RU2771633C2 - Portion packaging and method for preparing a beverage - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: packaging.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to portion packaging for preparing a beverage, in particular, coffee, containing a container made of a filtering material wherein the extracted material is placed, and a supporting element at least partially surrounding the container, wherein the container is closed in the initial position and is configured to be opened by rotating at least one part of the edge of the filtering material, and to a method for preparing a beverage using the portion packaging. The portion packaging (1) comprises a container (2) made of a filtering material wherein the extracted material is located, and a supporting element (3, 3') at least partially surrounding the container (2), wherein the container (2) is closed in the initial position and is configured to be opened by rotating at least one part of the edge of the filtering material, wherein in the initial position, the container (2) is held in the closed position by means of a closing tool (10, 10') configured to dissolve due to being moistened with water for the process of preparation.

EFFECT: possibility of expanding the volume of the extracted material without compressing by the closed shell, thereby ensuring easy preparation of a high quality beverage.

17 cl, 17 dwg

Description

The present invention relates to a portion package for the preparation of a beverage, in particular coffee, containing a container of filter material in which the extractable material is placed, and a support element at least partially surrounding the container, the container being closed in its original position and configured to be opened by turning at least one part of the edge of the filter material, and to a method of preparing a beverage using a portion package.

For the preparation of coffee, filters are used, which, according to EP 268847 B1, have a cardboard frame mounted on a container and a filter bag made of filter paper. Due to this, the filter bag can be held in a predetermined position by the frame so that the user fills the filter bag to brew coffee and then carries out the brewing process. Although, by individually filling the filter paper and manually brewing, the taste of the coffee can be taken into account individually during preparation, grinding and manually filling the filter bag with ground coffee is a relatively laborious process.

DE 195 20 837 A1 discloses a filter bag for serving coffee with ground coffee, which can be sealed and usable after removal from the packaging. Such portion packs are known in a wide variety of forms and have the disadvantage that they do not adequately take into account the needs of the preparation of coffee. When coffee is brewed, the volume of the ground coffee increases and, unlike high pressure espresso, the ground coffee should open up when spilled. In addition, when preparing high-quality coffee drinks, a certain geometry of the coffee layer and uniform moistening of the ground coffee are required, which is often not achieved in conventional portion packs.

EP 401951 B1 discloses a filter device with a filter bag made of paper and a support member placed on a cup.

Thus, the object of the present invention is to provide a portion package for the preparation of a beverage, in particular coffee, and a method for the preparation of a beverage, whereby a simple preparation with high quality is possible. The internal volume of the portion pack should be small and this volume should not be limited during preparation.

This problem is solved with the help of a portioned package having the characteristics of paragraph 1 of the formula, and a method having the characteristics of paragraph 14 of the formula.

In the portion pack according to the invention, the container of filter material, at least partially surrounded by a support member, is kept closed in its original position, then the closure is dissolved to prepare the beverage to open the portion pack and thus provide direct access to the material to be extracted. During subsequent beverage preparation, the volume of extractable material can expand without being compressed by the closed shell. This avoids quality losses, in particular when making coffee by flotation and filtration.

The closure agent on the portion pack can be dissolved by wetting with water. The closure may be made, for example, of a water soluble adhesive which is approved for food preparation and which may contain starch or other natural adhesives. The portion pack can be opened by wetting the closure means with water. In this case, the opening is preferably carried out automatically, for example by prestressing the portion pack, which is then unfolded after the closing agent has dissolved. Preferably, however, water is used for the opening by means that the support element is moistened on at least one fold edge and thereby changes its shape. Another possibility is to loosen the closure means itself to the point of damage, or to reduce the rigidity of the releasable connection. The closing means can also be provided with a fixing or retaining means which can be unlocked manually or by moisture.

In a preferred embodiment, in the closed position of the portion pack, the rotatable flaps of the support element are arranged one on top of the other in at least two planes to ensure a particularly stable closing of the portion pack.

