WO2019150241A1

WO2019150241A1 - Capsule for beverages

Info

Publication number: WO2019150241A1
Application number: PCT/IB2019/050674
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alberto Bartoli; Andrea Bartoli
Original assignee: Sarong Societa' Per Azioni
Priority date: 2018-02-01
Filing date: 2019-01-28
Publication date: 2019-08-08
Also published as: IT201800002310A1

Abstract

A capsule (1) for brewing a beverage comprises a body (2) shaped as a drinking glass or a cup, in turn comprising a base wall (3) and a side wall (4) defining a cavity (5) that is suitable for containing an initial product for brewing said beverage, said body (2) comprising an edge (6) connected to the side wall (4), extending around an opening of the cavity (5) and folded backwards towards said side wall (4).

Description

Capsule for beverages

[0001] The invention relates to capsules or containers containing a food preparation that are usable in machines for dispensing a food product. In particular capsules made from an aluminium sheet or another easily deformable material.

[0002] More in detail, the invention relates to a sealed, single-dose and single-use capsule containing a food preparation, which can be in liquid form, or in powder, syrup, or pasta form, said capsule being able to dispense by a pressurized fluid the food preparation, which is possibly dissolved, or diluted, for subsequent uses. The capsule being usable in a machine for dispensing beverages.

[0003] Single-use and single-dose capsules are known that comprise an outer casing made of aluminium or another deformable material, which is impermeable to liquids and gases and is shaped as a drinking glass or a cup. In particular, the casing has a bottom wall and a side wall defining a cavity provided with a top opening through which a preparation can be inserted from which a beverage is obtained. The upper opening is hermetically closed by a cover, typically a film containing aluminium or a multilayered plastic film, so as to seal the preparation inside the cavity of the container. The cover of the capsule is perforable by injection means of the dispensing machine to permit the delivery of the pressurized liquid, typically water, with which the beverage is brewed.

[0004] With regard to dispensing of the obtained beverage, it can be for example obtained by perforating the bottom wall of the casing by extracting means of the dispensing machine, to enable the beverage to be dispensed.

[0005] The film that closes the capsule is welded to a peripheral flange that surrounds the upper opening of the capsule and is intended to engage an abutting element obtained in a housing of the dispensing machine intended to receive the capsule, to ensure a seal between the capsule and said seat, so as to avoid, during use, the exit of the fluid or of the beverage from the housing, owing to the high operating pressure.

[0006] In capsules made from an aluminium sheet or another easily deformable material of reduced thickness, of the order of a few tenths of a millimetre, it is difficult to succeed in ensuring the seal between the peripheral flange of the capsule and the housing of the dispensing machine.

[0007] For this purpose, providing the outer edge of the peripheral flange of the capsule with a bead is known, the bead generally having the shape of a curl, that, when the capsule is inserted into the dispensing machine, is crushed against an abutting element of the housing of the capsule and, becoming deformed, ensures a certain seal.

[0008] This bead is, however, difficult to make and complicates the capsule production process. Further, deformation of the bead is not homogeneous along the entire extent of the flange of the capsule, which does not ensure a secure and homogeneous seal along the flange.

[0009] One object of the present invention is to provide a capsule for beverages made from a sheet of aluminium or another easily deformable material that enables a secure and uniform seal to be obtained along the flange of the capsule, when the capsule is inserted into a housing of a dispensing machine and the flange is crushed against an abutting element of said housing.

[0010] A further object of the present invention is to provide a capsule for beverages that is easy and cheap to make.

[0011] The objects of the present invention are achieved with a capsule for beverages according to claim 1.

[0012] Owing to the invention, it is possible to make a capsule for beverages simply and cheaply, starting with a sheet of aluminium or an easily deformable material, that is shaped so as to ensure a secure and uniform seal when it is inserted into a housing of a dispensing machine, so as to prevent a leak from said housing of a pressurized fluid injected into the capsule for brewing a beverage, or the beverage itself.

[0013] Further features and advantages of the present invention are shown in the following description of embodiments of a capsule according to the invention, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0014] Figure 1 is an elevation view of a capsule according to the invention, sectioned along a plane containing an axis of the capsule;

[0015] Figure 2 is a view, like that in Figure 1, of a variation of the capsule of Figure 1;

[0016] Figure 3 is an enlarged detail of Figure 1;

[0017] Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of Figure 2.

