TWI780139B - Pack for preparing foamed food or beverage products - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention refers to a pack (100) for preparing a food or beverage product from one or more food or beverage ingredients comprising an insert (10) and a container (20) where the ingredient or ingredients are stored, the insert (10) comprising a fluid inlet (110) configured for introducing an aqueous fluid under the form of a jet (50) in the inner volume of the pack, and the insert (10) further comprising an air inlet (150) communicating with the exterior of the pack (100) and configured for introducing air in the inner volume of the pack (100).

The invention further refers to the use of a pack (100) as described for preparing a food or beverage product.

Description

Packaging for preparing foamed food or beverage products

The present invention relates to packaging for preparing foamed food or beverage products from one or more food or beverage ingredients. In particular, the invention relates to a package comprising an insert passing through and storing the component or a container for the components.

It is known in the state of the art to prepare beverages by introducing a capsule containing a food or beverage ingredient, such as ground coffee or instant coffee, into a beverage dispensing machine, and injecting water into the capsule: The beverage or food ingredient is typically extracted or dissolved in water to form the beverage or desired end product, which exits the capsule through a suitable outlet.

In this regard, different capsules have been developed in the past which are distinguished at least by the nature of the capsule body used to store food or beverage ingredients. While most capsules are made with a rigid or semi-rigid body (typically by injection molding or thermoforming), flexible types of packaging can be made of foil material. Flexible packaging has the advantage generally over semi-rigid and rigid capsules in that a smaller amount of material is used to package the product, which results in an overall lower production cost, lower life cycle impact as shown in several life cycle assessments. impact), and is beneficial to users who will need less available space for storing such packages, since the flexible packages are more miniaturized.

It is known in the state of the art (eg from document WO 99/05044) that a flexible beverage making sachet is formed by joining two laminates at their edges A volume contains a beverage ingredient, and the pouch has a bottom seam into which a rigid plastic conduit is joined. An inlet nozzle for water introduction is provided at the top of the resulting pouch for introducing water mixed with the beverage or food ingredients within the interior volume of the pouch, the beverage produced then passing through a nozzle arranged at the bottom of the package. The beverage outlet exits, wherein a closure member is provided such that when pressurized water is introduced into the pouch, the closure member is adapted to open under pressure, allowing the beverage to exit through the beverage outlet.

Other configurations of flexible beverage making pouches are also known in the state of the art. However, in these flexible pouches, when foaming of the food or beverage is desired, an air-filled interior is required in order for the moisture to achieve foaming as it mixes with the food or beverage ingredients in the internal volume of the pouch. Free space (without food or drink products, known as headspace). Therefore, for good foaming of the delivered beverage or food product, a high volume of pouches is required, wherein only some parts of the pouches are filled with the ingredients, while the rest are only filled with air. However, the cost of these sachets is higher, their equivalent volume is larger, and more storage volume is required, and the device for preparing the final product to which they are connected becomes larger and more expensive.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a flexible packaging with a minimized headspace volume while being able to provide excellent quality foaming of the delivered food or beverage product.

The present invention provides a solution to the above needs, as will be further explained. The invention is also directed to other purposes and in particular to solutions to other problems that will appear in the remainder of this description.

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a package for preparing a food or drink product from one or more food or drink ingredients, the package comprising an insert and a container for storing the ingredient or ingredients: the insert comprising a fluid inlet configured to introduce an aqueous fluid in the form of a jet into the interior volume of the package, and the insert further comprising an air inlet communicating with the exterior of the package and Configured to introduce air into the interior volume of the package.

Preferably, in the package of the present invention, the air inlet is connected to a suction port through which the jet enters the interior volume of the package, the air inlet being configured so that when the jet is introduced into the When inside the package, air is sucked in through this air inlet.

According to another embodiment of the package according to the invention, the air inlet is generally connected to a suction opening through which the jet enters the inner volume of the package: the air inlet can be connected to actively inject air into the The outer member in the inner volume of the package.