In the closed position, the support member preferably has a plurality of flaps on the top side of the container, connected via fold ribs to a portion on the side wall of the container. By wetting the fold ribs, a swelling process can be initiated resulting in deformation and rotation of the flaps on the top side of the container. The support element is preferably arranged as a ring on the top edge of the container in the closed position, so that by wetting the top side of the portion pack with water, the closing means can optionally be dissolved, and in particular a deformation process can be initiated to allow the flaps to rotate. The support element is preferably made of a water-swellable material, such as cardboard or thick paper, so that the swelling process on the fold edge provides appropriate pivoting movements on the flaps.

For efficient cooking, the container with the support member in the closed position has a polygonal shape in plan view, in particular five-octagonal, preferably hexagonal. As a result, between the individual corners of the container, a folding rib can each be provided, on which one flap can be rotatably mounted in each case.

Preferably, the container has on its underside a tip of filter material not covered by a support member. As a result, only the filter material is located in the lower region, through which the flow during preparation of the beverage can pass, so that the support element does not interfere with the preparation of the beverage. In this case, the tip can be made in the form of a truncated cone or in the form of a pyramid, and in the preparation position, the area not covered by the supporting element occupies at least 30% of the height of the portion package. In the position of use with the tip of the portion pack pointing downwards, the height is measured in the vertical direction.

To increase the effective filtering area, spacers, such as ribs, profiles, corrugations or cutouts, can be placed on the support element. As a result, the support element can be accurately positioned in the filter container by means of spacer elements. In this way, the filter material can be held in the lower region at a distance from the filter container.

Preferably, the filter material together with the support element can be unfolded on the upper side, wherein for this purpose the support element and the filter material are glued to each other or mechanically attached to each other. In the initial position, the filter material is folded on the upper side of the container, i.e. at least partially arranged in a multilayer manner, and can be held by the support element and/or the closing means. After dissolution of the closing means, the filter material can then be rotated with the flaps of the supporting element, so that the area of the filter material, which in the initial position forms the top cover for the unit pack, after opening and turning forms a side wall, so that the extractable material in the unit pack can respectively expand when cooked.

In the method according to the invention, the portion pack is first inserted into the beverage preparation device, then water is supplied to the portion pack and the closure provided on the portion pack is dissolved by wetting with water. The portion pack can be opened by dissolving the closing means, and the supporting member of the portion pack can be unfolded. Then, water is supplied to the extractable material placed in the container to prepare a beverage, so that the preparation of the beverage is carried out in the open position of the portion pack, and the extractable material can be expand accordingly.

Preferably, hot water is used to dissolve the closing agent, for example water heated from 70° to 100°. This hot water can be used both to dissolve the closure and to expand the support element by initiating local swelling processes due to the absorption of water, which leads to extension. To dissolve the closure agent and open the portion pack, a first amount of water is used, for example 5 ml to 100 ml, in particular 10 ml to 50 ml. In particular, in the preparation of coffee, this water can be used additionally for pre-wetting, swelling and degassing. This is also called pre-scalding. After the opening, a second quantity of water, in particular hot water, is supplied to prepare a beverage. The second quantity of water may in this case be, for example, from 100 ml to 500 ml, in particular from 150 ml to 250 ml, depending on the amount of beverage to be prepared.

When the portion pack is opened, the flaps of the support element on the upper side of the container are preferably rotated through an angle of 90° to 180°, in particular 110° to 150°, so that the extractable material is freely accessible from above and can accordingly also expand upward. The volume additionally created by opening the valves is at least equal to, typically even twice, the original volume of the closed portion pack. This additional volume can also be used as a solvent agent. For example, when preparing coffee, a dispersion is created from ground coffee and water.

The invention is described in more detail below by means of several embodiments given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1-3 show several types of portion packs in various positions;

fig. 4 is a schematic view of a portion pack in a closed original position;

fig. 5 is a schematic view of the portion pack of FIG. 4 during the opening process;

fig. 6 is a schematic view of the portion pack of FIG. 4 when preparing a drink;

fig. 7 is a view of a blank of filter material for a portion pack;

fig. 8 shows a blank view of a support element for a portion package;

fig. 9 shows views of a modified portion pack support with an integrated closure;

fig. 10 is a perspective view of a portion pack in an open position according to another embodiment;

fig. 11 is a perspective view of a portion pack in a closed position; fig. 12-16 show several views of the portion pack of FIG. 11 during the opening process, and

fig. 17 is a blank view of the support element for the portion pack of FIG. 11-16.

