for container bottoms designed to self-seal after puncture. Its high elasticity and tensile strength prevent the formation of permanent channels after needle removal, ensuring a complete seal (https://proplast.ru/articles/nk/).

The elastomer material is designed to maintain a watertight seal when removed from the coffee machine's piercer. The thickness of the elastomer base is selected such that, after the lower receiving piercer is removed, the bottom of the container does not allow liquid to escape. Using a container with an elastomer base allows the bottom to be perforated by the piercer and restores its integrity after removal from the piercer. This ensures a watertight seal and eliminates the open stream of water that occurs when pouring water into the coffee machine using the traditional method, improving safety in a moving vehicle.

The coffee machine is designed with the ability to receive water from a container using the lower receiving piercer of the coffee machine, which is an element of the device for preparing beverages, which is a pointed tube, the diameter and angle of which are designed with the ability to easily pierce a layer of elastomeric material when the device is placed on the lower piercer of the coffee machine, eliminating the possibility of destruction of the claimed device when the device is placed on the lower piercer.

The lancing device is a needle made of surgical steel with an outer diameter of 3.2 mm and an inner lumen of 3.0 mm (for example, https://clck.ru/3Mp3Gv), which has an ideal sharpening and high strength.

Below are examples of the implementation of the utility model, demonstrating the possibility of obtaining a technical result with a bottom thickness of natural rubber in the range of 1.5-2.0 mm.

The applicant manufactured and tested containers made in accordance with the declared utility model.

Specifically, cup-shaped containers were manufactured from 250 g/m² laminated cardboard with a capacity of 200 ^ml (upper diameter 70 mm, lower diameter 44 mm, height 93 mm). The upper portion of the cups contained two annular grooves, one above the other. The bottoms of the containers were made of natural rubber of varying thickness—from 1.0 to 3.0 mm. Each cup contained a piercer with a needle-shaped piercing element and a capsule holder (with a hole for the capsule) with a protrusion that allowed the holder to be fixed in the upper or lower grooves of the container, depending on the upper or lower position of the holder. When the holder was in the upper position, the piercing element did not interact with the capsule, and when the holder was in its lower position, the piercing element pierced the capsule. The container was filled with water.

To test the manufactured containers, they were alternately inserted and removed from a car coffee machine's cup holder, which contained an 8G needle with an outer diameter of 3.2 mm and an inner clearance of 3.0 mm (https://clck.ru/3Mp3Gv). The tightness of the container's bottom was visually assessed based on the presence or absence of water droplets for 24 hours after removal. The observation results are presented in Table 1.

No. Thickness of the tank bottom, mm Observation after removing the container from the holder 1 1 Water seeping through the hole during the first 3-5 seconds after removing the container 2 1.5 No dripping, tightness of the container bottom 3 1.7 No dripping, tightness of the container bottom 4 2 No dripping, tightness of the container bottom

When using containers with a natural rubber bottom less than 1.5 mm thick, the hole after puncturing the bottom had less elastic compression capacity and water leakage was observed 3-5 seconds after removing the container from the holder.

When using containers with a bottom thickness of 1.5 to 2 mm, the bottom remained airtight throughout the entire observation period. The elastomer material closed along the channel thickness after the needle was removed, and elastic forces did not cause creep resistance (due to uniform stress distribution). A natural rubber layer thickness of 1.5-2 mm ensured 100% airtightness of the cup bottom when removed from the coffee machine's piercer.

During testing of containers with a 3 mm thick bottom, deformation of the walls was observed in 10% of cases when inserted into the holder, as the user required greater force to pierce the bottom with a needle. It should also be noted that when using thicker natural rubber, droplets may form on the surface of the container bottom over time due to a higher concentration of local stress around the puncture. This leads to the slow growth of microcracks from the puncture edge under water pressure, which can contribute to a deterioration in the seal and renewed water leakage.

During field tests during the preparation and consumption of beverages in a coffee machine using containers manufactured in accordance with the claimed utility model, their safety in moving vehicles (over 100 trips) was also confirmed. When using containers with a natural rubber bottom thickness of 1.5-2 mm, no spills occurred during all trips. However, when using containers with a bottom thickness of less than 1.5 mm or more than 2 mm, 90% of cases of leaks in the container bottom and deformation of the container walls when inserted into the coffee machine's piercer were observed. This included, in particular, splashing of liquid, hot beverage spills on the user (resulting in burns in 3% of cases), and damage to the vehicle's upholstery and/or the user's clothing.

The lower receiving piercer is located in the cup holder and is fixed vertically with the piercing portion facing upward. The bottom of the container is pierced after the user places the container on the cup holder. A pump draws water from the device, passes through the beverage preparation elements, and through the upper piercer into the capsules. After passing through the capsule filler, it flows into the container as the finished drink. The user then removes the container from the cup holder, thereby removing it from the lower receiving piercer. An elastomer material located in the bottom of the device seals the opening from the lower receiving piercer, ensuring a watertight seal. This eliminates any need for contact with water, 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 container by inserting the appropriate capsules into the beverage container holder. It's important to note that the capsules are not punctured during installation.

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 capsule from above with the upper piercer, creating 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 upper piercer is lowered onto the device.

The coffee machine then heats and forces water under pressure through the capsules into the container, thus providing the user with a finished drink, ready for consumption through the opening created by cutting the drinking hole.

Claims (1)

A container for a single-component beverage, which in its upper part contains two annular grooves, one above the other, wherein the container is provided with a holder for one capsule, which has one opening, the shape and size of which allows the capsule to be installed in it, 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 one piercing element, which is located inside the container and 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 element does not interact with the capsule, and when the holder is in its lower position, the piercing element pierces the capsule, wherein the container contains water for preparing the beverage, wherein the piercer is provided with a capsule positioner, the internal shape of which repeats the external shape of the lower part capsules, wherein the capsule positioner is provided with positioner jumpers connecting the positioner and the walls of the container, wherein the capsule holder is provided with an adhesive layer located in the area of contact with the capsule, wherein the elastomeric material from which the bottom is made is attached to the body of the container by gluing and provides the possibility of perforating the bottom with a coffee machine piercer and restoring the integrity of the bottom after removing the container from the coffee machine piercer, wherein the elastomeric material is natural rubber with a thickness of 1.5-2 mm.