EP3762313B1

EP3762313B1 - Capsules for containing a substance from which a beverage can be produced

Info

Publication number: EP3762313B1
Application number: EP19721158.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Micha Alexander Held; Anthony Kay
Original assignee: Euro Caps Holding BV
Current assignee: Euro-Caps Holding BV
Priority date: 2018-03-07
Filing date: 2019-03-07
Publication date: 2023-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 2039-03-07
Also published as: EP3762313A1; WO2019172759A1; WO2019172759A8; EP3762313C0

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to capsules for containing a substance from which a beverage can be extracted.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

The specification of European Patent EP 1 344 722 ( United States Patent 7, 543, 527 ) discloses what it calls a cartridge for holding a substance from which a beverage can be extracted using hot water. The substance from which the beverage is to be extracted is between upper and lower elements which are shaped to provide liquid distribution channels. Both elements are manufactured by deep drawing.
The cartridge itself is of foil and a punching tool is required for this. Consequently a tool and two moulds are required to produce this capsule.
In addition, two small parts have to be sorted into the correct orientation and then inserted into the cartridge, one before and one after the substance. Small, separate parts are always a problem to handle.
The cartridge comprises a foil cup or bucket-shaped main body having a bottom foil portion and an open end opposite the bottom foil portion. The cartridge furthermore comprises a cover member that is to be sealed to the open end. Upstream from the particulate substance, and downstream from the particulate substance, the upper and lower elements are provided respectively, which are also referred to as fluid director members.
The lower fluid director member comprises a plurality of circular openings, for filtering the extracted beverage by preventing particles of the substance to pass through. The lower fluid director member further comprises a plurality of embossings that form ring segments that rest on the bottom foil portion of the cartridge. The ring segments are arranged concentrically around a centre axis of the cartridge. Between adjacent ones of the ring segments gaps are provided underneath the lower fluid director member that create fluid channels. The fluid channels extend towards a conically shaped centre wall portion that is directed pointed upwards towards the interior of the cartridge, and that delimits a recess underneath it.
During use the bottom foil portion gets penetrated by a piercing member for forming an outlet opening. Thus the extracted beverage that has passed through the openings in the lower fluid director member, can flow via the fluid channels underneath the lower fluid director member towards the pierced outlet opening. With this the conically shaped centre wall portion that is directed pointed upwards towards the interior of the cartridge, serves the purpose of helping to prevent the piercing member to also accidentally get to pierce through the lower fluid director member itself.
Thus the lower fluid director member here serves as a filtering member as well as a guiding member as well as a piercing stop.
During manufacturing after the foil cartridge has been shaped into its three-dimensional form, the lower fluid director member is inserted into the cartridge and attached to it. Then, the cartridge is filled with the substance. Finally, the upper fluid director member is inserted and the cover member is sealed to the open end.
A disadvantage of this cartridge of EP 1 344 722 is that the cartridge leaves to be desired cq improved. The capsule possesses some features that do not seem to provide optimal circumstances for a perfect serve of coffee, nor does it seem to provide an optimal interaction with the extraction device.
A related disadvantage seems to be that because the fluid channels are between the bottom wall and the lower fluid director member, and the bottom foil wall during use needs to get pierced upwards underneath the conically shaped centre wall portion, the extracted beverage is prone to get obstructed. This is because the inward piercing of the bottom foil wall is relative heavy owing to the strong material characteristics of the foil which in particular is an aluminium foil. This may even result in a so-called "trampolining" of a piercing needle or the like against the bottom aluminium foil wall. Also it is deemed to result in an upwardly curved aluminium foil edge around the thus pierced outlet opening. This can even be worsened due to deviations in positioning and local material properties that typically might occur in a puncturing step as this one. It seems probable that the bottom aluminium foil wall shall not always fail reliably with respect to an aimed flow path.
Yet another disadvantage is that the circular openings in the lower fluid director member to filter the particles out of the extracted beverage, may be too large and therefore let particles of the substance pass through, or may be too small and therefore can easily get clogged by the particles. Particles passing through the fluid director member end up in the beverage, which negatively affects the product quality or may end up contaminating inner workings of an extraction device, thereby negatively affecting it's time to next maintenance. In the case wherein the openings get clogged, the product quality also gets negatively affected.
Another disadvantage of EP 1 344 722 is that that due to the configuration of the embossed ring segments in the lower fluid director member, the extracted beverage has a relatively short path of travel through the fluid channels after having flown through the openings. Especially for coffee, such a short path of travel is negative for the forming of flavour and crema of the beverage. This feature therefore seems to be suboptimal considering product quality.
Furthermore, the manufacturing process for this known cartridge seems far from optimal. It includes some manufacturing stages that are relatively cumbersome, that require additional processing steps and/or require additional handling that may negatively influence the quality of the end product. Furthermore it is disadvantageous that its technique is only usable for a limited number of capsule types.