The portion pack 1 contains a filter material container 2 having a tip 4 from which side walls extend upwards with expansion. In the shown in FIG. 1 in the closed position, on the upper edge of the container 2 is a supporting element 3, which surrounds it in the form of a ring. In this case, the supporting element 3 is located only in the area of the upper edge of the portion package 1, and the downward protruding tip is not covered by the supporting element 3.

The container 2 is made in the form of a pyramid and has, starting from the tip 4, several expanding side surfaces connected to each other by means of side ribs 5. The supporting element 3 is made annular in the area of these side surfaces and contains sections 6 covering the side surfaces at least in the upper region, preferably less than 50%, in particular 25-40% of the total height of the closed portion package in relation to the height of the portion package 1, the height direction in the position of use being preferably oriented vertically. These portions 6 are connected by means of fold ribs 8 to flaps 7 substantially horizontally on the top side of the portion package 1 in the rest position, optionally the flaps 7 can also be oriented with an inclination to the horizontal. The portion package 1 is closed at least in its original position, and for this purpose a closing means 10 is provided, which is in the form of a retaining means and holds together the flaps 7 in the middle region. For this purpose, the closing means can be made, for example, in the form of a flat element glued to the tips of the flaps 7, preferably with a food approved adhesive. In another embodiment, the closing means may also be in the form of a mechanical locking means, which may be incorporated into the geometry of the support element, as shown in FIG. 9 and described below.

In FIG. 2 shows the middle opening position of the portion pack 1. By dissolving the closing means 10, the flaps 7 of the supporting element can be rotated around the fold ribs 8, with the top section of the filter material of the container 2 attached to the flaps 7. The filter material is folded in the upper region in the closed position and can then be unbent by turning valves 7.

In FIG. 3, the portion pack 1 is shown in the open position, in which the flaps 7 have been turned through an angle of approximately 130°, i.e. through an angle from 110° to 150°, whereby also the upper section 9 of the filter material has been turned, at least partially fixed on valves 7. In this opening position, the extractable material placed in the portion pack 1 is accessible from above and can be filled with, for example, hot water.

In FIG. 4, portion pack 1 is shown schematically to illustrate the preparation of a beverage. The portion pack 1 contains the extractable material 11, in particular ground coffee. The filter material container 2 is substantially triangular in side view and has a lower tip 4 and an upper portion 9 substantially horizontally oriented. With a first amount of water, in particular hot water, for example 10 ml to 50 ml, as shown schematically by drop 14, the closure 10 located on the upper side of the portion pack 1 can be dissolved. By moistening with water, the adhesive can be dissolved , the material of the closure can be weakened to the point of being damaged, or the rigidity of the releasable connection can be reduced so that the closure can no longer generate holding forces.

The first amount of water is preferably so large that the liquid can be distributed on the top side of the portion pack 1 so that the support member 3 can be at least partially saturated with water. The support element 3 is preferably made of cardboard or thick paper.

As shown in FIG. 5, on the upper rib 8 of the fold of the support element, due to wetting with water, a local swelling process can be caused, which ensures swelling of the inside of the rib of the fold, so that the valve 7 rotates relative to the section 6. The swelling is achieved due to the fact that the material of the support element 3 on the inside the fold ribs are compressed, and due to the absorption of water, an increase in volume occurs.

By turning the valves 7, the portion pack 1 is opened upwards and hot water can now be supplied to the material to be extracted 11, in particular for making coffee or tea. Due to the swelling of the extracted material, its volume increases, this is shown in the drawing using the upper area as additional volume 12. The stages of pre-moistening, swelling and degassing are especially important when preparing high-quality coffee

In FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of the brewing process for preparing a beverage. A second amount of water, as shown by the drop 14, is fed from above onto the portion package 1 to brew the extractable material 11, in particular ground coffee. In this case, the extractable material can increase in an upward direction and can also become dispersed with the solvent, as occurs in particular in the case of ground coffee during the brewing process. This is shown in the drawing as an additional volume 13 protruding above the dry ground coffee volume. The filtered drink 15 exits on the side walls, collects at the bottom as indicated by the drop, and can be collected, for example, in a cup. After preparing the drink, the user can take the portion package by the valves 7 and remove it.

