CN114450233A

CN114450233A - Capsule for preparing a beverage by injection

Info

Publication number: CN114450233A
Application number: CN202080068696.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 卡洛·阿尔贝托·帕瑞斯
Original assignee: Pka Solutions LLC
Current assignee: Pka Solutions LLC
Priority date: 2019-10-03
Filing date: 2020-09-30
Publication date: 2022-05-06
Also published as: WO2021064051A1; BR112022006411A2; CA3151778A1; AU2020360882A1; US20220363468A1; EP4037995A1

Abstract

Capsule (1) for preparing a beverage by injection of a fluid under pressure inside said capsule, comprising: a cup-shaped body (2) comprising in turn a lateral wall (3) which is substantially truncated-cone-shaped and delimits an opening (6) and a blind bottom (4), and a membrane for closing the opening (6) of the cup-shaped body (2) so as to delimit a containment chamber (7) configured to contain a food substance for preparing a beverage; an inner filter (17) close to the blind bottom (4), the inner filter (17) comprising a bottom wall (18) comprising a substantially circular central zone (18A), the central zone (18A) being arranged in contact with the blind bottom (4) of the capsule and being surrounded by a circumferential distribution groove (19) which opens towards the blind bottom (4).

Description

Capsule for preparing a beverage by injection

The present invention relates to a capsule for preparing a beverage.

Capsules for preparing a beverage by injecting a pressurized fluid within the capsule itself, for example to prepare coffee in an espresso machine or the like, are currently known in the background art.

Typically, these capsules comprise a cup-shaped body which in turn comprises a lateral wall which is substantially truncated-cone shaped and which delimits an inlet and a blind bottom (blank bottom).

These known capsules have a chamber for containing a food substance for preparing the beverage, said chamber being delimited by a cup-shaped body and by a membrane for closing the cup-shaped body, which is applied at the opening so as to close the opening.

In the background art, there are many types of capsules that are compatible with existing and commercially available machines, each having its own specific characteristics.

One common drawback of the existing capsules is related to the wall thickness of the cup-shaped body: in fact, it cannot have too low a thickness, since it must withstand the stress of the pressurized water injected into the internal chamber of the capsule. However, providing a relatively high wall thickness brings some hardly desirable results: first, the cost (material related) of the capsule is relatively high; secondly (since the outer diameter is usually constrained by compatibility requirements), the increase in the thickness of the body wall allows the size of the chamber to be reduced; third, it is not possible to freely choose the preferred production method, since some of them would require wall thickness reduction; in the particular case of the last disadvantage, it should be considered that commercially available plastic capsules are generally manufactured by injection moulding.

Another drawback observed in the known machines relates to the distribution of the water inside the chamber: indeed, in some machines, the bottom of the capsule is pierced by the machine's injection needle which injects water under pressure into the capsule in a direction from the capsule's blind bottom to an upper sealing membrane which tears in order to allow the beverage to flow out (interfering with the adjoining parts of the machine); the applicant has observed that this drawback of the known capsules is such as to create preferential channels that do not allow uniform wetting of the contents of the capsule, with consequent deterioration of the quality of the beverage.

Another drawback relates to the known capsules provided internally with a filtering element: in practice, such elements are usually arranged near the blind bottom of the capsule, where the pressurized water injection needle penetrates.

In these capsules, there is a risk that the injection needle may come into contact with the filter by passing through or piercing the blind bottom, with the result that the filter is pierced or displaced from its seat; this may result in contamination of the injection needle by the beverage preparation substance contained in the capsule, with the result that subsequent preparation of a beverage different from the beverage already prepared may be contaminated.

Furthermore, in these capsules, there is a problem of uneven wetting of the contents of the capsule due to the formation of preferential channels in the beverage.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a capsule for preparing beverages which solves the above technical problems, eliminates the drawbacks and overcomes the limitations of the background art, allowing to obtain capsules which are thinner but still able to withstand the stresses of the pressurized water.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a capsule that can be manufactured with methods other than injection molding of a plastic body.

It is another object of the invention to provide a capsule with an optimal water distribution.

Another object of the invention is to provide a capsule with less contamination problems during the continuous preparation of different beverages.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a capsule that can guarantee maximum reliability and safety in use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a capsule that is easy to provide and economically competitive if compared to the background art.