Another disadvantage of EP 1 344 722 is that two additional parts need to be manufactured, that is to say that during manufacturing, both the lower and upper fluid direction members need to be deep drawn and provided with embossings and openings. To acquire the fluid director members as disclosed, first a cup shaped member is deep drawn from a flat element. Then, the embossings and the recess underneath the conically shaped centre wall portion are formed in an additional drawing step. Finally, the openings in the fluid director members will have to be provided by applying some kind of punching step. This makes the manufacturing method more complex, time consuming, and less cost-efficient.
Furthermore, EP 1 344 722 states that the fluid director members as disclosed should be provided with a side wall to allow for insertion into the capsule without tilting during the process. Besides requiring an extra step during the manufacturing of the fluid director members, this also requires extra material to be present in the initially flat starting material. The solution disclosed therefore seems to negatively affect the environmental friendliness of the invention.
WO-2012/121597 , WO-2007/114685 and WO-2012/125032 disclose capsules that are each constructed with a flexible bottom base wall that is co-moulded with an up- and downwardly movable column that extends over the entire height of the capsule body. The columns each delimit a space and have closed lower ends and open upper ends, such that during operation a liquid feed lance, that gets pierced through a top sealing film, can feed pressurized liquid into the space. When during operation such a feed lance gets pierced through the top sealing film, at a same time, the column shall get pushed down by the lance in order to have a downwardly projecting lower portion of the column pierce from the inside out through a bottom sealing film.
A disadvantage hereof is that this type of capsule is difficult and expensive to produce, that its functioning leaves to be desired, and that the entire foreseen opening mechanism of the bottom sealing film from the inside out, by means of a bottom piercing member that needs to get operated by an up- and downwardly movable central column makes the construction complex and vulnerable for premature accidental opening or malfunctioning to occur.
The present invention aims to at least partly overcome these disadvantages or to provide a usable alternative. In particular the invention aims to provide a capsule that improves the extraction conditions and reliable use of the capsule, and that can be more easily manufactured by means of a cost effective method, and that can be used for various capsule platforms. More in particular, the object of the present invention is to produce a capsule which for example is of the same general type as that of the European specification but is of simpler construction and has less parts requiring tooling and/or moulds for their manufacture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, this aim is achieved by means of the capsule according to claim 1. This capsule for containing a substance from which a beverage can be produced, comprises a capsule body that comprises a base wall and a side wall, wherein the side wall and the base wall define a space for containing the substance. The base wall includes a centre element which extends towards said space from the base wall. According to the inventive thought, the capsule body has been injection moulded including the centre element, wherein there are outlet openings in the centre element for permitting liquid to flow from the capsule body, and wherein a closure element is provided for closing an external end of the centre element.
Thus advantageously a capsule is provided of which the capsule body can be injection moulded as one integral piece including the co-moulding of the integral centre element that extends from the base wall into the substance containing space. The centre element can serve as a piercing stop while at a same time being provided with outlet openings. Those outlet openings are already fully functional in that they permit extracted beverage to immediately start flowing from out of the capsule body as soon as the closure element has been opened. Owing to the invention this closure element can now be specifically designed for its purpose of temporarily closing of the external end of the centre element. The closure element no longer has to form an integral strong part of the bottom wall of the capsule body, like for example of an aluminium foil capsule body. Another important advantage is that having to manufacture a complex and expensive distinctive member that comprises said centre element and which distinctive member needs to be carefully positioned inside the capsule body during manufacturing, now is no longer necessary.
As indicated above, it is now advantageously possible to make use of all kinds of closure elements, in particular ones that can be pierced easily without so-called "trampolining" of a piercing needle or the like starting to occur against the closure element, and/or ones that after having been pierced do not leave behind an upwardly curved edge around the pierced outlet opening. In an embodiment, the closure element may be formed by a distinctive disc of relative thin aluminium or multilayered synthetic plastics that is secured to an outer surface of the base wall, for example by means of a suitable adhesive.
In an embodiment, the outlet openings in the centre element may comprise slits. The slits can easily be kept free by male mould parts during the injection-moulding of the capsule body including the centre element, such that no distinctive manufacturing steps are needed for that.
In addition thereto, the slits may extend longitudinally, that is to say substantially parallel to an axial direction of the capsule body. This brings the advantage that the slits can keep on functioning properly as outlet openings even in the case that during extraction, a level of extracted beverage and/or a level of substance particles at the bottom wall adjacent the centre element starts rising.
According to the invention, an internal end of the centre element is at least partially closed by a transverse wall. This has the advantage that the centre element then can be designed with a hollow tubular shape, like for example a cylindrical or truncated cone shape, that on its internal end is covered by the co-moulded integral transverse wall. This may help to increase the volume of the space underneath the centre element, such that more space is available for quick, smooth and easy outflow of the extracted beverage and/or for a piercing element to pierce the closure element without bumping against and possibly damaging the centre element.
