ITUB20156879A1 - CARTRIDGE FOR THE PREPARATION OF A LIQUID PRODUCT AND ITS ASSORTMENT - Google Patents

Description

"Cartridge for the preparation of a liquid product and its assortment"

TEXT OF THE DESCRIPTION

Technical field

This description refers to cartridges for the preparation of liquid products.

Various embodiments can refer to cartridges for the preparation of beverages, for example coffee.

Technological background

Cartridges (or capsules or pods, according to other current names) for the preparation of liquid product, such as a beverage, by introducing liquid (possibly under pressure and / or temperature) and / or steam into the cartridge constitute a technological sector very rich and articulate, as documented, for example, by FR-A-757 358, FR-A-2 373 999 (which corresponds to US-A-4 136 202), FR-A-2 556 323, GB- A-938 617, GB-A-2 023 086, CH-A-406 561, US-A-3 403 617, US-A-3 470 812, US-A-3 607 297 (corresponding to FR-A- 1 537 031), WO-A-86/02 537, EP-A-Q 199 953, EP-A-0 211 511, EP-A-0 242 556, EP-A-0 468 078, EP-A-0 469 162, EP-A-0 507 905, WO 2010/106516 A1 and EP-A-2 218 653.

Most of the solutions described in the cited documents refer primarily to the preparation of liquid products consisting of beverages such as coffee, tea, chocolate, broth, soups or various infusions.

As regards the preparation of coffee, solutions intended to allow the preparation of espresso coffee are known (for example from EP-A-0 507 905).

Solutions are also known and widely used in which the consumer purchases a machine (for example for coffee) and subsequently supplies himself with cartridges specifically designed and manufactured to work in conjunction with this machine.

In this way, for the consumer, some salient features of the cartridge / machine system are defined at the time of purchase and substantially no longer modifiable, such as:

the external shape of the cartridge for introduction into the machine,

the configuration of the brewing chamber that contains the cartridge during the extraction process of the liquid product such as the beverage,

- the methods of interaction of the material making up the pod with the brewing chamber,

- the methods of extracting the drink,

- how to insert the cartridge at the start of dispensing, and / or

- how to eject the cartridge at the end of dispensing.

For example, EP-A-0 507 905 describes a cartridge intended to be perforated by filter tips by effect of the pressure of the liquid and / or vapor introduced into the cartridge.

A solution of this type can be used, for example, to make pierceable cartridges or capsules in which:

- the upper sealing foil of the cartridge (hot water and / or steam inlet) is mechanically perforated by the delivery unit through a first set of perforating tips, and

- the bottom of the cartridge itself (beverage outlet) can be perforated by a second set of hollow points (roughly similar to injection needles) with filtering characteristics.

Solutions of this type are particularly suitable for dispensing espresso-type beverages.

Documents such as EP 1295 554 A1, WO 2006/005736 A2 or EP 1 886 942 A1 identify specific solutions concerning filtering tips, the opening / closing / perforation mechanism by the piercing tips and the type of cartridge, with relative system.

Document WO 2010/106516 A1 describes a type of cartridge such as to combine a filter paper and a biopolymer, the filter paper being positioned on the side of the beverage outlet (coffee).

This type of cartridge may be unusable in coffee machines equipped with drill bits. In fact the bottom, which is pre-drilled (therefore already patent), has a flat shape that may be unsuitable for use in conjunction with particular types of filter tips, which can alternatively:

- engrave first the biopolymer part and then the paper with the risk that, for example, the pressurized coffee powder used to prepare the drink can be dragged with the drink up to the dispensing container (cup),

- conform like a sock, inhibiting delivery All with the possible risk that the tips, if subjected to repeated cycles of this nature, could break.

Furthermore, document WO 2012/077066 A1 describes a cartridge in which perforation is aided by the combination of a biodegradable / compostable polymer with material such as paper: it has also been observed that, in particular conditions of use, the paper contained in the cartridge can be soaked in water / beverage and subjected to softening so as to make it difficult to expel it from the machine in which it is used.

Reference can also be made to WO 2010/137952 A1, which describes a cartridge or capsule configured to operate in a machine (originally designed to operate with a different type of cartridge) provided with tips intended to tear the cartridge upon mechanical closure. of the unit to allow the water to enter the cartridge through the tears obtained.

The cartridge according to the solution described in WO 2010/137952 A1 (which, however, does not mention the possible use of "bio" materials) is configured so as not to interact with the piercing tips of the machine, since the tips in question do not touch the bottom of the cartridge itself.

The state of the art further comprises EP 1579 792 A1. One or more embodiments may refer to cartridges of the type described in WO 2014/097039 A1.