This aim and these and other objects, which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a capsule according to claim 1, optionally having one or more of the characteristics of the dependent claims.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the capsule, illustrated by way of non-limiting example with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

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

FIG. 2 is a side view of the capsule of FIG. 1;

figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the capsule of figure 1 inserted into the seat in a condition of use;

figures 4 and 5 are sectional views of enlarged scale details of the capsule of the preceding figures;

figures 6 and 7 are perspective views of the filter of the capsule of the preceding figures, seen from above and from below, respectively;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the filter of the previous figure;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the filter of the previous figure;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the filter of the previous figure;

figures 11 and 12 are cross-sectional views of the capsule in two successive steps of use, before and after insertion of the injection needle, respectively;

fig. 13 is an enlarged scale view of a detail of fig. 12.

With reference to the figures, a capsule for preparing beverages by injection of a fluid under pressure inside the capsule, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises a cup-shaped body 2.

The cup-shaped body 2 in turn comprises a lateral wall 3, substantially frustoconical and delimiting an opening 6, and a blind bottom 4, arranged at the end face of the truncated cone formed by the lateral wall 3; preferably, the opening 6 is located at the larger end face, while the blind bottom 4 is arranged at the smaller end face.

The opening 6 is closed by a closing film (not shown) so as to define an inner chamber 7 configured to contain a food substance for preparing a beverage, such as powdered coffee, instant coffee, chocolate, tea, camomile, a preparation for herbal tea, etc.

In the present description and in the appended claims, the term blind bottom 4 denotes a plane wall lying on a plane parallel to the closing membrane and closing the cup-shaped body on one side (downwards in the figures).

Preferably, the body 2 is made of plastic material, more preferably of compostable plastic material having a gas-tight function and/or of PP-EVOH-PP material, in order to preserve the integrity of the food product contained in the capsule, for example to avoid its oxidation.

Preferably, the body 2 is provided by thermoforming.

This allows to provide a thin wall thickness comprised, for example, between 200 and 400 microns, which, however, thanks to the characteristics that will be described hereinafter, has such mechanical characteristics as to give the body 2 a rigidity sufficient to withstand the injection of the fluid under pressure (for example hot water) without undergoing deformations to such an extent as to compromise the function of the capsule 1.

Advantageously, the lateral wall 3 of the cup-shaped body 2 is substantially smooth, i.e. it has no external protuberances or ridges.

In some embodiments, the cup-shaped body 2 comprises an annular flange 11 projecting radially from the body at its opening 6.

In these embodiments, the closing membrane 5 of the opening 6 is coupled to the annular flange 11, for example heat-sealed or bonded by adhesive.

The membrane 5 is preferably made of a compostable barrier material or e.g. aluminium + lacquer or barrier polypropylene.

Optionally, the cup-shaped body 2 also has an internal circumferential reinforcing ridge 12, which is close to the annular flange 11 and is in fact constituted by one end of the cup-shaped body 2, which is thicker than the rest of the cup-shaped body 2.

As is evident in the detail of fig. 5, the internal circumferential reinforcing ridge 12 has, in the cup-shaped body 2, a first frustoconical portion 13, close to the opening 6 and having a diameter increasing towards the opening 6, and a second frustoconical portion 14, close to and adjacent to the first frustoconical portion 13, having a diameter increasing towards the blind bottom 4, so that the first frustoconical portion 13 and the second frustoconical portion 14 together provide a converging-diverging duct portion.

In particular, it should be noted that the cup-shaped body 2 has substantially the same first wall thickness as the entire body 2, except for the circumferential ridge 12 (in which the thickness increases as described above) and the annular flange 11 (which has a corresponding wall thickness greater than the first thickness).

In a preferred embodiment, the annular flange 11 has, on its lower surface (i.e. directed towards the plane on which the blind bottom 4 lies), a distal annular groove 71 which is open towards the plane on which the blind bottom 4 lies and which, in fact, surrounds the lateral wall 3 at the level of the opening 6; said distal annular groove 71 preferably has a substantially rectangular cross-section.

Preferably, the annular flange 11 also comprises, on the same lower surface, between the distal annular groove 71 and the side wall 3 close to the opening 6, a proximal annular groove 72, which is also open towards the plane on which the blind bottom 4 lies, and which in fact also surrounds the opening 6. Such proximal annular groove 72 has a substantially wedge-shaped cross-section and is adapted to house, during use, one end of a cylindrical wall B1 of a device for preparing a beverage for holding the capsule 1 in position.

