EP3118140B1 - Capsule for preparing a liquid food - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a capsule with a preferably rotationally symmetrical capsule body for the preparation of a liquid food according to the preamble of claim 1.

Capsules of this type are used in particular for the preparation of coffee or coffee-type drinks. The capsule forms the portion packaging for the transport and storage of a starting substance contained therein for the production of a finished beverage product. For example, capsules containing ground coffee powder are widely used to make coffee drinks. Furthermore, capsules containing dried milk powder are known for the production of milk or milk foam. A central role in the preparation of a finished beverage product in a corresponding beverage preparation machine plays the design of the capsule.

Such capsules for preparing a liquid food are known in many embodiments. So shows, for example EP 2 891 615 A1 a capsule with a rotationally symmetrical capsule body having a circumferential side wall and a bottom, wherein in this capsule body, a substance is accommodated in a chamber which is closed by a lid. In order to prevent the escape of the substance from the chamber, a filter element is inserted above the bottom, which retains unresolved substance particles and restricts the flow through the capsule. A disadvantage of this capsule is in particular that the production of the capsule is complicated and correspondingly expensive, since several items are used. Furthermore, the capsule from the prior art has the disadvantage that after the actual extraction process still a large amount of Liquid remains in the capsule and the capsule can drip accordingly.

document EP2236437A1 discloses a capsule according to the preamble of claim 1.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. In particular, a capsule should be made available, which after the preparation of the liquid food only reduced or no longer drips.

This object is achieved by the capsule defined in independent claim 1. Further embodiments emerge from the dependent claims. A capsule according to the invention comprises a preferably rotationally symmetrical capsule body with at least one side wall and a bottom with an outlet opening. The capsule further comprises a lid covering the capsule body and a filter element for forming at least one chamber containing at least one substance for preparing a liquid food. The filter element separates the chamber from the outlet opening. For the passage of a liquid through the chamber, the lid form an inlet side and the bottom with the outlet side opening an outlet side. The invention is characterized in that the bottom has a support structure with at least one preferably central support for the filter element.

The fact that the bottom has a support structure, a very simple construction of the capsule can be realized with a filter element, for example in the form of a filter paper. The support structure can be integrally integrated in the bottom of the capsule. Alternatively, however, it is also conceivable that a separate support structure is inserted in the bottom of the capsule. Central to this is that the filter element is not only attached to the edge of the capsule body, but also supported by means of the support structure can be. Accordingly, the filter element can be realized very thin and still withstand the high pressure required for the extraction of the liquid food. Depending on the configuration, the support structure also acts as a flow-through chicane and thus as a drip brake as soon as the chamber is depressurized. An influencing of the adhesion forces between the liquid and the support structure is possible by the design.

The support structure may comprise a plurality of support elements, which are arranged in the bottom of the capsule, preferably integrally formed with the bottom. The fact that the support structure comprises not only a support but a plurality of support elements, the filter element is additionally stabilized. Inadvertent tearing of the filter element is thus excluded. By a one-piece design of the support structure or the support elements to the ground, a simple and particularly inexpensive capsule can be provided.

A light mass between adjacent support elements may be at most 3.0 mm, preferably at most 2.0 mm, particularly preferably at most 1.5 mm. By choosing the smallest possible light mass between the adjacent support elements, the filter element can be made correspondingly thinner and / or more labile.

The support structure may comprise a plurality of support elements arranged in concentric rings. An arrangement of the support structure or the support elements in concentric rings allows a simple symmetrical design of the support structure, so that the flow of the prepared liquid food is symmetrical to a centrally located outlet.

The support elements may have spaced-apart ring segments and / or closed rings. The design of the support elements as spaced-apart ring segments makes it possible to form a labyrinth structure, which causes an additional mixing of the prepared food. In an embodiment of the support members of closed rings, however, a good and all-round support of the filter element can be ensured. The closed rings can be designed with or without openings. It has been shown that closed rings with breakthroughs ensure additional mixing. However, if the closed rings are configured without apertures, that part of the prepared food which flows through the filter element near the side wall of the capsule body will have to overcome these closed rings on its side facing the filter element, which also results in additional mixing.

The support structure may have a maximum height of 2.5 mm, preferably not more than 2.0 mm, particularly preferably not more than 1.5 mm. Such sizing has been found to provide a good compromise between ideal mixing of the prepared food, good manufacturability and acceptable space requirements. The height of the support structure is measured starting from the base of the soil.