Further according to the invention, an inner surface of the base wall may have co-moulded integral ribs thereon which stand proud of the base wall and define flow channels in between the ribs that connect to the outlet openings in the centre element. Here also the important advantage is that having to manufacture a complex and expensive distinctive member that not only comprises said centre element but also embossings for forming flow paths towards that centre element, and which distinctive member needs to be carefully positioned inside the capsule body during manufacturing, now is no longer necessary.
In a first variant thereof, the ribs may be circular and arranged in concentric radially spaced rings, there being gaps in the circular ribs. Thus suitable flow paths are already obtained for having the extracted beverage flow guided towards the outlet openings in the centre element.
In addition to this first variant, the gaps in the circular ribs may be out of alignment with the gaps in the adjacent circular rib or ribs. Thus meandering flow paths are formed which may help to obtain an improved quality of the extracted beverage. In particular the extracted beverage now has relatively long paths of travel through the meandering flow paths. Especially for coffee, such long paths of travel are positive for the forming of flavour and crema of the beverage. This feature therefore is optimal considering product quality.
In a second variant, the ribs may extend radially between the side wall and the centre element. Thus the ribs form flow paths that quickly, easily and smoothly help to guide the extracted beverage towards the outlet openings in the centre element.
In addition to this second variant, the ribs may alternate with subsidiary ribs which extend radially inwardly from said side wall but terminate short of the centre element. Those subsidiary ribs have the advantage that a large supporting area is obtained for a distinctive filter disc that may be supported on top of the ribs.
Further according to the invention, the centre element may extend towards said space from the base wall to a height that is substantially equal to heights of radially inward ones of the ribs or radially inward portions of the ribs that lie adjacent or terminate against the centre element. This has the advantage that a large supporting area is obtained for a distinctive filter disc that may be supported on top of not only the ribs but also on top of the centre element, in particular on top of the transverse wall thereof.
In addition thereto, for the case of the radially extending ribs, those radially extending ribs may gradually curve upwards to the height of the centre element. This has the advantage that the flow paths increase in volume towards the outlet openings while the ribs at a same time are able to properly keep on supporting a distinctive filter disc on top of them.
According to one aspect of the present invention there can be provided an injection moulded capsule body for containing a substance from which a beverage can be extracted, the capsule body having a frustoconical side wall and a transverse base at the smaller end of the body, the body being open at its larger end, there being a flange which encircles said larger end, the body defining a space for containing said substance, the inner surface of the base wall of the capsule having ribs thereon which stand proud of the base wall and define flow channels, the base wall further including a centre cone which tapers towards said space and the smaller end of which is closed by a transverse wall, the larger end of the cone being open and there being slits in the cone for permitting liquid to flow from the capsule body.
In one form said ribs can be circular and arranged in concentric radially spaced rings, there being gaps in each circular rib. The gaps in each circular rib are preferably out of alignment with the gaps in the adjacent circular rib or circular ribs.
In another form there can be first ribs which extend radially from said side wall to said cone, these ribs alternating with second ribs which extend radially inwardly from said side wall but terminate short of the cone.
Said body can be stepped adjacent the flange to provide a circular surface within the body and which faces towards the flange. Fillets can be provided which protrude inwardly from said side wall and which have surfaces forming inward extensions of said circular surface.
The base wall can comprise a radially outer continuous circular rib adjacent the side wall.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there can be provided a capsule comprising a body as defined above, a disc of aluminium or multilayered synthetic plastics secured to said flange and a further disc of aluminium or multilayered synthetic plastics secured to the outer surface of the base wall and closing the open end of said cone, there being a filter disc secured to said outer circular rib and a further filter disc secured to said circular surface, said substance being between said filter discs. The discs can be of micro porous material or of non-woven fabric.
Further preferred embodiments of the capsule are stated in the subclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a capsule body according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a pictorial view of the capsule body of Figure 1 from above;
Figure 3 is an underneath plan view of the capsule body;
Figure 4 is a diametrical section through the capsule body;
Figure 5 is a top plan view of a further form of capsule body in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 6 is a diametrical cross section of the capsule body of Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a pictorial view from above of the capsule body of Figure 7;
Figure 8 is an exploded view of another form of capsule in accordance with the present invention; and
Figure 9 represents in a schematic way, in perspective view, an alternative embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The capsule body 10 illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 comprises a frustoconical side wall 12 and a transverse base wall 14 at the smaller diameter end of the body. A flange 16 encircles the larger diameter end of the body.
The body 10 is stepped below the flange 16 thereby to provide a circular surface 18 within the body. A filter disc, as will be described below, is secured to the surface 18. To increase the area of the surface 18 circumferentially spaced triangular fillets 20 are provided. Each of these has an upper surface 22 which forms an inward extension of the surface 18.
The base wall 14 has on its top surface concentric, radially spaced rings of ribs 24. The ribs are discontinuous in that each has a plurality of gaps 26 in it. The gaps 26 of one ring of ribs 24 are not aligned with the gaps 26 of the adjacent ring or rings of ribs whereby the flow paths that are defined by the ribs 24 and gaps 26 across the base wall 14 change direction multiple times.
