OA11357A

OA11357A - Closed flexible sachet.

Info

Publication number: OA11357A
Application number: OA1200000009A
Authority: OA
Inventors: Alfred Yoakim
Original assignee: Nestle Sa
Priority date: 1997-07-15
Filing date: 2000-01-14
Publication date: 2003-12-17
Also published as: WO1999003753A1; PT996578E; CO4840527A1; IL133094A; AU731750B2; ATE208732T1; DE69802537T2; EA001241B1; EA200000126A1; AR015403A1; JP2002507953A; NO20000173D0; ZA986214B; TW412407B; NO318045B1; DE69802537D1; IL133094A0; DK0996578T3; EP0996578A1; EG22403A

Abstract

The invention relates to a closed flexible sachet (11) in the form of an individual portion provided for extraction under pressure, containg ground roast coffee (41), consisting of two identical flexible sheets or of a single folded flexible sheet of circular, oval or polygonal shape, creating a space for the coffee between the two sheets or between the two faces of the folded sheet (11), and the two sheets or the two faces of the folded sheet are welded over their periphery (20, 44) so that the said sachet is substantially symmetrical with respect to its welding plane, and the sachet is opened through the effect only of the rise in pressure which takes place upon injection of the extraction fluid, in which the two flexible sheets or the two faces of the folded sheet extend over one side of the said sachet beyond their welding line so as to provide, between the said sheets or between the two faces of the folded sheet, a channel (15) which allows the arrival of the extraction fluid, the said channel being substantially perpendicular to the welding line (44) on which it emerges.

Description

011357

Closed flexible sachet -A-

The invention relates to a closed flexiblesachet in the form of an individual portion provided5 for extraction under pressure, containing at least onepulvérulent substànce for the préparation of a beveragechosen from ground roast coffee, tea, instant coffee, amixture of instant coffee and ground coffee, achocolaté-type product or any other dehydrated edible10 substance, consisting of two identical flexible sheetsor of a single folded flexible sheet of circular, ovalor polygonal shape, creating a space for thepulvérulent substance between the two sheets or betweenthe two faces of the folded sheet, and the two sheets15 or the two faces of the folded sheet are welded overtheir periphery so that the said sachet issubstantially symmetrical with respect to its weldingplane, the material used for the flexible sheets isimperméable to oxygen and to water vapour in order to20 preserve it, and the sachet is opened through theeffect only of the rise in pressure which takes placeupon injection of the extraction fluid.

Patent WO 94/01344 already relates to a closedflexible sachet provided for extraction under pressure.25 With this sachet, at the time of extraction, one of theflexible sheets is perforated so as to allow thearrivai of the extraction water. The drawback ofperforating the sheet is that firstly it is necessaryto guarantee the seal over thé entire periphery of the30 sachet and, secondly, if the coffee in the sachet isnot compacted, it is not always guaranteed that thesaid sachet will be perforated.

The object of the présent invention is todevelop a closed sachet provided for extraction under35 pressure, in which it is unnecessary to guarantee theseal over the entire periphery of the sachet at thetime of extraction and which makes it possible to avoidperforating one of the two flexible sheets.