The filter element may have passage openings of less than 0.5 mm, preferably less than 0.3 mm, particularly preferably less than 0.2 mm. The choice of the size of the passage openings has a significant influence on the production of, for example, coffee. Through the use of very small openings can be ensured that the coffee powder used finely ground and thus produced a strong coffee can be. A disadvantage, however, is that very small openings offer a higher resistance to the liquid flowing through, so that the production of the corresponding food takes more time. In addition, by means of the size of the passage openings, the crema which is often desired during the production of a coffee can also be influenced.

The filter element may comprise a filter foil or a perforated foil. A filter film is understood in particular to mean a film or membrane in the form of a paper filter or a polymer filter or a biopolymer filter. Such filter elements in the form of a filter film or a perforated film are easy to handle and inexpensive to integrate in the capsule.

The filter element may be mounted on the entire support structure. Possible methods for attaching the filter element to the support structures are gluing, heat sealing or welding. With an attachment of the filter element on all support structures can be prevented that the filter element does not stretch excessively in a range and bends and fills the gap between two support structures. It can be ensured that the filter element is taut over the entire support structure. It goes without saying that when using a filter element which is attached to all support structures, the support structures or the support elements can not be configured as closed rings without openings, otherwise the filter effect is no longer guaranteed over the entire surface of the filter element can. In turn, however, with spaced-apart ring segments, closed rings with corresponding openings or with a filter element which is not on all support structures is fastened, the entire surface of the filter element can be used as an active filter surface. Accordingly, a very efficient extraction process of the liquid food can take place.

The capsule can be designed such that it contains no aluminum. Aluminum is to be avoided in the use of capsules for the preparation of liquid food from an environmental point of view. The production of aluminum or the recycling of aluminum is complex and very energy intensive. Accordingly, a capsule containing no aluminum is loaded with less gray energy than a corresponding capsule with aluminum. For this purpose, the entire capsule body is ideally made of plastic, for example by means of injection molding or by means of a deep-drawing process. As plastics, the usual, known to those skilled materials have proven. Also, the lid and the filter element must be made accordingly from a plastic film or from a paper filter.

The support structure in combination with the filter element can be designed such that under atmospheric pressure the leakage of liquid from the capsule is prevented or reduced to a maximum of three, preferably a maximum of two, more preferably a maximum of one drop per second. It is understood by an atmospheric pressure that the pressure within the capsule is equal to the pressure which prevails outside the capsule. By means of a corresponding configuration, it is thus possible to successfully prevent dripping of the capsule or at least to reduce it to an acceptable level. The machine used with the capsule is accordingly less polluted, which is particularly pleasant for the user. In addition, the Make it easier for users to know when the preparation of the liquid food has been completed.

The filter element can be arranged in a plane with a shoulder formed in capsule body and the bottom can be lowered relative to the shoulder. Such a shoulder is formed for example in the side wall of the capsule body. Alternatively, however, the floor may have a corresponding step, which forms a paragraph. It is lowered not only the ground opposite the paragraph, but also the soil associated support structure. Preferably, the filter element is fixed to the edge of this paragraph. The support structure may also be arranged on its side associated with the filter element in the same plane as the step. Such an embodiment of the capsule body allows a very simple production and a defined configuration of the chamber for receiving the substance. The filling of the chamber with the substance is simplified.

The outlet opening of the capsule can be covered by a central support. Such an overlap of the outlet opening prevents the filter element from bending and blocking the outlet opening.

The outlet opening may be arranged at the end of an outlet pipe, wherein the outlet pipe has on the capsule side a plurality of circumferentially arranged inlet openings. Preferably, the outlet tube ends capsule side on the central support. Such an outlet tube makes it possible to form the outgoing from the capsule jet of prepared food, so that a quiet flow takes place. In addition, the outlet tube may be provided with a central jet former.

In the outlet pipe or at its end, ie in the region of the outlet opening, a sealing film may be arranged which allows an aroma-tight closure of the capsule.

The support elements may have parallel or mutually inclined side walls, wherein the included angle between the side walls is preferably less than 20 °.

