WO2015177769A1

WO2015177769A1 - Capsule for containing beverages in powder form, such as coffee and the like

Info

Publication number: WO2015177769A1
Application number: PCT/IB2015/053788
Authority: WO
Inventors: Francesco CORSETTI
Original assignee: Coffee One Coffee System Pte. Ltd.
Priority date: 2014-05-22
Filing date: 2015-05-22
Publication date: 2015-11-26
Also published as: EP3145839B1; EP3145839A1

Abstract

A capsule (1 ) for containing beverages in powder form, such as coffee and the like, which comprises a capsule body (2) which is provided in an upward region with a covering membrane (4) and in a downward region with a closed bottom (3), and a filtering element (5) adapted to be arranged at the bottom of the capsule, the filtering element (5) being provided with one or more holes (8), the peculiarity of which consists in that the filtering element (5) is adapted to define a pre-infusion ring (15) in which the coffee collects before passing through the holes (8) of the filtering element (5).

Description

CAPSULE FOR CONTAINING BEVERAGES IN POWDER FORM, SUCH AS COFFEE AND THE LIKE

The present invention relates to a capsule for containing beverages in powder form such as coffee and the like.

As is known, the use is increasingly widespread of automatic coffee machines which use capsules containing ground coffee, such powder being passed through by hot water in order to obtain an infusion of coffee which is then dispensed by the machine.

Usually conventional capsules are used by perforating the upper side covering of the capsule and simultaneously perforating the bottom of the same capsule, in order to make it possible to dispense the coffee obtained by mixing hot water with the powder contained in the capsule.

Market demand is for coffees that have as much "crema" as possible, similarly to what occurs with professional machines used in bars and cafes.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a capsule for containing beverages in powder form such as coffee and the like, which makes it possible to obtain a beverage with a substantial "crema".

Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a capsule for containing beverages in powder form such as coffee and the like, which makes it possible to define, within the capsule, a pre-infusion region of the coffee.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a capsule for containing beverages in powder form such as coffee and the like, in which the extraction of the coffee occurs so as to create a beverage with a substantial "crema".

Another object of the present invention is to provide a capsule for containing beverages in powder form such as coffee and the like, which makes it possible to provide a method of infusion such that the beverage obtained has a substantial "crema".

Another object of the present invention is to provide a capsule which is highly reliable, easily and practically implemented and low cost.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a capsule for containing beverages in powder form, such as coffee and the like, which comprises a capsule body which is provided in an upward region with a covering membrane and in a downward region with a closed bottom, and a filtering element adapted to be arranged at the bottom of said capsule, said filtering element being provided with one or more holes, characterized in that said filtering element is adapted to define a pre-infusion ring in which the coffee collects before passing through the holes of said filtering element.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the capsule according to the present invention, which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a capsule according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the capsule according to the present invention;

Figure 3 shows a first step of preparation of coffee by way of the capsule according to the invention;

Figure 4 shows a second step of the method of preparation using the capsule according to the invention;

Figure 5 shows the final step of the method of preparation of coffee by way of the capsule of the present invention.

With reference to the figures, the capsule according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1 , comprises a container body 2 which is made for example of plastic material, and has a closed bottom 3 and an upper opening which is covered by a membrane 4.

Conveniently, the capsule 1 has, within the body of the capsule, at the bottom 3, a filtering element 5, which is contoured so as to have inclined portions 6 at the edges and a raised central portion 7 so as to define a sort of convex element.

The filtering element 5 defines, at its inclined portions 6, a pre- infusion ring or region 15, in which the ground coffee 10 is forced to become compacted, by way of the convex geometric shape of the filtering element 5.

The filtering element 5 further defines, between it and the bottom 3 of the capsule, a compaction or post-infusion chamber 1 1 , in which the coffee compulsorily collects, as will be explained in detail hereinafter.

The filtering element 5 is provided with one or more holes and preferably a plurality of holes 8.

Advantageously, the filtering element is provided with raised edges 12 which are adapted to abut against the inner surface of the container body 2 of the capsule.