The présent invention relates to a closed40 flexible sachet in the form of an individual portion _ 2 . 011357 provided for extraction under pressure, according tothe preamble of Claim 1, and in which the two flexiblesheets or the two faces of thé folded sheet extend overone side of the said sachet beyond their welding line 5 so as to provide, between the said sheets or betweenthe two faces of the folded sheet, a channel whichallows the arrivai of the extraction fluid, the saidchannel being substantially perpendicular to thewelding line on which it emerges. 10 The presence of the channel between the two flexible sheets or between the two faces of the foldedsheet makes it' possible to insert therein a needle orany other sharp element allowing the extraction waterto be supplied without perforating or tearing one of 15 the flexible sheets. It is unnecessary for the needleor the sharp element to enter into the channel: it isalso possible to envisage the arrivai of the extractionwater precisely at the entry of the said channel. Inone or other alternative, the important thing is that, 20 in the sachet according to the invention, the saidsachet is not opened by inserting the needle or thesharp element to the extent of breaking the weld whichcloses the said sachet, but it is the pressurized waterwhich initiâtes and completely opens the said weld of 25 the sachet in order to allow the extraction liquid toenter. The water pressure is normally between 1 and 7bar, i.e., in order to break the weld, a minimumpressure of water is requiréd which allows the saidweld to be opened up. 30 The method and the device which are used for the extraction of sachets according to the inventionmay advantageously be of the type which partially formsthe*~subject of EP Patent Application Nos. 92107548 and92112364. "Partially" is understood to mean that the 35 device is used not for the arrivai of the water but forthe exit of the coffee. The lower face of the sachet isopened by localized ruptures after its deformationagainst the non-perforating and non-cutting raised andhollowed-out éléments présent on the lower face of the _3_ .011357 device through the effect only of the rise in pressurewhich takes place upon injection of the extractionfluid.

The sachet according to the invention may be of5 square, rectangular, oval and other shapes. If thesachet is of rectangular shape, it has a width ofapproximately 2 to 15 cm, preferably of the order of 4-6 cm, and a length of from 6 to 20 cm. Depending on thesize of the sachet, it is possible to envisage the 10 extraction of a single cup or ôf several cups, forexample of two cups. Once filled, the sachet has athickness, at its centre, which is preferably between 5and 20 mm. The measured amount of pulvérulent substancecontained may vary betwéen 5 and 50 g, according to its 15 use. The coffee is normally in the sachet in non-compacted form, which makes the said sachet relativelysoft. It is, however, also possible to packagecompacted coffee. The depth of the arrivai channel forthe extraction fluid is normally from 3 to 10 mm and 20 the diameter of this channel is also between 3 and 10mm. The weld which closes the sachet normally has adepth of the order of 1 to 3 mm.

In order to accommodate the coffee on theflexible sheets or the folded flexible sheet, the 25 sheets are moulded either by means of compression in adie/piston assembly, or by means of pressurization ofthe inner faces by a gas and/or suction of the outerfaces. In both cases, the mould has the desired relief.

The sheets or the folded sheet may be made from 30 flexible material such as aluminium with a thickness offrom 5 to 40 microns or from plastic such as PET.

X

Preferably, the sheets will consist of aflexible, multi-layer material which is suitable forwelding using customary methods whilst at the same time 35 forming sufficient protection for the product against oxygen and water vapour. The following combination of materials is recommended: 011357 outer layer: PET (normal, woven or non-woven), PE,PP, PA, PS or paper; high-grade barrier central layer; aluminium with a5 thickness of between 5 and 20 microns, EVOH, PVDC, PET or PVA; inner layer: plastic, preferably PE or PP or OPPwith welding lacquer. The seal is normallyachieved at a température of between 18 0 and 10 250eC.

It is possible to envisage the following multi-layer combinations: PET-EVOH-PE or PET-aluminium-PE.The use of biodégradable or water-soluble material isalso possible as a single layer or in combination with 15 other material.

The sachet according to the invention ismanufactured in the conventional manner by means ofdeformation by moulding or by drawing of the twoflexible sheets or of the folded flexible sheet which 20 are imperméable to oxygen and to water vapour, bymeasuring the amount of pulvérulent substance onto oneof the flexible sheets and by welding the two sheets orthe two faces of the folded sheet over their periphery.The manufacturing operations are carried out under the 25 protection of a stream of oxygen-free inert gas, forexample under nitrogen or under CO2.

The major advantage of the sachet according tothe invention is that it allows the arrivai of theextraction water via a small opening in the weld 30 between the two flexible sheets or between the twofaces of the folded sheet. In this context, it ispossible to envisage several solutions. The channelbetween the two flexible sheets or between the twofaces of the folded sheet may, in one version, emerge 35 directly on the welding line and the extraction fluidthen has a single path via which to arrive at thesachet. By contrast, if it is desired to improve thedistribution of the flow into the bed of coffee,provision can be made for an arrivai channel which is _5_ . 0ΊΊ357 subdivided, after the welding line of the two flexiblesheets or of the two faces of the folded sheet, into atleast two channels emerging at different points in thésachet: for example, in the case of a sachet for a 5 single cup, two arrivai channels are envisaged, and, inthe case of a sachet for two cups, four arrivaichannels are envisaged.