Figur 1:

eine Ansicht von oben einer erfindungsgemässen Kapsel in einer ersten Ausführungsform,

Figur 2:

einen Querschnitt durch die Kapsel aus Figur 1 entlang der Linie A-A,

Figur 3:

ein vergrössert dargestellter Ausschnitt C aus der Figur 2,

Figur 4:

einen zentralen Ausschnitt eines Querschnittes durch die Kapsel nach Figur 1 entlang der Linie B-B,

Figur 5:

eine Ansicht von oben einer erfindungsgemässen Kapsel in einer zweiten Ausführungsform, und

Figur 6:

ein vergrössert dargestellter Ausschnitt aus einem Querschnitt durch die Figur 5 entlang der Linie D-D in Analogie zur Figur 3.

On the basis of figures, which represent only embodiments, the invention will be explained in more detail below. Show it:

FIG. 1:

a top view of a capsule according to the invention in a first embodiment,

FIG. 2:

a cross section through the capsule FIG. 1 along the line AA,

FIG. 3:

an enlarged detail C from the FIG. 2 .

FIG. 4:

a central section of a cross section through the capsule after FIG. 1 along the line BB,

FIG. 5:

a top view of a capsule according to the invention in a second embodiment, and

FIG. 6:

an enlarged section of a cross section through the FIG. 5 along the line DD in analogy to FIG. 3 ,

The Figures 1 and 2 show a capsule 1 according to the invention in a first embodiment. It is in the FIG. 1 the capsule 1 is shown in a top view while FIG. 2 the capsule 1 in a cross section along the line AA according to FIG. 1 shows. In the FIG. 2 In addition, a lid 5 is located, which in the FIG. 1 is not visible. In addition, a substance 7 for the preparation of a liquid food was indicated schematically.

The capsule 1 according to the invention has a substantially rotationally symmetrical capsule body 2. The capsule body 2 is formed by a side wall 4 and a bottom 10. In the bottom 10, a shoulder 3 is formed, which defines a lowered portion of the bottom 10. In this lowered region of the bottom 10, a support structure 11 is arranged, which comprises a central support 12 and a plurality of support elements 13. The central support 12 covers an outlet in the bottom 10 of the capsule 1, which is formed by an outlet tube 21 with an outlet opening 20 and on the capsule side arranged inlet openings 22. The support members 13 are arranged annularly coaxially around the central support 12 around. The three inner support members 13 each form closed rings with openings, while the outermost support member 13 is formed by a plurality of spaced-apart ring segments.

On the support structure 11, a filter element 30 is arranged, which prevents undissolved particles of the substance 7 from being rinsed out of the capsule 1 during the preparation of the liquid food. When the capsule 1 is used as intended, water with high pressure is injected through its lid 5 into a chamber 6 between the lid 5 and the filter element 30.

In the chamber 6, the water will dissolve or brew or extract the substance 7 contained therein. The prepared liquid food is pressed through the filter element 30 and leave the capsule 1 through the outlet tube 21 and the outlet opening 20. So that the prepared food can emerge from the capsule 1 in an ordered liquid jet, the outlet tube 21 has a centrally arranged jet former 23.

The fact that the filter element 30 can rest on the support structure 11, this can be made very thin and cost-effective accordingly. The risk of tearing is influenced by the number of support elements 13.

The capsule body 2 can be made of a plastic material, for example by injection molding. If the cover 5 is also made of a plastic material, a significantly better life cycle assessment can be achieved compared to the conventional known coffee capsules with aluminum.

The FIG. 3 shows an enlarged detail C from the FIG. 2 , Evident is the lowered portion of the bottom 10, wherein in the bottom 10 a paragraph 3 is formed. Also visible are the support elements 13 and the central support 12, which together form the support structure 11, on which the filter element 13 rests. Also visible are the outlet pipe 21 and the inlet opening 22 in this outlet pipe. The inlet openings 22 allow a passage of the prepared food from the lowered portion of the bottom 10 in the outlet tube 21. As already discussed above, three of the four support members 13 are formed as closed rings with openings and the outermost support member as spaced-apart ring segments. Characterized in that the support members 13 have openings or are spaced from each other, the filter element 30 can be mounted not only on the shoulder 3 and the central support 12, but also on the support elements 13 are fixed. The filter element 30 is thus held very stable in the bottom region of the capsule 1. Nevertheless, the filter element 30 can be used on its entire surface as a filter. The prepared food can accordingly penetrate the entire surface of the filter element 30 and nevertheless reach the inlet opening 22 of the outlet tube 21.