At the centre of the base wall 14 there is a cone 28 (see particularly Figure 4) which is open at its external end and closed at its internal end by a transverse wall 30.
There are narrow longitudinally extending slits 32 in the cone 28. The extracted beverage flows from the capsule body through these but they are sufficiently small to prevent passage of, for example, coffee grains.
The outermost rib 24, designated 24.1, does not have gaps 26 in it but is continuous. A second filter disc is welded or adhered to the surface of the rib 24.1.
Figures 5 to 7 illustrate a further form of capsule body 10.1. In this form the rings of circumferentially extending ribs 24 are replaced by ribs 34 which alternate circumferentially with ribs 36. The ribs 34 extend from the circumferential rib 24.1 to the centre cone designated 38. The ribs 36 also extend radially inwardly from the rib 24.1 but terminate short of the cone 38
The cone 38 has slits 40 and is closed at its smaller diameter inner end by a transverse wall 42.
In figure 7, each rib 34 connects to an outer surface of the cone 38 in between two longitudinally extending slits 40. Each rib 36 in between two ribs 34 is directed towards a slit 40 with a distal end. Due to this direction, the extracted beverage flowing through the flow channels is guided towards the slits 40 in the cone 38.
Turning to Figure 8, this shows a capsule body 10.2 and a lower micro-perforated disc 44. This is sealed to the top surface of the continuous rib 24.1. Also shown is an upper micro-perforated disc 46 which is sealed to the surfaces 18 and 22.
To hermetically seal the capsule body, an aluminium foil disc 48 is secured to the outside of the base wall 14. This spans across the recess and prevents air ingress into the body through the slits 32, 40. A further aluminium foil disc 50 is secured to the flange 16. The foil discs 48 and 50 can be of air impervious multi-layered synthetic plastics material instead of aluminium foil.
The cone 28, 38 is an embodiment of a centre element, according to the invention. This centre element is provided at a centre of the bottom wall. The centre element comprises an external end facing away from an inside of the capsule, and an internal end facing towards said inside. In between the internal and external ends, the centre element delimits a cavity. This cavity is designed such that for instance a piercing element of an extraction device is protrudable into it, or that one or more closure elements that fail under a certain extraction pressure may be provided therein. During an extraction process from a substance contained by the capsule body 10, 10.1, an inside of the capsule body is in fluid communication with the external end of the centre element through openings in a side wall of the centre element. The centre element thereby functions as a passageway for the extracted beverage from an inside towards an outside of the capsule. Next, directly or indirectly, the beverage could for instance flow into a cup.
In the embodiment of figure 9, the conical centre element of the capsules depicted in figures 1 to 7 has been replaced by a cylindrical centre element 52 at a radial centre Y of the capsule. Here, the centre element 52 has been provided with outlet openings for permitting an extracted beverage to flow from the flow channels in between ribs 54 into the centre element 52. The centre element 52 is partly closed at its inner end by transverse wall 56. This transverse wall 56 prevents a micro-perforated disc (not shown here) to be punctured by a needle of an extraction device. In this embodiment, ribs 54 stand proud from the base wall 14 and extend radially between a circumferential rib 24.1 and a side wall of the centre element 52. Furthermore, the centre element 52 extends from the base wall 14 towards the space containing the substance. The centre element 52 extends to a height that is substantially equal to a height of the ribs 54 at a radial inside. In this embodiment, these ribs 54 curve gradually upward from the circumferential rib 24.1.
The micro-perforated disc can be supported by an upper edge of the ribs and by the transverse wall 56. Said disc may be secured to the continuous circular rib 24.1 standing proud at a radial outside of the base wall 14, adjacent the side wall 12.
The open external end of the centre element in figure 9 may be closed off with a closure similar to that of element 48 (not shown here).
The capsule body 10 depicted in figures 1-9 has been injection moulded including its centre element 28, 38, 52.
Besides the shown embodiments, numerous variants are possible. For instance, rather than frusto-conical, the capsule body may be cylindrical or may have a shape combining cylindrical, conical and/or spherical shape elements. The capsule body could be provided with or without a flange and/or with or without one or more step configurations in the side wall. Furthermore, the ribs standing proud of the base wall could have another configuration than in the shown embodiments. For instance, the ribs could have a combination of circular and radially extending ribs. The centre element could also have any other shape than the conic and cylindrical shapes depicted. Per example, the centre element could be a hemisphere, or a pyramid. The height of the centre element could also vary relative to the embodiments shown in the figures. The filter disc that is supported by and sealed onto the ribs could comprise a hole in the centre such that an upper part of the centre element may protrude through it. Instead of in longitudinal direction, the slits in the side wall of the centre element could extend around the heart line of the capsule. The openings in the centre element could be of another shape, for instance circular. Moreover, the openings could taper from an outside of the centre facing the an inside of the capsule, to the cavity of the centre element. The openings could also be provided at various heights along a side of the centre element. Furthermore, the transverse wall closing the internal end of the centre element could be provided otherwise. For instance, it could be provided with openings similar to the openings in the side wall described above, or it could comprise small variations with respect to the star-shaped transverse wall 56. The external end of the centre element may be sealed off by for instance a locally applied label, an in-moulded label, or integrally moulded closure elements. Other means of opening the capsule during use could be applied accordingly. As an example, the passageway could be opened by means of pressure build up by the extraction fluid.