In the sachet-extraction device, it is a sharpelement which is engaged into the water-arrivai 10 channel. So as to guarantee satisfactory insertion ofthe said sharp element into the channel, provision ismade on each flexible sheet or on each face of thefolded sheet for a break at the location of the saidchannel, allowing séparation of the said flexible 15 sheets or of the said faces of the folded sheet at themoment the extraction device is pricked. In anotherembodiment, it is also possible to envisage offsettingthe two faces of the folded sheet at the location ofthe channel. As already mentioned above, it is not 20 obligatory for the sharp element to engage in thechannel.

According to another embodiment of the sachetaccording to the invention, a tube, which is eitheradhesively bonded, or crimped or laid in position is 25 placed in the extension of the channel. The advantageof this tube is that it facilitâtes the insertion ofthe sharp element.

At the moment of extraction of the sachetaccording to the invention, it is held in the 30 extraction cavity and this guarantees satisfactoryperformance of the weld of the two flexible sheets.This__ performance is not guaranteed only at the locationof the arrivai channel for the extraction fluid, sothat the pressure of the said fluid breaks the weld at 35 this point, and only at this point, so as to allow theextraction water to enter into the sachet through thischannel or the channels.

As already mentioned above, the sachetaccording to the invention needs a satisfactory seal _6_ 011357 viz a VÏ2 the extraction fluid only at the location ofthe arrivai channel. The conséquence of this is that itfacilitâtes the design of the extraction machine andtherefore the latter's cost. 5 The remainder of the description is made with reference to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank for manufacturing a sachet according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a blank in a second10 embodiment;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of the sachet during extraction;

Fig. embodiment; 4 is a plan view of the sachet in a third 15 Fig. 5 is a plan view of the sachet in a fourth embodiment; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the sachet in a f ifth embodiment; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the sachet in a sixth 20 embodiment; and Fig. 8 is a plan view of the sachet in a seventh embodiment.

The blank (1) is a multi-layer flexible sheetbased on aluminium, polyethylene and polypropylene, 25 having a thickness of the order of 40 microns and whichis foldable along the line (4) . This sheet isthermoformed so as to create in it two cavities (2, 3)which make it possible to receive the ground roastcoffee (40) therein. The flexible sheet is then folded 30 along the line (4) and the two faces of the sheet arewelded along the hatched lines (5, 42). This weldingprovides a channel (6) between'the two faces, allowingthe insertion of the sharp element for sachet extraction. In the case of Figure 1, there is a channel 35 (6) emerging directly onto the bed of coffee. At the moment of use of the sachet, the water arrives via thesaid channel and the pressure of this water makes itpossible to break the seal (45) . To facilitate theinsertion of the said sharp element, provision is made 01.1 357 for breaks (7, 8) on the two faces of the flexible sheet (1) , which makes it possible, when the edge ispinched in the extraction device, satisfactorily toopen up the opening of the channel (6) . In the case of5 the figure, there is a sachet, for two cups, which hasa width of 4.5 cm and a length of 9 cm in the case ofeach cavity (2, 3) . The border (10) of the sachet whichgoes beyond the weld (42) has a width of from 2 to4 cm. 10 In the case of Figure 2, there is a sheet (11) based on the same composite as for Figure 1, the saidsheet being foldable along the line (12). It includescavities (13, 14) for the ground roast coffee (41) . Thesheet is then folded over and welded along the hatched 15 zones (20, 44) and a channel (15) is made in it whichis subdivided into two channels (18, 19), allowing thewater for extraction to arrive at two different pointsin the bed of coffee. When the water arrives, it breaksthe weld in the zone (46) and thus allows sachet 20 extraction. The breaks (16, 17) permit satisfactory opening of the channel (15) at the moment ofextraction. The border (43) which goes beyond the weld(44) has a width of from 2 to 4 cm.