FIG. 4 shows a central section of a cross section through the capsule 1 after FIG. 1 along the line BB. The cutting plane is placed through the outermost closed ring of the support element 13. It is only the sectional area shown with this support element. Clearly visible are the apertures 14 which, despite the attached filter element allow penetration of the prepared food by the support member 13.

FIG. 5 shows a top view of an inventive capsule 1 in a second embodiment. The capsule in turn has a substantially rotationally symmetrical capsule body 2. The support structure 11, which has a central support 12 and a plurality of ring segments disposed coaxially around the central support 12 as support elements 13, is clearly recognizable. Only the second outermost support element 13 is designed as a circumferentially closed ring, as will be explained further in FIG. Apart from the differently configured support structure 11, the capsule 1 is identical to the capsule 1 of FIG. 1 ,

In the FIG. 6 is an enlarged section of a cross section through the capsule 1 of FIG. 5 along the line DD in analogy to FIG. 3 shown. Evident is the lowered portion of the bottom 10, which the support structure 11th includes. The support structure 11 is in turn composed of a central support 12 and four support elements 13. On this support structure 11, the filter element 30 is arranged, which also rests on the shoulder 3 of the bottom 10. In contrast to FIG. 3 is in the FIG. 6 However, the filter element 30 is fixed only on the shoulder 3 and on three of the four support members 13 and on the central support 12. On the second-outermost support member 13, the filter element 30 is only on. This support member is formed in contrast to the other support members 13 as a closed ring, which has no openings. By loosely resting the filter element 30 on this support element can be ensured that a prepared food, which flows through the filter element 30, can overcome this designed as a continuous ring support element. This overcoming allows further mixing of the food on its way from the filter element 30 through the inlet openings 22 into the outlet pipe 21.

Claims (11)

1. Capsule (1) comprising a capsule body (2), formed preferably in a rotationally symmetric manner, with at least one side wall (4) and a base (10) having an outlet opening (20), and a cover (5) covering the capsule body (2) and a filter element (30) for forming at least one chamber (6) that contains at least one substance (7) for preparing a liquid foodstuff, wherein the filter element (30) separates the chamber (6) from the outlet opening (20), wherein, in order to pass a liquid through the chamber (6), the cover (5) forms an inlet side and the base (10) with the outlet opening (20) forms an outlet side, wherein the base (10) has a supporting structure (11) with at least one central support (12) for the filter element (30), wherein the supporting structure (11) comprises a plurality of supporting elements (13) that are arranged in the base (10) of the capsule (1) and are formed integrally with the base (10), wherein the supporting structure (11) comprises a plurality of supporting elements (13) arranged in concentric rings, wherein the supporting elements (13) have closed rings with apertures (14), characterized in that the supporting structure (11) supports and stabilizes the filter element (30) such that it withstands a pressure required for the extraction of the liquid foodstuff and unintended tearing of the filter element (30) is precluded.
2. Capsule (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that a clear dimension between adjacent supporting elements (13) is at most 3.0 mm, preferably at most 2.0 mm, particularly preferably at most 1.5 mm.
3. Capsule (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the supporting elements (13) have mutually spaced-apart ring segments.
4. Capsule (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the supporting structure (11) has a maximum height of 2.5 mm, preferably at most 2.0 mm, particularly preferably at most 1.5 mm.
5. Capsule (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the filter element (30) has through-openings (31) smaller than 0.5 mm, preferably smaller than 0.3 mm, particularly preferably smaller than 0.2 mm.
6. Capsule (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the filter element (30) comprises a filter film (32) or a perforated film.
7. Capsule (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the filter element (30) is fastened to the entire supporting structure (11).
8. Capsule (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the capsule (1) does not contain any aluminium.
9. Capsule (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the filter element (30) is arranged in a plane with a shoulder (3) formed in the capsule body (2), and the base (10) is recessed with respect to the shoulder (3).
10. Capsule (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the outlet opening (20) is covered by a central support (12).
11. Capsule (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the outlet opening (20) is arranged at the end of an outlet tube (21), and the outlet tube (21) has, on the capsule side, a plurality of inlet openings (22) arranged in an encircling manner.

Images