EP3560856B1

EP3560856B1 - Capsule for the preparation of a beverage

Info

Publication number: EP3560856B1
Application number: EP18382275.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Nuria LINARES SOLERNOU; Jordi LINARES SOLERNOU
Original assignee: Canal Amplia SL; Remune SL
Current assignee: Canal Amplia SL; Remune SL
Priority date: 2018-04-24
Filing date: 2018-04-24
Publication date: 2020-12-16
Anticipated expiration: 2038-04-24
Also published as: ES2863567T3; EP3560856A1; WO2019207187A1

Description

The present invention relates to a capsule for producing a beverage, preferably by percolation, and a system for producing a percolated beverage from capsules.
Said capsules are usually used for the percolation of coffee from ground coffee, although they are also used for the production of other beverages such as, for example, tea or soluble beverages such as milk, chocolate beverages, etc.
There are various types of capsules. One type of capsule comprises a main body which contains the substance for percolation, said body being in the form of a cup having an opening with a perimeter rim which projects from said body at the height of the opening, and a film for closing the capsule, which covers said opening which is connected to said perimeter rim by the face of the perimeter rim facing said opening. Said capsules are usually made of plastics materials or of metal materials, usually aluminium. Owing to the different production processes (injection or air blown versus embossing and/or folded), the designs for both types of materials may differ.
Swiss patent document CH605293 discloses a capsule of this type.
For the beverage production from said capsules, systems exist which comprise a container which is closed against said rim and perforates the capsule at the end opposite said opening, through which the percolation liquid (usually water) is injected under pressure. In these circumstances, a good seal must be achieved between the container and the rim.
Spanish patent document ES2277184 discloses a ring made of a soft material on the rim, to ensure a good sealed closure of the container against the rim.
Patent document PCT WO2010084475 discloses an arrangement of sealing projections in an intermediate position of the rim or flange. The function of said solid projections is to be crushed by the container, ensuring the seal thereof. However, obtaining said form with materials such as aluminium is problematic.
European patent document EP2757056 discloses an accordion-type arrangement of projections. The accordion is formed by folds of the material which constitutes the perimeter rim, producing projections on said face. A drawback of producing projections by folding the material that forms the rim is that the area available for the adhesion of the film on the opposite side of the rim is reduced. Also WO2016/041596 A1 discloses such a capsule.
An object of the present invention is to disclose a capsule with sealing means arranged on the perimeter rim which does not have the above-mentioned drawback.
Accordingly, the present invention discloses a capsule for the percolation of a beverage, of the type which comprises a main body which contains the beverage to be percolated, said body being in the form of a cup with an opening, the capsule also having a perimeter rim which projects from said body at the height of the opening, and a capsule closure film which covers said opening and which is connected to said perimeter rim by the face of the perimeter rim facing said opening, said perimeter rim having, on the face opposite the perimeter face, at least one projection formed by a first fold in the material which forms the perimeter rim, characterised in that said rim has a second fold in the material, the projection being located at the outermost portion of the rim, such that a wall of material which forms the rim is provided between the first fold and the closure film, the film being connected to the rim at said wall.
The second fold of the capsule according to the present invention allows a double-wall perimeter rim to be provided, such that projections may be provided on the upper wall, while the lower wall can freely use an extensive planar surface to receive the film.
Preferably, there is a space between the portion of the capsule which has the first fold and said wall.
More preferably, said first fold and the wall are not in contact.
Preferably, the material forming the rim closes on itself or on a wall of said body.
Preferably, the material forming the rim closes on a wall of said body.
The space produced by the second fold has various effects. Firstly, it provides a path for the deformation of the rim or flange when the container closes against said rim. As greater path is available, it is less likely that spaces may form between the container and the rim through which the percolation liquid may escape.
Moreover, if the space remains open, such that an opening of said space is produced towards the centre of said capsule, the percolation liquid will penetrate into the space and, being under pressure, will apply a compression force of the material of the capsule against the walls of the container, which contributes to the seal. Accordingly, preferably, the material following the second fold rests on the side wall of the body of the capsule. In this case, the action of the container against the first fold tends to separate the material following the second fold from the side wall, opening the space and allowing the percolation liquid to enter.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, the rim is arranged as an extension of the material of the body which defines said wall, said wall being followed by said second fold, continuing with a wall portion which defines said at least one projection.
In an alternative embodiment which is also particularly preferable, the rim is arranged as an extension of the material of the body which comprises said first fold, said extension being followed by said second fold, continuing with a wall portion defining said at least one projection.
For a better understanding, the accompanying drawings show an embodiment of the capsule according to the present invention as an explanatory but not limiting example.