In some embodiments (not shown), only the proximal annular groove 72 is present and the distal annular groove 71 is absent, which have the same characteristics as the proximal annular groove 72 just described.

Preferably, between the side wall 3 and the blind bottom 4, the body 2 has an annular narrower zone 15, where there are one or more undercuts 16 projecting radially towards the inside of the capsule 1.

The undercut 16 extends discontinuously, since it is provided at a predetermined angular position of the annular narrower portion 15, preferably positioned so that it is evenly distributed on said annular narrower portion 15.

More preferably, the undercuts 16 are arranged alternating at angular positions so as to be equidistant from each other.

This contributes to further increasing the strength of the capsule 1 according to the invention.

According to the invention, the capsule 1 also comprises an internal filter 17 close to the blind bottom 4.

In the embodiment in which the undercut 16 is present, the internal filter 17 actually interlocks under the undercut 16, thus also acting as a stop element for the filter 17, mechanically blocking the separation of the filter from the blind bottom 4.

The internal filter 17 is preferably arranged between the blind bottom 4 and the undercut 16, inserted during the insertion step by being pressed into position by elastic deformation of the undercut 16.

Advantageously, the internal filter contributes to providing structural robustness to the capsule 1 and, at the same time, as will become clearer hereinafter, is configured to allow the perforation thereof without damaging the blind bottom 4 and to resist any deformation of the capsule during perforation.

In more detail, the internal filter 17 comprises a bottom wall 18 arranged in contact with the blind bottom 4 of the capsule, and in said bottom wall 18 there is a circumferential dispensing groove 19 open towards the blind bottom 4. In other words, the dispensing groove 19 is a recess extending along the periphery and pointing towards the blind bottom 4.

The overall shape of the bottom wall 18 of the filter 17 provides a central zone 18A which is substantially circular and is surrounded by a distribution groove 19 arranged concentrically therewith. A central zone 18A, in turn comprising a substantially annular contact wall, which (in the assembled condition of the capsule) is in contact with the blind bottom 4; thus, the contact wall surrounds the central circular recess 181 and a central separation space is formed between this recess and the blind bottom 4.

According to the invention, as is apparent from fig. 4, the internal filter 17 substantially rests on the blind bottom 4 (preferably with only the central zone 18A) so as to form between them (the blind bottom 4 and the side wall 3) a lower chamber 91 of the seat having an annular plan shape. In other words, the lower chamber 91 is delimited by the internal filter 17 (more precisely by its bottom wall 18), by the blind bottom 4 and by the side wall 3.

The lower chamber 91 is adapted to be traversed by one or more injection elements a1 (typically an injection needle a1) allowing it to penetrate the blind bottom (as shown particularly in fig. 13).

Advantageously, the lower chamber 91 can be crossed by the pressurized liquid injected by the injection element a1, facilitating its uniform distribution.

In particular, in the condition of use, the lower chamber 91 is crossed by the injection element a1 at the dispensing recess 19.

In more detail, in a preferred embodiment, including the one shown, a truncated-cone-shaped portion 18B with a cylindrical shoulder 18C is arranged concentrically around the dispensing recess 19. The truncated-cone shaped portion 18B is formed by a wall inclined with respect to the contact wall of the central zone 18A, which projects radially outwards. In a preferred embodiment, the inclined wall forming the truncated-cone-shaped portion 18B is inclined at an angle of between 35 ° and 45 ° with respect to the contact wall (which is parallel to the blind bottom 4, since it is constituted by the lower surface of the central zone 18A). In these embodiments, the cylindrical shoulder 18C is substantially perpendicular with respect to the contact wall and the blind bottom 4.

In the assembled capsule condition, as particularly shown in fig. 4, the truncated-cone shaped portion 18B rests only partially on the inner abutment surface 3a of the side wall 3; in this way, at least part of the truncated-cone portion 18B is spaced from the underlying blind bottom 4, so that the lower chamber 91 extends not only below the dispensing recess 19, but also below part of the truncated-cone portion 18B, and finally the blind bottom 4 is in contact only with the contact wall of the central zone 18A.

In the preferred and illustrated embodiment, the connection portion 18D is comprised between the dispensing recess 19 and the truncated-cone portion 18C and comprises a connection wall directed towards the blind bottom 4, parallel to the contact wall of the central zone 18A and arranged at a different height from the latter, so as to be spaced apart from the blind bottom 4; the connecting wall of the connecting portion 18D has an annular shape.