In FIG. 7 shows the blank of the filter material before being installed on the container 2. In the flat position, the filter material is essentially made in the form of round segments, and on the outer periphery, instead of the rounded periphery, straight edges can be made, while alternatively, arc sections can also be made instead of the edges. . In each case, the filter material preform has two edge bands 50, 51 intersecting each other at the tip 4 and connected to each other, for example by gluing or embossing, to obtain a basic cup, cone or pyramid shape. The filter material is preferably made from filter paper.

In FIG. 8 shows a blank of the supporting element 3 in a flat state. The support element 3 has an open annular section on which flaps 7 protruding outwards are provided. The flaps 7 are V-shaped or conical and taper outwards. The flaps 7 are connected by means of fold ribs 8 to interconnected sections 6, with an edge section 30 formed at the end section 6 connected to the section 6 at the opposite end, in particular by gluing, sealing or embossing, to produce an annular support element 3. For for the manufacture of the portion pack 1, the flaps 7 can then be connected at least partially to the upper section 9 of the filter material, preferably also by bonding, sealing or embossing methods.

In FIG. 9 shows a modified blank of the support member 3', shown in various mounting positions and states. The supporting element 3' is made flat in the initial position and contains sections 6 connected to each other on the inner periphery, forming an open ring. V-shaped flaps 7 protrude outward from the sections 6, with a cut-out 31 made on each flap. The individual flaps 7' are provided with protrusions 10' as closing means, protruding from the end side of the flaps 7'. When the support element 3' is formed by the edge portion 30' into a ring, it is placed on a filter material container 2 filled with extractable material, in particular ground coffee. Then the flaps 7', which can be at least partially connected to the filter material section 9, are rotated to the closed position, in which case the closing means are formed by projections 10' providing mechanical fixation of the portion pack. This makes it possible to dispense with the use of an additional element and adhesive. In this embodiment, the opening of the portion pack is also carried out by using hot water supplied to the upper side of the portion pack, so that swelling processes on the support element 3', in particular in the region of the fold ribs 8, partly in combination with prestressing in the support element, ensure that the flaps 7' overcome the holding forces of the projections 10' and then rotate. The opening process can also be affected by the modification of the cutouts 31.

To optimize the opening speed on the peripheral rib 8, the fold can be cut from 20% to 50%. If no notches 18 are provided on the fold rib 8, the flaps 7, 7' open at a slower speed than with the notches 18, but with more force. Optional cutouts 19, located not on the rib 8, but on the plane of the 7/7" flaps, also affect the opening dynamics, since the bending stiffness of the 7/7" flaps and thus the operation of the closing means 10 is affected, ten''.

In the embodiment shown, the portion packs are for making coffee. Of course, it is also possible to prepare other beverages, in particular tea or mixed coffee beverages, whereby by opening the portion pack, the extractable material used can expand and swell without causing problems in the preparation of the beverage. In addition, a completely soluble extractable material can be used, for example, in the preparation of cocoa drinks, the filter element ensures that no undissolved lumps enter the drink.

In FIG. 10 shows a portion pack in an open position according to another embodiment. As in the previous embodiments, the portion pack 1 comprises a container 2 made of a liquid-permeable filter material, in particular filter paper, around which a support element 3 is arranged annularly. position of use, from which several side walls of filter material extend upwards with expansion, connected to each other by means of side ribs 5.

The support element 3 can be made of cardboard or thick paper and has side portions 6 which can be connected to the filter material of the container 2 at the side edges, for example by gluing. In this case, the side sections are made in the form of a strip and are located only in the upper region of the side walls, so that adjacent to the tip 4 the filter material is not covered by sections 6. In another embodiment, the container 2 is connected to the support element only at the flaps 7''.

The support element 3 has on the side portions 6 swivel arms or flaps 7'' connected respectively by means of a fold rib 8 to the side portion 6. hexagon. On the valves 7'', a section of filter material is fixed, for example by gluing, so that when the valves 7'' are moved, the filter material also rotates. Each flap 7'' is provided with a cutout 18 for easy opening. It is also possible to omit the cutout 18 in the area of the valve 7''.