Fig. 1 is a cross section in front elevation of a system for producing a beverage according to the present invention, which comprises an embodiment of a capsule for the percolation of a beverage (for example, coffee) according to the present invention and a container for closure and for injection of the percolation liquid.
Fig. 2 is a plan view from above of the capsule of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 Is a plan view from below of the capsule of Fig. 1 and 2, the closure film and the coffee contained in the interior thereof having been removed.
Fig. 4 shows a detail of the perimeter rim of the capsule of the previous figures.
Fig. 5 is a cross section in front elevation of an alternative embodiment of a capsule according to the present invention.

Fig. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention.
In this embodiment, the material that constitutes the body -2- of the capsule -1- is folded to form the rim. The wall portion -4- adjoining the body -2- contains the sealing projections -3-, -5-, which are also formed by a fold of material. Next, the rim has a second fold of material which produces a wall -7- made of the material. The second fold is situated in the zone of the capsule nearest the perimeter. The wall -7- is planar and receives the closure film -10-. The free end -8- of the wall -7- finishes in contact with a zone of the interior of the side wall of the body -2- of the capsule. A chamber -6- is formed between the wall -7-and the portion with the projections -3-, -5-. The space -6-, in this case, is closed by simple contact of the end -8- with the side wall of the body -2-, such that when the closure container presses the projections -3-, -5-, the end -8- opens and allows percolation fluid under pressure to enter the chamber -6-, which helps produce a seal between the container and the rim of the capsule.
Fig. 1 also shows the container belonging to the percolation system, which system comprises a container -100- with means -101- for cutting the capsule, and means -102- for injecting water under pressure. The free end -103- of the container is responsible for providing a seal by contact with the rim of the capsule. The system in the example also comprises auxiliary means -104- for breaking the film -10-.
For clarity reasons, the material for producing the beverage contained in the capsule has not been shown in the figures.
Fig. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of a capsule according to the present invention. Elements that are similar or equivalent to those described above have been identified with identical reference numerals and will therefore not be described in detail.
In this embodiment, the material which constitutes the body -2- of the capsule is folded, forming the wall -7- directly. The wall -7- is planar and receives the closure film -10-. At the end nearest the outer perimeter of the wall -7-, a fold is formed which produces a wall portion in which are located the sealing projections -3-, -5-, also formed by a fold of material. The free end -8- of the wall portion finishes in contact with a zone -81- of the exterior of the side wall of the body -2- of the capsule. A chamber -6- is formed between the wall -7- and the portion with the projections -3-, -5-. In this case, closure at the contact zone is by simple contact, so that when the closure container presses the projections, the wall -7-and the wall portion -4- come closer to each other, which causes the free end -8- and the side wall of the body -2- to separate slightly. This facilitates the entry of the percolation liquid injected under pressure from the injection means -4- into the chamber -6-. The entry of liquid under pressure into the chamber -6-generates a connection pressure between the rim and the free end -103- of the container -100-, which favors the generation of a seal between the container and the rim of the capsule.
Although the invention has been presented and described with reference to embodiments thereof, it will be understood that said embodiments do not limit the invention, and therefore many structural or other details, which may be clear to persons skilled in the art after interpreting the subject matter which is disclosed in the present description, claims and drawings, may vary. Thus, all variants and equivalents will be included within the scope of the present invention if said variants and equivalents may be considered to fall within the widest ambit of the following claims.

Claims

Capsule for the preparation of a beverage, of the type which comprises a main body (2) which contains the beverage to be percolated, said body (2) being in the form of a cup with an opening, the capsule also having a perimeter rim which projects from said body at the height of the opening, and a capsule closure film (10) which covers said opening and which is connected to said perimeter rim by the face of the perimeter rim facing said opening, said perimeter rim having, on the face opposite the perimeter face, at least one projection (3, 5) formed by a first fold in the material which forms the perimeter rim, characterised in that said rim has a second fold in the material, the projection being located at the outermost portion of the rim, such that a wall (7) of material which forms the rim is provided between the first fold and the closure film (10), the film being connected to the rim at said wall (7).
Capsule according to the preceding claim, characterised in that said wall (7) is planar.
Capsule according to either of the preceding claims, characterised in that there is a space between the portion of the capsule which has the first fold and said wall (7).
Capsule according to the preceding claim, characterised in that said first fold and the wall (7) are not in contact.
Capsule according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the material that constitutes the rim closes on itself or on a wall of said body.
Capsule according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the material that constitutes the rim closes on a wall of said body.
Capsule according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the rim is arranged as an extension of the material of the body which defines said wall (7), said wall (7) being followed by said second fold, continuing with a wall portion which defines said at least one projection.
Capsule according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the rim is arranged as an extension of the material of the body which comprises said first fold, said extension being followed by said second fold, continuing with said wall (7).