Engineering:Kenco Singles

Kenco Singles is a system for rapidly delivering freshly brewed coffee or tea. It was developed by a United Kingdom industrial design company (Warwick Design Consultants) and it employs an integral filterbed, a sealed inlet and an outlet. An accompanying brew mechanism draws in the capsule and pierces the inlet and outlet and clamps the capsule to resist the water pressure.

The water injector arrangement is designed so that the capsule ingredient does not contaminate it. Similarly, the outlet is opened by a cutter such that the outgoing beverage does not contaminate that and cause flavour carry over to the next drink. A hot water and air sequence extracts the flavours and leaves the capsule relatively dry, which is then disposed in the waste box.

The capsule only works with the appropriate brewing mechanism. The capsule also has identification features that tell the brewing machine what the ingredient is, which calls up a brewing programme suited to the drink.

A second type of capsule allows hot chocolate drinks to be made. Although chocolate powder very quickly turns to a thick impenetrable paste when wetted, the jetting technology ensures complete emptying of the capsule and thorough mixing.

The same technology was employed in the development of the Tassimo system.

References

• "Kenco Singles Capsules". Warwick Design. http://www.warwickdesign.com/consumer-products/. Retrieved 2013-05-21.