[0018] With reference to the Figures, a capsule 1 according to the invention comprises a body 2 shaped substantially as a drinking glass or a cup, in turn comprising a base wall 3 and a side wall 4 defining a cavity 5 that is open and suitable for containing an initial product, for example a food product, soluble or percolatable, to be joined with a fluid, typically water, to obtain a final product. [0019] The body 2 further comprises a flange- shaped edge 6 connected to the side wall 4 and extending therefrom, arranged around the opening of the cavity 5.

[0020] The body 2 is obtained from a sheet of aluminium or from a multilayered sheet comprising at least one layer of aluminium and at least one polymeric layer.

[0021] The cavity 5 can be closed by a closing element, which is not shown in the figures, for example consisting of an aluminium film welded to the edge 6.

[0022] The edge 6 is folded backwards, i.e. towards the side wall 4 of the capsule 1 and comprises a first portion 7, that extends to the outside of the body 2 starting with the side wall 4, a second portion 8, having the shape of an arch with an extent of about 180° that connects the first portion 7 to a third portion 9, parallel to the first portion 7 and extending from the second portion 8 towards the side wall 4 of the capsule 1. The third portion 9 is arranged below the first portion 7, i.e. nearer the base wall 3 of the capsule 1 than the first portion 7.

[0023] The third portion 9 can extend parallel to the first portion 7 for a length that is greater than half the length of the first portion 7. In particular, the third portion 9 ends with an end 12 facing the side wall 4 without there being a contact between this end and the side wall 4. In one embodiment that is not shown, the end 12 comes into contact with the side wall 4.

[0024] Between the first portion 7 and the third portion 9 of the edge 6 a space 10 is defined into which can be inserted an annular element 11 of a material that is suitable for stiffening the edge 6 and improving an adaptation of the edge 6 to the surface of an abutting element of a housing of a beverage dispensing machine into which the capsule 1 is intended to be inserted. The better adaptation of the edge 6 to the surface of the aforesaid abutting element ensures an improved seal between the edge 6 of the capsule and the housing of the capsule in the beverage dispensing machine.

[0025] In a further embodiment that is not shown between the end 12 and the side wall 4 a sufficient space remains for the passage of an abutting element of the machine for brewing beverages, so that the abutting element engages the annular element 11.

[0026] The annular element 11 can be made of a yieldable, easily deformable, elastomeric, silicone, expanded material, maize starch, plastics, compostable material, material derived from cellulose.

Claims

1. Capsule (1) for brewing a beverage, comprising a body (2) shaped as a drinking glass or a cup, in turn comprising a base wall (3) and a side wall (4) defining a cavity (5) that is suitable for containing an initial product for brewing said beverage, said body (2) comprising an edge (6) connected to the side wall (4) and extending around an opening of the cavity (5), wherein said edge (6) is folded backwards towards said side wall (4), wherein said edge (6) comprises a first portion (7) that extends to the outside of the body (2) starting with the side wall (4), a second portion (8), having the shape of an arch, that connects the first portion (7) to a third portion (9) that extends from the second portion (8) towards the side wall (4) of the capsule (1), wherein between said first portion (7) and said third portion (9) of the edge (6) a space (10) is defined, characterized in that into said space (10) an annular element (11) is insertable that is suitable for stiffening the edge (6) and improving an adaptation of the edge (6) to the surface of an abutting element of a housing of a beverage dispensing machine into which the capsule (1) is intended to be inserted.

2. Capsule (1) according to claim 1, wherein said second portion (8) has an angular extent of about 180° and said third portion (9) is substantially parallel to said first portion

(7).

3. Capsule (1) according to claim 2, wherein said third portion (9) extends parallel to the first portion (7) for a length that is greater than half the length of the first portion (7).

4. Capsule (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein between one end (12) of said third portion (9) and the side wall (4) a space remains that is sufficient for an abutting element to pass of a machine for brewing beverages, so that the abutting element engages the annular element (11).

5. Capsule (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said capsule (1) is made of aluminium or of a multilayered material in which at least one layer is a layer of aluminium and at least one layer is polymeric.

6. Capsule (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said annular element (11) is made of a yieldable, easily deformable, elastomeric, silicone, expanded material, maize starch, plastics, compostable material, material derived from cellulose.