EP2139791B1

EP2139791B1 - Single-use containment capsule of an aromatic essence for producing an infusion

Info

Publication number: EP2139791B1
Application number: EP08735106A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giampiero Rossi
Original assignee: Rossi Corp Srl
Current assignee: Novadelta Comercio e Industria de Cafes Unipessoal Ltda
Priority date: 2007-04-12
Filing date: 2008-04-09
Publication date: 2012-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 2028-04-09
Also published as: BRPI0809705A2; MA31361B1; EP2139791B8; PL2139791T3; EP2139791A1; WO2008125256A1; ES2390382T3; ITMI20070740A1; PT2139791E

Abstract

Single -use containment capsule (1) of powder of an aromatic essence for producing an infusion, characterised in that it comprises a container (2) having a perforated base (4) externally covered with a protective element (5), and a perforator element (6) present on the inner side of said protective element and operable by the fluid pressure that is created inside said container, so to permit the exit of said infusion from said container.

Description

The present invention refers to a single-use containment capsule of an aromatic essence for producing an infusion.
Capsules have for some time been present on the market for producing a drink, for example a coffee drink. Such capsules comprise a watertight plastic container for preserving the integrity of an aromatic essence present therein until the time of its use, wherein its cover and its base, after the removal of their suitable aluminium plates, are perforated by suitable perforator members, present in the seat of the infuser apparatus in which the capsule is housed, in order to create an entrance path for the infusion water and an exit path for the infusion.
Such capsules have various drawbacks, including the fact that for their perforation, only extraneous elements present in their housing seat are employed. This requires a correct positioning of the capsule in its housing seat, in order to be subjected to a precise perforation, given that an incorrect perforation risks negatively influencing the infusion by distorting the optimal infusion paths inside the container or the optimal pressure conditions inside the container during the infusion. In addition, a distorted perforation can also cause material detachments, which contaminate the infusion, as well as the undesired exit of coffee powder from the capsule.
It should be added that the removal of the protective plates can cause a contamination or loss of the capsule contents before their use.
WO 03/059778 discloses a closed capsule designed to be extracted under pressure in an extraction device, containing a substance for the preparation of a beverage, comprising a closed system containing the said substance and a means inside the said system allowing the said capsule to be opened at the time of its use and allowing the said beverage to flow out without contact with its extraction system.
WO 02/081337 discloses a method for opening a sealed container having a foodstuff therein, wherein the container comprises a plurality of walls, at least one of which can be perforated. At least one of the walls is opened from the inside towards the outside. It is also disclosed a sealed container for a foodstuff product, wherein the container comprise a plurality of walls one of which at least can be perforated from the inside towards the outside of the container.
EP 1580144 discloses a cartridge for extracting a beverage from a particulate substance contained therein by means of water under pressure, the cartridge comprising: a main body comprising a cup portion and a lid portion, the cup portion comprising a base, a sidewall and a rim opposed to the base, the lid portion being fixedly attached to the rim of the cup portion so as to define an internal volume of the cartridge, the internal volume of the cartridge housing the particulate substance comprised within filtering means for retaining the particulate substance and for percolating fluid substances therethrough, the lid portion comprising a normally closed lid port defining a first passage for percolation fluid substances when it is opened, characterized in that it comprises a tappet arranged inside the internal volume so as to pierce the base when pressure is applied to the base towards the internal volume, thus opening a normally closed cup port.
EP1555218 discloses a cartridge for coffee and for soluble products, which comprises a container designed to contain the coffee or the soluble product, a lid placed on the top of the container so as to define an upper wall designed to allow hot water under pressure to enter the container in order to produce the beverage, a filter designed to be positioned inside the container above a bottom wall of the container. The bottom wall of the container has at least one breakable portion designed to break when the liquid inside the cartridge reaches a pre-set pressure, so as to form at least one aperture to allow the beverage to be extracted from the cartridge.
GB 2397510 discloses a beverage which is prepared using a cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients. Each cartridge carries a code comprising a plurality of data bits which barcode is read by a beverage preparation machine upon insertion of the cartridge in the machine. The information contained in the barcode is used by the beverage preparation machine to select from its memory the operational parameters required to prepare a particular beverage. The operational parameters include water temperature, water flow rate, time period etc. Beverages prepared include coffee, tea, cocoa, soup, fruit juice, or milk/dairy based products.
The technical task that the present invention proposes is therefore that of making a single-use containment capsule of a powder of an aromatic essence for producing an infusion that allows eliminating the technical drawbacks lamented by the prior art.
In the scope of this technical task, one object of the invention is that of making a single-use containment capsule of powder of an aromatic essence for producing an infusion that allows a precise perforation of its base, in order to optimise the infusion process by creating ideal infusion paths inside the container and ideal pressure conditions inside the container during the infusion.
Another object of the invention is that of making a single-use containment capsule of powder of an aromatic essence for producing an infusion that allows a precise perforation of its base in order to prevent, on one hand, material detachments that can contaminate the infusion, and on the other hand the undesired exit of coffee powder from the capsule. Another object of the invention is that of making a single-use containment capsule of powder of an aromatic essence for producing an infusion that is completely preserved, uncontaminated, until the time of its use.
Not least object of the invention is that of making a single-use containment capsule of an aromatic essence in powder that does not require the removal of the protective cover from its bottom.
The technical task, as well as these and other objects, according to the present invention, are achieved by making a single-use containment capsule of powder of an aromatic essence for producing an infusion according to claim 1.
Other characteristics of the present invention are moreover defined in the subsequent claims.
Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be clearer from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the single-use containment capsule of powder of an aromatic essence for producing an infusion according to the finding, illustrated as indicative and non-limiting in the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side elevation view of a capsule before use, in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present finding, sectioned along a plane of symmetry thereof;
Figure 2 shows the capsule of Figure 1 during the perforation of the protective element of its base;
Figure 3 shows the capsule of figure 1 after the perforation of the protective element of its base;
Figure 4 shows a side elevation view of a capsule before use, in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present finding, sectioned along a plane of symmetry thereof;
Figure 5 shows the capsule of figure 4 after the perforation of the protective element of its base;
Figure 6 shows a side elevation view of a capsule before use, in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present finding, sectioned along a plane of symmetry thereof, after the perforation of the protective element of its base;
Figure 7 shows the capsule of figure 6 before the perforation of the protective element of its base. Equivalent elements of different embodiments will be indicated with the same reference number.