Figure 3 shows a sachet (20) of more oval 25 shape, with its measured amount of coffee (21) . Theweld also appears in the form of hatched zones (22) .The welding zone (23) forms the séparation between thechannel (24) and the bed of coffee (21) . The sharpelement (25) is displaced between its guides (26) from 30 a set-back position to a position of engagement in thechannel (24) . It is from this moment onwards that theextraction fluid arrives at a pressure of between 1 and3 bar and breaks the weld (23) . The pressure in thesachet increases and the lower face of the said sachet 35 presses against raised and hollowed-out éléments whichare diagrammatically represented at (27) , until thesaid face tears at the locations of the said raised andhollowed-out éléments so as to allow the coffee to flowinto the cup placed beneath the extraction device. . g_ 011 357

Figure 4, finally, shows a sachet (30) whichhas a measured amount of coffee (31) with a weld (32) ,the weld (33) forming the séparation between themeasured amount of coffee and the channel (31) for. the 5 arrivai of the extraction fluid- In this channel,provision is made for a tube (34) , allowingsatisfactory insertion of the sharp element.

Figure 5 shows a sachet (47) obtained from afolded-over sheet, which gives_ two-^faces; (56, 57) . This 10 sachet is provided for a single cup of coffee with onemeasured amount of coffee (4 9) . The weld appears in theform of hatched zones (50, 51) . The welding zone (52) forms the séparation between the channel (53) and thebed of coffee (49) . After the weld (52) , the channel 15 (53) is subdivided into two channels (54, 55) , so that the water satisfactorily moistens the coffee at twodifferent locations. At the moment of extraction of thesachet (47), the offset of the two sheets (56, 57) allows satisfactory opening-up of the channel (53) to 20 permit satisfactory positioning of the water-arrivalchannel on the said channel (53) . The extraction fluidarrives at a pressure of between 1 and 4 bar and breaksthe weld (52) . The water then flows into the sachet andthe pressure in the sachet increases, and the lower 25 face of the said sachet presses against raised andhollowed-out éléments represented diagrammatically at(58) until the said face tears at the locations of thesaid raised and hollowed-out éléments so as to allowthe coffee to flow into the cup placed beneath the 30 extraction device.

Figure 6 shows a sachet (48) which raakes itpossible to préparé two cups of coffee with a measuredamount of coffee (69) and a measured amount (70) . Theweld appears in the form of hatched zones (61, 62, 63). 35 The welding zone (72) forms the séparation between thechannel (71) and the bed of coffee (69). After the weld(72) , the channel (71) is subdivided into threechannels : the two channels (64, 65) firstly allowing the extraction water to progress onto the bed of coffee _9_ 011357 (69) and, secondly, a third channel (66) allowing thewater to progress towards the second bed of coffee (70) . This channel (66) is then itself subdivided into two channels (67, the sachet . is 68) . At the moment5 used, the extraction fluid arrives via the channel (71)at a pressure of between 1 and 4 bar and breaks theweld (72). The pressure in the sachet increases and thelower face of the said sachet presses against theraised and hollowed-out éléments represented10 diagrammatically at <59, 60) until the said face tearsat the locations of the said raised and hollowed-outéléments so as to allow the coffee to flow into the twocups placed benéath the extraction device.

Figure 7 shows a sachet (73) obtained from a15 folded-over sheet giving two faces (74, 75). This sachet is provided for two cups of coffee with measuredamounts of coffee (99, 100) . The weld appears in the form of hatched zones (76, 77, 78). The welding zone (81) forms the séparation between the channel (86) and20 the beds of coffee (99, 100). After the weld (81), thechannel (86) subdivides into four channels: twochannels (82, 83) for the bed of coffee (99) and twochannels (84, 85) for the bed of coffee (100) . At themoment of extraction of the sachet (73), the offset of25 the two sheets (74, 75) allows satisfactory opening-up of the channel (86) to allow satisfactory positioningof the water-arrival channel on the said channel (86) .The extraction fluid arrives at a pressure of between 1and 4 bar and breaks the weld (81) . The water then30 flows into the sachet and the pressure in the sachetincreases and the lower face of the said sachet pressesagainst the raised and ' hollowed-out élémentsrepresented diagrammatically at (79, 80) until the saidface tears at the locations of the said raised and35 hollowed-out éléments so as to allow the coffee to flowinto the two cups placed beneath the extraction device.