In particular, the function of the distribution groove 19 is evident in fig. 4, 12 and 13: at the annular zone, it spaces the filter 17 from the blind bottom 4, so that when the injection element (needle) a1 of the machine (arranged along the peripheral edge contained in the annular zone defined by the projection of the dispensing groove 19 on the blind bottom 4) penetrates the blind bottom wall 4 to inject water under pressure into the capsule 1, it faces the dispensing groove 19, avoiding contact with the filter 4, thus avoiding the risk of its displacement in the capsule 1; furthermore, advantageously, the injection element (needle) a1 of the machine is free from the risk of coming into contact with the substance or food preparation contained in the containment chamber 7, thus avoiding contamination of said needle.

According to a preferred characteristic, the internal filter 17 comprises at least one, preferably a plurality (in the example shown, three) of distribution holes 20 (which are preferably circular) connecting the distribution recess 19 to the containing chamber 7, so as to introduce the pressurized fluid into the containing chamber 7 and therefore be provided at the distribution recess 19.

Thus, the dispensing orifice provides a fluid connection between the lower chamber 91 and the receiving chamber 7.

In a preferred embodiment, these distribution holes 20 are preferably arranged along a circumference concentric with respect to the filter 17, which is also circular in plan view and angularly equidistant.

Preferably, filter 17 also comprises a plurality of supply openings 21 configured to introduce a pressurized fluid into containment chamber 7; for this purpose, a supply opening 21 connects the receiving chamber to the distribution recess 19 and is provided there.

Thus, the supply opening 21 provides a fluid connection of the lower chamber 91 with the receiving chamber 7.

Even more preferably, each supply opening 21 is arranged between two dispensing apertures 20, so that the supply openings 21 and the dispensing apertures 20 are arranged alternating along the same circumference, as in the example shown, wherein there are three supply openings 21 alternating with three dispensing apertures 20.

Preferably, the supply opening 21 has an elongated shape along the circumference, and even more preferably, as in the embodiment shown, has the shape of a ring-shaped portion (a portion of a torus delimited by two radii). In other embodiments, the supply opening 21 has a rectangular shape.

Advantageously, the supply opening 21 and the dispensing hole 20 are substantially coplanar, are arranged on the same surface having a toroidal shape, and have an axis substantially perpendicular to the blind bottom 4 and to the closing membrane of the opening 6.

By the above improvement, the creation of preferential paths for the water in the containment chamber 7 is avoided, making its diffusion more uniform and allowing the water to wet the food substance in the containment chamber 7 in an overall uniform manner.

Fig. 6 shows the upper wall of the inner filter 17 (which is opposite the bottom wall 18). The upper wall includes: a central hollow at the center, at the central region 18A; a raised section extending along an annulus concentric with the central hollow, around the central hollow and at the dispensing groove 19, the raised section being arranged at a first height, along which there is a dispensing orifice 20 and (when present) a dispensing opening; around the convex section, concentric therewith, at the truncated-cone-shaped portion 18C and the connection portion 18D, a circumferential hollow, which is in turn surrounded by a cylindrical shoulder 18C (the truncated-cone-shaped portion 18C and the connection portion 18D in fact constitute the bottom and the side wall of said circumferential hollow, respectively). It should be noted that in the illustrated embodiment, the bottom of the circumferential hollow is at a higher height than the bottom of the central hollow, and the cylindrical shoulder extends to a height greater than the first height of the raised section.

In particular, it is specified that in the present description, the term height is used to indicate the distance from the plane in which the blind bottom 4 of the capsule 1 lies.

The internal filter 17 is also made of plastic material, more preferably of compostable plastic material with a gas-tight function and/or of PP-EVOH-PP material.

The filter is preferably provided by thermoforming.

The operation of the capsule 1 is clear and evident from what has been described.

The capsule can be used substantially with water input at the part with the largest diameter or at the part with the smallest diameter (bottom of the capsule).

In practice it has been found that the capsule according to the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, since it allows to provide a capsule for preparing beverages which is thinner but able to withstand the stresses of the water under pressure.

Another advantage of the capsule according to the invention is that it can be manufactured with a method different from injection moulding of the plastic body, for example preferably by thermoforming. Obviously, any manufacturing technique suitable for the purpose may be used.

Another advantage of the capsule according to the invention is that it has an optimal water distribution.