Each flap 7'' has a closing means 10'' on its end side, having a guiding edge 16 and a fixing lug 17. The closing means 10" of two, three or four flaps 7'' can be fastened to each other by folding the closing means 10' ' on top of each other.

The container 2 contains the material to be extracted, in particular ground coffee or tea.

In FIG. 11, the portion pack 1 is shown in the closed position, in which it is shaped like a pyramid. In this way, the portion package 1 can be inserted into the brew machine. Compared to FIG. 1, the cutouts 19 do not extend to the fold edge 8, but are slightly smaller, otherwise this embodiment corresponds to FIG. 10. Depending on the desired functionality, the cutouts 19 may have different geometries, or they may be omitted.

The opening process is described in detail with reference to FIG. 12-16. To open the portion package 1, the valve 7″ can be selectively opened either manually or by supplying a liquid, in particular hot water, which leads to swelling processes on the support element 3 in the region of the fold ribs 8 and ensures automatic opening.

In FIG. 12, the three flaps 7'' are slightly open and it can be seen that these three flaps 7'' overlap each other in the area of the closing means 10'' and can be rotated together around their respective fold ribs 8. In this case, the closing means 10'' are released and slide along the guide edges 16. The other three flaps 7'' in FIG. 12 are still in the closed fixed position, so that in this position ground coffee is prevented from escaping through the three closed valves 7''. To describe the opening process in FIG. 12-16, the upper sections 9 of the filter material have been lowered in the region of the valves 7''.

In FIG. 13 portion pack 1 of FIG. 12 is shown in plan view. If the portion pack 1 is subjected to an impact or pressure load, as symbolically indicated by the arrows, the three upper flaps 7″ can optionally be opened, the closing means 10″ of which are in the closed position above the closing means 10″ of the three lower flaps 7″. However, the portion pack 1 remains closed because the closing means 10'' of the three lower flaps 7'' remain fixed. In the case of twisting due to shear load, depending on the direction, either the lower or upper trinity of spokes formed by the flaps 7'' stabilize the closure, since the guide edges 16 and the locking lugs 17 respectively are oriented alternately in one direction or the other.

In FIG. 14, the three flaps 7'' are rotated by more than 90°, while the three lower flaps 7'' are still fixed by the closing means 10''. It can be seen that the three bottom flaps 7'' essentially still close the container 2, with the filter material in the region of the bottom flaps 7'' further sealing the opening of the portion pack 1.

In FIG. 15 the bottom flaps 7'' are shown in a slightly open position in which the closing means 10'' are released. In FIG. 16, the portion pack 1 is shown in the fully open position, with the filter material omitted in the area of the valves 7'' for a better explanation of the opening mechanism. In addition, the portion pack 1 is also not filled with extractable material.

When the portion pack 1 is opened by liquid swelling processes, the six flaps 7'' open substantially simultaneously, the flaps 7'' with the top closures 10'' positioned above the closures 10'' of the bottom flaps 7'' open only directly one after the other. Due to the swelling processes, the flaps 7'' are rotated substantially simultaneously.

In FIG. 17 shows a blank of the support element 3. The support element 3 is made as a single piece of cardboard and contains six arms or flaps 7″ respectively connected by means of fold ribs 8 to a side section 6. The side sections 6 can be bent annularly along the fold ribs 33, in this case, at the end section 6, a connecting bridge 34 is formed, which can be connected to the opposite side section 6, for example, by gluing. The connecting bridge 34 is provided with a cutout 31 which, when glued, can be aligned with the cutout 32 in the end side section 6 to align the supporting element 3. The filter material blank can also be made in one piece and can be glued along the connecting section or connected by embossing to form a container 2 in the form of a bag. The support element 3 is preferably mounted on the outside of the filter material, but it can also be located on the inside of the filter material. In addition, the number of 7" valves can also vary.