Figure 8 shows a sachet (87) which makes itpossible to préparé two cups of coffee with onemeasured amount of coffee (101). The weld appears in 10 011357 the form of hatched zones (88, 89, 90, 91) . The weldingzone (92) forms the séparation between the channel (93)and the bed of coffee (101). After the weld (92), thechannel (93) subdivides into three channels: the first 5 two (94, 95) lead directly to the bed of coffee (101) ,and the third (96) conveys the water towards the bottomof the sachet. At the bottom of the sachet, itsubdivides again into two channels (97, 98) . In this embodiment, the water arrives at four points on the bed 10 of coffee, which allows satisfactory moistening of thesaid coffee and satisfactory extraction from thesachet.

It is well understood that the sachet according to the invention may be manufactured either from two15 flexible sheets or from a single folded flexible sheèt.

The advantage of this second solution is that itdispenses with one welding zone and thus reduces therisks of a defective seal in the sachet according tothe invention. 20

Explanation of the abbreviations: 25 30

PVDC

EVOH

PP

PE

PET

PA

PS

OPP

PVA polyvinylidene chloride copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol polypropylene polyethylene polyester polyamide polystyrène oriented polypropylene polyvinylacetate

Claims

11 Claims 0113 S 7

1. Closed flexible sachet in the form of an individual portion provided for extraction under 5 pressure, containing at least one pulvérulent substancefor the préparation of a beverage chosen from groundroast coffee, tea, instant coffee, a mixture of instantcoffee and ground coffee, a chocolaté-type product orany other dehydrated edible substance, consisting of 10 two identical flexible sheets or of a single foldedflexible sheet of circular, oval or polygonal shape,creating a space for the pulvérulent substance betweenthe two sheets or between the two faces of the foldedsheet, and the two sheets or the two faces of the 15 folded sheet are welded over their periphery so thatthe said sachet is substantially symmetrical withrespect to its welding plane, the material used for theflexible sheets is imperméable to oxygen and to watervapour in order to preserve it, and the sachet is 20 opened through the effect only of the rise in pressurewhich takes place upon injection of the extractionfluid, characterized in that the two flexible sheets orthe two faces of the folded sheet extend over one sideof the said sachet beyond their welding line so as to 25 provide, between the said sheets or between the twofaces of the folded sheet, a channel which allows thearrivai of the extraction fluid, the said channel beingsubstantially perpendicular to the welding line onwhich it emerges.

2. Sachet according to Claim 1, characterized in that the material for the flexible sheets or for thefolded sheet is chosen from aluminium, PET, PE, PP, PA,PS, paper, EVOH, PVDC and PVA, the said sheets beingsingle-layer or multi-layer sheets.

3. Sachet according to one of Claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the channel emerges directly on the welding line. - 12 - 12 011 3 57

4. Sachet according to one of Claims 1 or 2.characterized in that the channel is subdivided afterthe welding line into at least two channels emerging at 5 different points of the sachet.

5. Sachet according to one of Claims 1 to 4,characterized in that, in the extension of the channel,each flexible sheet or each face of the folded sheetcomprises a break allowing a séparation of the said 10 flexible sheets.

6. Sachet according to one of Claims 1 to 4,characterized in that, in the extension of the channel,each sheet is offset to allow a séparation of the saidflexible sheets.

7. Sachet according to Claim 1, characterized in that the channel comprises a tube which is adhesivelybonded, crimped or laid in position.

8. Sachet according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the weld of the two flexible 20 sheets or of the folded sheet is such that it opensunder an injection-fluid pressure of between 1 and 7bar.