Purpose and summary

Various embodiments have the purpose of providing further improvements with respect to the solutions mentioned above, for example as regards the possibility of subsequently using the same machine to prepare different liquid products, reducing possible cross-contamination effects.

Various embodiments allow to achieve this object thanks to a cartridge having the characteristics recalled in the following claims.

Various embodiments may also relate to an assortment of cartridges with differentiated characteristics.

The claims form an integral part of the technical teaching given in connection with the invention.

Brief description of the figures

Various embodiments will now be described, purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached figures, in which:

Figure 1 is a general perspective view of a cartridge according to embodiments,

Figure 2 is a bottom perspective view of embodiments,

- figure 3 corresponds to a section along the line III-II of figure 2, reproduced on an enlarged scale, e

Figure 4 is a further enlarged view of the portion of Figure 3 indicated by arrow IV.

Detailed description

The following description illustrates various specific details aimed at an in-depth understanding of various embodiment examples. The embodiments can be made without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other cases, known structures, materials or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring the various aspects of the embodiments. Reference to "an embodiment" within the scope of this description indicates that a particular configuration, structure or feature described in relation to the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, phrases such as "in an embodiment", possibly present in different places of this description, do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, particular conformations, structures or features can be combined in any suitable way in one or more embodiments.

The references used are provided for convenience only and therefore do not define the scope of protection or the scope of the embodiments.

In the figures, the numerical reference 10 generally indicates a cartridge (or pod or capsule, these terms being used as equivalent to each other) for the preparation of a liquid product by introducing liquid and / or steam into the cartridge.

In one or more embodiments, the cartridge 10 can contain a filling or "dose" 12 (indicated schematically by broken lines in Figure 3 alone) of a substance or ingredient for the preparation of a liquid product or a beverage, chosen to ex. between: roasted and ground coffee powder, tea leaf, powdered or soluble milk, soluble coffee, soluble chocolate, soluble barley, sugar, soluble powdered flavorings, and combinations of the same.

In one or more embodiments, the liquid product in question can be obtained by introducing into the cartridge liquid and / or vapor under pressure and in temperature (ie hot).

In any case, the possible reference, in the context of the present detailed description, to the preparation of a particular beverage is not to be understood in a limiting sense of the scope of the description, which is quite general.

In one or more embodiments, in the structure of the cartridge 10, which can be shaped like a tray or small cup inside which the substance 12 is located, it is possible to distinguish:

- a body 14, comprising a side or skirt wall 140 and a bottom wall 142 which closes the body 14 at one end of the skirt wall 140, and

- a sealing foil 16, for example of the peelable type, which closes the cartridge 10 at the opposite end with respect to the bottom wall 142.

The sealing foil 16 lends itself to be connected in a seal, for example by heat sealing, to the side wall 140 of the body 14 of the cartridge, for example in correspondence with a flange 144 which surrounds the mouth part of the body 14.

In one or more embodiments, as shown in the figures, the body 14 can have a central axis X14, with respect to which the body 14 can, for example. present to a rotational symmetry (cylindrical).

In one or more embodiments, thus as shown in the figures, the body 14 can have a bowl-like conformation starting from the bottom wall 142 towards the end closed by the sealing lamina 16. In one or more embodiments, the divergent conformation can be a truncated cone conformation. However, this conformation is not imperative since the cartridge 14 can have different shapes as a whole, for example a prismatic, truncated pyramidal, square shape, etc.

Various embodiments may refer to the fact that the fund 142 can have a shaded structure, i.e. with respectively raised and recessed parts, for example according to the criteria illustrated in WG 2014/097039 A1 (already mentioned above) to which reference can be made for a more detailed description.

As far as is of interest here, it can be observed that, in one or more embodiments, the bottom wall 142, through which the liquid product is capable of flowing from the cartridge 10, can have, observed on the external side with respect to the cartridge 10 itself, a protruding central portion 1420, surrounded by an annular portion 1422 which, while possibly presenting the aforementioned sculpted structure, appears to be overall flat (i.e. not funnel or basin), extending in an orthogonal direction to the central axis VI4 of the body 14.

In one or more embodiments, the bottom part 142 can have a peripheral edge 1432 substantially coplanar to the aforementioned annular portion 1422 or, as in the embodiments exemplified here, protruding with respect to the annular portion 1422.

In one or more embodiments, the bottom part 142 may also have one or more openings 1428 to allow the liquid product (e.g. a beverage) formed in the cartridge 10 to escape, this opening (s) being provided exclusively in correspondence with the central projecting portion 1420 of the bottom wall 142.