LIST OF REFERENCES

1 serving pack

2 container

3, 3' supporting element

4 tip

5 side rib

6, 6' plot

7, 7, 7'' valve

8 edge bend

9 plot

10, 10'' closure

10' ledge

11 extractable material

12 additional volume

13 additional volume

14 drop

15 drink

16 leading edge

17 locking lug

18 cutout

19 cutout

30, 30' edge section

31 cutout

32 cutout

33 fold edge

34 jumper

31 cutout

50 edge band

51 edge stripes

Claims (21)

1. Portion package (1) for preparing a drink, in particular coffee, containing a container (2) made of filter material, in which the extractable material is placed, and a supporting element (3), at least partially surrounding the container (2), and the container ( 2) is closed in the initial position and is made with the possibility of opening by turning at least one part of the edge of the filter material, and in the initial position the container (2) is held in the closed position by means of the closing means (10, 10''), characterized in that the closing means (10, 10'') is made with the possibility of dissolution due to moistening with water to automatically open the portion package (1) for the preparation process. 2. Portion pack according to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting element (3) is made of a material that swells in water. 3. Portion packaging according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the supporting element is made with the possibility of unfolding on at least one rib (8) of the fold when moistened with water. 4. Portion packaging according to any one of paragraphs. 1-3, characterized in that the supporting element (3, 3') has a plurality of flaps (7, 7', 7'') on the upper side of the container (2), connected by means of a rib (8) of the fold to the section (6, 6') on the side wall of the container (2). 5. Portion packaging according to any one of paragraphs. 1-4, characterized in that the support element (3, 3') is located annularly on the upper edge of the container (2) in the closed position. 6. Portion packaging according to any one of paragraphs. 1-5, characterized in that the supporting element (3, 3') is made of cardboard. 7. Portion packaging according to any one of paragraphs. 1-6, characterized in that the container (2) with the support element (3, 3') in the closed position has five to eight corners in top view, preferably six corners. 8. Portion packaging according to any one of paragraphs. 1-7, characterized in that the container (2) has on its underside a tip (4) of filter material not covered by a support element (3, 3'). 9. Portion packaging according to any one of paragraphs. 1-8, characterized in that the upper region (9) of the filter material is made with the possibility of unbending together with the supporting element (3). 10. Portion packaging according to any one of paragraphs. 1-9, characterized in that in the initial position the filter material is folded on the upper side of the container (2) and is held in the folded position by means of the support element (3, 3') and/or the closing means (10, 10'). 11. Portion packaging according to any one of paragraphs. 1-10, characterized in that during cooking, the volume of a single portion is more than twice as large, in particular, more than three times as large as the initial volume before cooking. 12. Portion packaging according to any one of paragraphs. 1-11, characterized in that the contact between the container (2) and the supporting element (3, 3') is minimized by means of corrugations, ribs or cutouts. 13. Portion packaging according to any one of paragraphs. 1-12, characterized in that on the supporting element on the peripheral rib (8) of the fold, to which the valves (7, 7', 7'') are hinged, cutouts (18, 19) are located, preferably occupying from 20 to 50% the length of the rib (8) of the bend. 14. A method for preparing a drink using a portion package (1), comprising the following steps: - a closed portion package (1) is inserted with a container (2) made of filter material, in which the material to be extracted is placed, moreover, the container (2) is made with the possibility of opening by turning at least one part of the edge of the filter material, and the supporting element (3, 3 ') surrounds the container (2), into the beverage preparation device; - water is supplied to the closed portion package (1) and the closure agent (10, 10', 10'') provided on the portion package (1) is dissolved by wetting with water; - the portion package (1) is automatically opened by dissolving the closing means (10, 10', 10'') and unfolding the support element (3, 3') on the container (2), and - water is supplied to the extractable material placed in the container (2) for preparing a drink. 15. Method according to claim 14, characterized in that hot water is used to dissolve the closing agent (10, 10''). 16. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that water is supplied in an amount of 5 to 100 ml, in particular 10 to 50 ml, to dissolve the closure agent (10, 10', 10''). 17. The method according to any one of paragraphs. 14-16, characterized in that the supporting element (3, 3') has flaps (7, 7', 7'') on the upper side of the container (2), which rotate when opened at an angle of 90 to 180°, in particular from 110 to 150°.

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