Use of the capsule according to the invention is as follows.

Firstly, hot water is injected into the body of the capsule 1 by way of a conventional perforation system, which perforates the membrane 4 of the capsule, as illustrated in Figure 3.

The arrows in Figure 3 show the hot water injected into the container body 2 of the capsule 1.

At this point, the coffee 10, which is contained inside the capsule 1 , starts to compact and accumulate at the pre-infusion ring 15.

The coffee then passes, through the holes 8 of the filtering element 5, into the post-infusion area 1 1 (defined between the bottom of the filtering element 5 and the inner, convex, wall of the bottom 3 of the capsule), thus collecting between the underside of the filtering element 5 and the bottom 3 of the capsule which is still closed (Figure 4).

At this point the coffee is placed under pressure and makes the bottom 3 of the capsule expand, making it pop outwardly and thus bringing it from a convex configuration to a concave configuration. The popping-out of the bottom 3 of the capsule has the effect of impacting the bottom 3 against a contrast element, with consequent perforation of the bottom 3.

As can be seen from Figure 5, the bottom 3 of the capsule is thus popped outwardly and the coffee flows out from the capsule 1 and, by way of dedicated conduits, it is dispensed into a cup.

In practice, the method according to the invention involves a first step of injecting hot water, a step of pre-infusion, from when the hot water comes into contact with the coffee up to when the lower chamber (defined between the filtering element and the bottom of the capsule) is full, and a step of collecting, under pressure, the coffee that was previously extracted and filtered by the filtering element 5 and is waiting to flow out from the capsule 1.

In practice it has been found that the capsule according to the present invention fully achieves the set aim and objects, in that it makes it possible to obtain a pre-infusion that makes it possible to confer a "crema" on the coffee dispensed into the cup.

The capsule, thus conceived, is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

In practice the materials employed, and the contingent dimensions and shapes, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

The content of Italian patent application no. ΜΓ2014Α000940, the priority of which is claimed in the present application, is incorporated as a reference.

Where the technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference numerals and/or signs, those reference numerals and/or signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference numerals and/or signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference numerals and/or signs.

Claims

1. A capsule (1) for containing beverages in powder form, such as coffee and the like, which comprises a capsule body (2) which is provided in an upward region with a covering membrane (4) and in a downward region with a closed bottom (3), and a filtering element (5) adapted to be arranged at the bottom of said capsule, said filtering element (5) being provided with one or more holes (8), characterized in that said filtering element (5) is adapted to define a pre-infusion ring ( 15) in which the coffee collects before passing through the holes (8) of said filtering element (5).

2. The capsule according to claim 1 , characterized in that said filtering element (5) is provided by a substantially convex pan, which is adapted to be arranged at the bottom of said capsule (1).

3. The capsule according to claim 1 , characterized in that said pre- infusion ring (15) is defined as a region at said filtering element (5), above said filtering element and in contact with it.

4. The capsule according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said filtering element (5) defines a post-infusion chamber (1 1) between said filtering element (5) and the bottom of said capsule (1).

5. The capsule according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said bottom (3) of the capsule is adapted to pass from a convex configuration to a concave configuration as a consequence of a beverage under pressure within said pre-infusion ring (15).

6. A method for containing a beverage in powder form, such as coffee and the like, by way of a capsule ( 1 ) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises the steps of:

- injecting hot water into the body (2) of the capsule, perforating the membrane (4) of the capsule;

- performing a pre-infusion of the coffee following the collection of the coffee in a position above said filtering element (5), in contact with inclined regions (6) of said filtering element (5);

- filtering the beverage in powder form which is present within said capsule (1) by said filtering element (5) provided on the bottom of the capsule;

- said beverage collecting between said filtering element (5) and said capsule bottom, in a post-infusion region (1 1);

the increase in pressure of said beverage inducing the bottom (3) of said capsule to expand, passing from a convex configuration to a concave configuration, so as to collide with a perforation element in order to allow the perforation of said bottom of the capsule and the consequent outflow of the beverage.