In other words, in one or more embodiments as exemplified here, the bottom wall 142 may be free from openings 1428 for the release of said liquid product from the cartridge 10 into the annular portion 1422 and, in general, into the portions of the bottom 142 surrounding the central projecting portion 1420.

In one or more embodiments, as better appreciated in the sectional view of Figure 3, thanks to the fact that the central portion 1420 of the bottom wall 142 protrudes towards the outside of the cartridge 10, inside the cartridge 10 itself can thus there is an "auxiliary" chamber located in correspondence with the central portion 1420, capable of receiving a certain quantity of the substance 12.

In one or more embodiments, the opening or apertures 1428 can be made in the form of through holes; the preservation of the aroma and, in general, of the organoleptic qualities of the substance 12 can then be favored by inserting the cartridge 10 in a sealed bag (for example, a flow-pack type) that can be opened by the user to extract the cartridge 10 in view of the use.

In one or more embodiments, a filter element 182 (for example comprising filter paper or non-woven fabric) can be provided coupled to the openings 1428 provided in correspondence with the central projecting portion 1420 of the bottom wall 142.

In one or more embodiments, as exemplified herein, the filter element 182 (and consequently the openings 1428) can be coupled to the distal end of the protruding portion 1420.

In one or more embodiments, as exemplified herein, the filter element 182 can be coupled to the openings 1428 on the side of the bottom wall 142 internal to the cartridge 10.

Figure 4, to which we will return in the following, highlights the fact that, in one or more embodiments, the external surface in the bottom wall 142 of the cartridge 10 may face an array of tips P provided in certain preparation machines (according to known criteria, exemplified in various documents cited in the introductory part of the present description) in order to pierce the bottom wall of certain cartridges - other than those exemplified here - and cause the liquid product being prepared to come out.

In one or more embodiments as exemplified here, whatever its external profile (sculpted with cavity / reliefs or plane) the bottom wall 142 can have the peripheral edge 1432 (coplanar with respect to the annular portion 1422 or protruding from it ) lying in a B-B 'plane (see e.g. Figure 3).

In one or more embodiments as exemplified here, the central portion 1420 can protrude from the body of the cartridge 10 beyond the plane B-B 'in which the peripheral edge 1432 lies, e.g. by an amount indicated by d in Figure 3.

As already indicated in the introductory part of the present description, the preparation of a liquid product with a cartridge as exemplified here may involve, according to per se known criteria:

the perforation of the upper sealing foil 16 of the cartridge through a set of piercing tips of the dispensing machine,

- the entry into the cartridge 10, through the perforated lamina 16, of hot water and / or perforated steam which, with the substance 12 arranged in the two chambers of the cartridge 10, creates a currently defined mechanism (although perhaps not entirely correct) of infusion, e

the escape of the resulting liquid product through the bottom wall 142 (e.g. through the and the openings 1428 provided in the protruding portion 1420).

In one or more embodiments, the central projecting portion 1420 of the bottom wall 142 can be shaped like a spout for dispensing the aforementioned liquid product.

In one or more embodiments, the presence of the filter element 182 can facilitate the contrasting action of the substance 12 coming out of the cartridge 10 through the opening or apertures 1428 provided in the protruding portion 1420 of the bottom wall 142.

As exemplified in Figures 3 and 4, the fact that, in one or more embodiments, the central portion 1420 protrudes from the body of the cartridge beyond the plane B-B 'in which the peripheral edge 1432 lies, allows, together with the overall trend planar in a direction orthogonal to axis X14 (therefore not funnel or basin) of the annular portion 1422 to keep the bottom wall 142 out of contact with the tips P, e.g. keeping it raised with respect to the points P.

All this while at the same time ensuring that the central portion 1420, which protrudes with respect to the plane B-B 'can extend centrally between the points P (which can be arranged in an annular array) so as to be able to perform its function of dispensing the liquid product through the openings 1428.

In one or more embodiments, this result can be achieved without penalizing the content of the dose 12 thanks to the fact that the central projecting portion 1420 provides inside it an extension of the receiving chamber for the dose 12 of the substance for the preparation of said liquid product.

At the same time, in one or more embodiments, the fact that the liquid product can escape from the capsule 10 only through the opening or apertures 1428 provided in the protruding portion 1420 of the bottom wall 142, allows to contain unwanted contamination phenomena (cross -contamination), of the P tips by substance 12 used to prepare a certain product. The tips P may in fact be capable of being subsequently used for the preparation of liquid products, for example to prepare drinks in which the presence of this substance is not foreseen: think, purely by way of example, of the case of sugar.