With reference to the mentioned figures, a single-use containment capsule of a powder aromatic essence for producing an infusion is shown, indicated overall with the reference number 1.
The aromatic essence can be coffee-based, tea-based, or other, it can water-soluble or water-insoluble for the preparation of thirst-quenching drinks, energy drinks, broths etc.
The capsule 1 comprises a container 2 having a cover 3 and a perforated base 4 externally covered with a protective element 5.
Preferably, the perforated base 4 is internally covered with a filter 9 having a plurality of calibrated holes 10.
The cover 3 has at least one facilitated break formation 21 for the entrance of an infusion water inside the container 2.
Preferably, the inner side of the cover 3 is lined with a paper disc 30 or other device so to favour the diffusion of the water, avoiding preferential paths. The capsule 1 moreover comprises, on the inner side of the protective element 5, a perforator element 6 operable by the fluid pressure that is created inside the container 2, so to allow the exit of the infusion from the container 2.
Preferably but not necessarily, the container 2, the cover 3, the base 4 and the perforator element 6 are made of plastic while the protective element 5 is an aluminium plate.
The container 2 has a central symmetry axis 7 orthogonal to its cover 3 and to its base 4, and can be of any shape, for example cylindrical, frustoconical or prismatic shape.
In the embodiments of figures 1-5, the perforator element 6 is integral with the base 4, which is deformable due to the fluid pressure that is created inside the container 2 along a deformation direction parallel to the symmetry axis 7 of the container 2. The base structure 4 is such to carry out, upon the attainment of a specific pressure inside the container 2, an instantaneous elastic or elastoplastic deformation, before returning (though not necessarily) to the initial substantially non-deformed conformation. If necessary, the base 4 can be equipped with one or more stiffening ribs (not shown) that permit it to oppose the pressure inside the container 2 up to a certain threshold, beyond which it suddenly yields, being elastically deformed. Advantageously, the perforated element 6 is integral with the base 4 and made of a single piece therewith, in turn preferably integral with the container 2 and made of a single piece therewith, while the cover 3 is fixed to the container 2 by means of ultrasound welding or gluing.
The perforator element 6 is longitudinally extended parallel to the symmetry axis 7 from a central position of the base 4.
The perforator element 6 moreover advantageously has an oblique apical end section 13 with respect to the symmetry axis 7, so to not cause the complete separation of the edge 16 of the protective element 5, which is obtained during the perforation of the protective element 5 for the creation of the exit hole 14 of the infusion from the capsule 1.
The base 4 has indented form towards the interior of the container 2. The protective element 5 is perimetrically associated, for example by means of gluing, to the perimeter of the base 4 so to delimit a chamber 8 therewith, inside of which the perforator element 6 is wholly confined before capsule 1 use. The rigid filter 9 rests on the inner side of the base 4; such filter 9 is arranged orthogonal to the symmetry axis 7 so to generate a thrust force on the base 4 that is predominantly oriented along its deformation direction.
In particular, the rigid filter 9 is a flat separator with form matching the section of the container 2, and rests on a flat central portion 12 of the base 4 oriented orthogonal to the symmetry axis 7.
The inner side of the rigid filter 9 is lined with a paper filter 11 for the optimisation of the filtering action.
If the rigid filter 9 is not present, the base 4 is internally lined with only the paper filter 11.