Another advantage of the capsule according to the invention is that it has less contamination problems during the continuous preparation of different beverages.

Another advantage of the capsule according to the invention is that it is relatively easy to provide and economically competitive compared to the background art.

Thus, numerous modifications and variations can be made to the pod (pod) of the present invention, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.

All the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

The disclosures in italian patent application No. 102019000017822, from which this application claims priority, are incorporated herein by reference.

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

Claims

1. Capsule (1) for preparing a beverage by injection of a fluid under pressure inside the capsule, comprising:

-a cup-shaped body (2) in turn comprising a blind bottom (4) and a lateral wall (3) substantially truncated-cone-shaped and delimiting an opening (6),

-a membrane for closing said opening (6) of said cup-shaped body (2) so as to define a containment chamber (7) configured to contain a food substance for preparing said beverage,

characterized in that it comprises an internal filter (17) close to the blind bottom (4), said internal filter (17) comprising a bottom wall (18) comprising a substantially circular central zone (18A), said central zone (18A) being arranged in contact with the blind bottom (4) of the capsule and being surrounded by a circumferential distribution groove (19) open towards the blind bottom (4);

the internal filter (17) rests on the blind bottom (4) and forms, between the internal filter, the blind bottom (4) and the side wall (3), a lower chamber (91) with an annular seat, the lower chamber (91) being suitable for being crossed by one or more injection elements (a1) to allow the latter to penetrate the blind bottom (4).

2. Capsule (1) according to claim 1, wherein said inner filter (17) comprises a truncated-cone-shaped portion (18B) having a cylindrical shoulder (18C) arranged concentrically around said dispensing groove (19).

3. Capsule (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said truncated-cone-shaped portion (18B) rests partly on the internal abutment surface (3A) of the side wall (3) so that said truncated-cone-shaped portion (18B) is spaced apart from the underlying blind bottom (4).

4. The capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said internal filter (17) comprises one or more dispensing holes (20) connecting said dispensing recess (19) to said containment chamber (7).

5. A capsule (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said inner filter (17) comprises a plurality of said dispensing holes (20) and a plurality of supply openings (21) configured to introduce said fluid under pressure into said containment chamber (7), each of said supply openings (21) being arranged between two dispensing holes (20).

6. Capsule (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said supply opening (21) is shaped as an annular portion.

7. A capsule (1) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein said supply openings (21) and said dispensing hole (20) are arranged alternating along the same circumference.

8. A capsule (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the cup-shaped body (2) comprises an annular flange (11) projecting radially from the cup-shaped body (2) at the opening (6) thereof, the membrane (5) being intended to close the opening (6) coupled to the annular flange (11), and wherein the cup-shaped body (2) is provided with a circumferential reinforcing ridge (12) close to the annular flange (11), the inner circumferential reinforcing ridge (12) defining, in the body, a first frustoconical portion (13) close to the opening (6) and having a diameter increasing towards the opening (6), and a second frustoconical portion (14) close to the first and having a diameter increasing towards the blind bottom (4), such that said first and second frustoconical portions (13, 14) define a converging-diverging portion.

9. A capsule (1) according to claim 8, wherein said annular flange (11) comprises on its lower surface a distal annular groove (71) open towards the plane on which said blind bottom (4) rests.

10. Capsule (1) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein said annular flange (11) comprises, on its lower surface, a proximal annular groove (72) directed towards the plane on which said blind bottom (4) lies, having a substantially wedge-shaped cross-section and adapted to house, during use, one end of a cylindrical wall (B1) of an apparatus for preparing beverages.

11. Capsule (1) according to one or more of claims 8 to 10, wherein said cup-shaped body (2) substantially has a first wall thickness, the entire body (2) having the same first wall thickness, except for said inner circumferential reinforcing ridge (12) and said annular flange (11) having corresponding wall thicknesses greater than said first wall thickness.

12. The capsule (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that between said lateral wall (3) and said blind bottom (4), said body (2) has an annular narrower region (15) with one or more undercuts (16) at said annular narrower region (15), said undercuts projecting radially inside said capsule (1); the inner filter (17) interlocks under the undercut (16) which mechanically blocks movement of the inner filter (17) away from the blind bottom (4).

13. The capsule (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said undercut (16) extends discontinuously, being provided at predetermined angular positions of said annular narrower area (15), so that it is uniformly distributed along said annular narrower area (15).