In one or more embodiments it is possible to provide that the extension of the chamber for receiving the substance for the preparation formed inside it by the protruding central portion forms a separate receiving chamber with a filling of a second substance for the preparation of the aforementioned product. liquid and that a laminar filter element (e.g. filter paper or non-woven fabric) is applied to the bottom wall 142, which separates this second receiving chamber from the rest of the internal volume of the cartridge 10.

In this way, in one or more embodiments, the cartridge can comprise a body 14 having inside it a first receiving chamber with a filling of a first substance (e.g. roasted and ground coffee powder, tea leaf, powdered or soluble milk) for the preparation of the liquid product and a second receiving chamber with a filling of a second substance (e.g. soluble coffee, powdered milk, soluble chocolate, soluble barley, sugar, soluble powder flavorings, and combinations thereof) which can be used together with the first for the preparation of said liquid product.

One or more embodiments can provide for the creation of assortments of cartridges such as those exemplified here, the assortment comprising cartridges 10 of two or more different types, in which the central portion 1420 protrudes with respect to the bottom wall 142 (and therefore with respect to the surface B - B ') of a different amount d, eg. of a first amount of d 'in a first type of cartridge, a second amount of d' ', different from the first, in a second type of cartridge, a third amount of d' '' in a third type of cartridge, and so on.

This diversity between the cartridges of the assortment can be reflected, e.g. in different levels of presence of the substance 12 (given by the greater or lesser volume of the "auxiliary" chamber defined by the internal volume of the protruding portion 1420), with the consequent possibility, for example, of preparing more or less "strong" drinks.

Naturally, without prejudice to the basic principles, the details of construction and the embodiments may vary, even significantly, with respect to what is illustrated here purely by way of non-limiting example without thereby departing from the scope of protection.

This scope of protection is defined by the attached claims.

Claims (9)

CLAIMS 1. Cartridge (10) for the preparation of a liquid product by means of liquid and / or vapor introduced into the cartridge (10), the cartridge comprising a body (14) with a central axis (X14), said body having an internal receiving chamber with a filling of a substance (12) for the preparation of said liquid product, said body having a bottom wall (142) through which said liquid product is capable of flowing out of the cartridge (10), in which said bottom wall ( 142) has a peripheral edge (1432) lying in a plane (B-B ') and has, observed on the external side with respect to the cartridge (10), a projecting central portion (1420) which provides inside it an extension of said receiving chamber with a filling of a substance for the preparation of said liquid product, wherein said central portion (1420) protrudes from the cartridge body beyond (d) the plane (B-B ') in which said peripheral edge (1432) lies, - said central portion (1420) is surrounded by an annular portion (1422) of said bottom wall (142) extending in a direction orthogonal to said central axis <(> X11 <)>, at least one opening (1428) is provided for the exit of said liquid product from the cartridge (10) located in correspondence with said central projecting portion (1420), with said bottom wall (142) free from openings (1428) for the exit of said liquid product from the cartridge (10) into said annular portion (1422). 2. Cartridge according to claim 1, comprising a filter element (182) coupled to said at least one opening (1428) for the discharge of said liquid product from the cartridge (10) located at, and preferably at the distal end, of said central projecting portion (1420). 3. Cartridge according to claim 2, wherein said filter element (182) is coupled to said at least one opening (1428) for the discharge of said liquid product from the cartridge (10) on the side of the bottom wall (142) internal with respect to the cartridge (10). 4. Cartridge according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said filter element comprises filter paper or non-woven fabric. 5. Cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said central portion (1420) projecting of said bottom wall (142) is shaped like a spout for dispensing said liquid product. Cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said peripheral edge (1432): it is substantially coplanar with said annular portion (1422) of said bottom wall (142), or protrudes from the cartridge body with respect to said annular portion (1422) of said bottom wall (142). 7. Cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said substance (12) for the preparation of said liquid product is selected from: roasted and ground coffee powder, tea leaf, powdered or soluble milk, soluble coffee, soluble chocolate , soluble barley, sugar, soluble powdered flavorings, and combinations thereof. Cartridge according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body (14) of the cartridge (10) comprises a sealing foil (16) closing the body of the cartridge (10) at the opposite end to said bottom wall (142 ). Assortment of cartridges according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least a first and a second cartridge according to any of the preceding claims, wherein: - in said first cartridge, said central portion (1420) protrudes with respect to said bottom wall (142) by a first amount, and - in said second cartridge, said central portion (1420) protrudes with respect to said bottom wall (142) by a second amount, said first amount and said second amount being different from each other.