It must be observed, in fact, that in a possible variant of the present finding, the rigid filer 9 is not provided for, while the paper filter 11 is fixed on the deformable base 4.
In the embodiment of figures 1-3, the base 4 has a plurality of calibrated holes 15 for the passage of the infusion towards the exit hole 14 made by the perforator element 6, while in the embodiment of figures 4 and 5 the perforator element 6 has a calibrated hole 17 on the extension of a calibrated hole 18 of the base 4 for the passage of the infusion towards the exit hole 14 made by the perforator element 6.
We make reference now to the embodiment illustrated in figures 6 and 7.
The perforator element 6 is now integral with the filter 9 (in particular it is made in a single piece therewith), in this case deformable due to the fluid pressure that is created inside the container 2.
Also in this case, the structure of the filter 9 is capable of supporting an elastic deformation in order to return to the initial substantially non-deformed configuration.
In particular, the perforator element 6 is now defined by a conical point that projects from the centre of the base 4 for the creation of the exit hole 14 through the protective element 5.
The base 4 of the container 2, in this case rigid, has a positioning hole 19 of the perforator element 6.
On the inner side of the base 4, an impression 20 is also present adapted to receive the filter 9 during its deformation.
The protective element 5 is perimetrically associated with the perimeter of the base 4 and with the perimeter of the perforator element 6.
The functioning of the capsule is, in brief, the following.
The capsule 1 is inserted in the related housing seat 22 provided in the infusion apparatus.
The closure piston 23 closes the housing seat 22 and supplies pressurised water, which breaks the facilitated break formations 21, permitting the entrance of the water in the capsule 1.
The perforation of the cover 3 of the capsule is therefore not of mechanical but only of hydraulic type.
The water enters into the container 2 and the consequent increase of pressure causes the instantaneous elastic deformation of the base 4 (figs. 1-5) or filter 9 (figs. 6 and 7), which actuates the perforator element 6.
The perforator element 6 creates the exit hole 16, also due to the opposition of the bottom of the housing seat 22, which prevents the protective element 5 from bending without breaking.
After the perforation, the vent of the internal pressure of the container 2 causes the retraction of the perforator element 6 from the discharge hole 16, which remains unobstructed.
According to a variant coming under the scope of the present invention, the single-use capsule has a barcode for its identification by a suitable reader, with which the coffee machine is equipped.
The barcode can be positioned in any part of the external surface of the capsule and preferably on the protective element.
The barcode reader is in communication with the control unit of the coffee machine, in whose memory all the barcodes are stored that the coffee machine can activate.
The reader in turn can be positioned outside the coffee machine or inside the coffee machine at a point towards which the barcode of the capsule is displayed, for example at the infusion chamber.
The barcode advantageously codifies information related not only to the identity of the capsule, in order to avoid the incorrect functioning of the machine with capsules that are not recognised as suitable, but also related to the coffee type, its granulometry, etc. so that the functioning cycle of the coffee machine can be automatically programmed according to the reading carried out.
The capsule thus conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants, all part of the scope of the inventive concept; moreover, all details can be substituted with technically equivalent elements.
In practice, the materials use, as well as the sizes, can be of any type according to needs and the state of the art.