Claims

A capsule for containing a substance from which a beverage can be produced, comprising:
- a capsule body (10) that comprises:
∘ a base wall (14); and

∘ a side wall (12),
wherein the side wall (12) and the base wall (14) define a space for containing said substance,

- a centre element (28, 38, 52) which extends towards said space from the base wall (14), wherein the capsule body (10) has been injection moulded including said centre element (28, 38, 52), and

wherein a closure element (48) is provided for closing an external end of the centre element (28, 38, 52),

characterized in that,

an internal end of the centre element is at least partially closed by a transverse wall (30), wherein there are outlet openings (32) in the centre element for permitting liquid to flow from the capsule body,

wherein an inner surface of the base wall (14) has ribs (24, 34, 36, 54) thereon which stand proud of the base wall (14) and define flow channels in between the ribs (24, 34, 36, 54) that connect to the outlet openings in the centre element (28, 38, 52), and

wherein the centre element extends towards said space from the base wall (14) to a height that is substantially equal to heights of radially inward ones of the ribs (24, 34, 36, 54) or radially inward portions of the ribs (34, 36, 54) that lie adjacent or terminate against the centre element (28, 38, 52).
Capsule according to claim 1, wherein the closure element (48) is a disc of aluminium or multilayered synthetic plastics that is secured to an outer surface of the base wall (14).
Capsule according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the outlet openings in the centre element comprise slits (32).
Capsule according to claim 3, wherein the slits (32) extend longitudinally.
Capsule according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the centre element (28, 38, 52) is a centre cone which tapers towards said space.
Capsule according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the ribs are circular and are arranged in concentric radially spaced rings (24), there being gaps (26) in the circular ribs.
Capsule according to claim 6, wherein the gaps (26) in the circular ribs (24) are out of alignment with the gaps in the adjacent circular rib or ribs.
Capsule according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the ribs (34, 54) extend radially between the side wall (14) and the centre element (28, 38, 52).
Capsule according to claim 8, wherein the ribs (34) alternate with subsidiary ribs (36) which extend radially inwardly from said side wall (12) but terminate short of the centre element (28, 38, 52).
Capsule according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the radially extending ribs (34, 36, 54) gradually curve upwards to the height of the centre element (52).
Capsule according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a filter disc is supported on top of the ribs (24, 34, 36, 54) and on top of the centre element (28, 38, 52), which filter disc in particular is secured to a radially outer continuous circular rib (24.1) adjacent the side wall (12).
Capsule according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the outlet openings (32) in the centre element (28, 38, 52) are designed such narrow that passage of grains of the beverage to be produced/extracted is prevented.