Claims

Single-use containment capsule (1) of powder of an aromatic essence for producing an infusion, characterised in that it comprises a container (2) having a perforated base (4) being part of the capsule wall and being externally covered with a protective element (5) and a perforator element (6) present on the inner side of said protective element (5) and operable by the fluid pressure that is created inside said container (2) so to permit the exit of said infusion from said container (2).
Single-use capsule (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the inner side of said base (4) is covered by a filter (9).
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said perforator elements (6) is integral with said base (4) which is deformable due to the fluid pressure that is created inside said container (2).
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said base (4) is subjected to an elastic or elastoplastic deformation.
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said base (4) has one or more stiffening ribs in order to oppose the internal pressure of said container (2) substantially non-deformed, up to a certain threshold value.
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said base (4) has a deformation direction parallel to a symmetry axis (7) of said container (2) that is extended orthogonal to a cover (3) of said container (2) and to said base (4) of said concainer (2).
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said perforator element (6) is longitudinally extended parallel to said symmetry axis (7) from a central position of said base (4).
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said protective element (5) is an aluminium plate.
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said base (4) is indented towards the interior of said container (2) in that said protective element (5) is perimetrically associated with the perimeter of said base (4), and in that said perforator element (6) is projected from the outer side of said base (4) in a space delimited between said base (4) and said protective element (5).
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said filter (9) is rigid and rests on the inner side of said base (4) with arrangement orthogonal to said symmetry axis (7) of said container (2), so to generate a thrust force on said base (4) predominantly oriented along said deformation direction.
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that a further paper filter (11) is associated with the inner side of said filter (9).
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said perforator element (6) is made integral with said base (4), in a single piece therewith.
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said perforator element (6) has an apical end section (13) lying on a sloped plane with respect to said symmetry axis (7).
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said base (4) has a plurality of calibrated holes (15).
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said perforator element (6) has a calibrated hole (17) on the extension of a calibrated hole (18) of said base (4).
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said filter (9) is deformable due to the fluid pressure that is created inside said container (2) and in that said perforator element (6) is integral with said deformable filter (9).
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said filter (9) is subjected to an elastic or elastoplastic deformation.
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said base (6) is rigid and has a positioning hole (19) of said perforator element (6).
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said base (4) has an impression (20) adapted to receive said deformable filter (9) during its deformation.
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said protective element (5) is perimetrically associated with the perimeter of said base (4) and with the perimeter of said positioning hole (19) of said perforator element (6).
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said cover (3) has at least one facilitated break formation (21) for the entrance of an infusion water inside said container (2).
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that it has a barcode for its identification.
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said barcode is positioned on said protective element (5).
Single-use capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said barcode codifies information that determines an automatic programming of the coffee machine that reads and recognizes it.