Generally, the fluid inlet is configured to convert pressurized fluid introduced by a beverage machine into a high velocity jet in the interior volume of the package. Preferably, the fluid inlet communicates with a nozzle having a diameter that is very restricted relative to the fluid inlet.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the package comprises two flexible, water-impermeable sheets connected to each other to define the inner volume of the package.

The package of the present invention generally comprises a beverage outlet through which the beverage is delivered as a free flow. The beverage outlet is preferably a straight tube oriented substantially perpendicular to the bottom of the package.

In the package of the present invention, the insert is preferably arranged on one of the sides of the package, and the insert comprises the fluid inlet, the air inlet, and the beverage outlet.

Generally, the container is configured to open at a specific predefined area to allow dispensing of the prepared food or beverage.

In the package according to the invention, the relative positioning of the suction opening to the air inlet, together with the diameter of the air inlet, defines the degree of foaming of the prepared food or drink.

Preferably, the diameter of the nozzle and/or the suction opening define the design of the jet of the inner volume of the package.

Generally, the food or beverage ingredient is a soluble food or beverage ingredient.

According to a preferred embodiment, the container is configured as a sachet, a capsule, or the like.

Preferably, the package of the present invention is configured such that the fluid inlet is accessible from the front and/or the rear to introduce an aqueous fluid through one or both sides.

In the package of the invention, the tightness of the air inlet can generally be adjusted to control the amount of air injected.

The package of the present invention generally exhibits a planar shape oriented along a plane that is oriented substantially vertically during beverage making, and the fluid inlet orients the jet of fluid in the plane contained in the plane. one direction.

According to a second aspect, the invention further relates to the use of said packaging for the preparation of a food or drink product.

10‧‧‧Plug-in/accessory assembly

20‧‧‧container

50‧‧‧jet stream

100‧‧‧Packaging

110‧‧‧fluid inlet

120‧‧‧Nozzles

130‧‧‧Suction port

150‧‧‧air inlet

160‧‧‧export

A-A‧‧‧section

D ₁ ‧‧‧diameter

D ₂ ‧‧‧diameter

D ₃ ‧‧‧diameter

L ₁ ‧‧‧relative positioning

L ₂ ‧‧‧Height

P‧‧‧plane

Further features, advantages, and objects of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in reading the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments of the present invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1a to 1b show A package for the preparation of foamed food or beverage products according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a detailed view of an insert with an air inlet configured with a container-package for preparing foamed food or beverage products according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 shows a detailed view of an insert with an air inlet configured with a container-package for preparing foamed food or beverage products according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 shows a detailed front view of the air inlet according to Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 configured together with a container-package for the preparation of foamed food or beverage products according to the invention.

Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional A-A view of the insert of Figure 4 configured with a container-package for preparing foamed food or beverage products according to the present invention.

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a package 100 for preparing a food or beverage product from one or more food or beverage ingredients. As shown in FIG. 1 a or FIG. 1 b , the package of the present invention includes an insert 10 and a container 20 . The container 20 contains in its internal volume the food or drink ingredient(s), generally a soluble powder to be dissolved by the fluid introduced into the volume of the container via the insert 10 . Generally, the fluid introduced through the insert 10 will be a liquid, preferably water.

According to the invention, the food or drink ingredients of the container may be included in the following list: soup, fruit juice, vegetable juice, bouillon, coffee, chocolate, tea, milk or creamer, smoothies, purees (purees), vegetable jam (coulis), cream, or a combination thereof. The food or beverage ingredient may be a soluble food or beverage ingredient. Preferably, the food or drink ingredient is a soluble food or drink ingredient selected from the following list:- instant coffee powder, milk powder, cream powder, instant tea powder, cocoa powder, soup powder , fruit powder, or a mixture of such powders, - a coffee concentrate, a milk concentrate, a syrup, a fruit or vegetable concentrate, a tea concentrate, a fruit or vegetable puree.

These powders can be agglomerated or sintered. The powder or liquid concentrates can be mixed with solid pieces, eg for preparing soups with solid pieces. The food or beverage ingredient can also be an insoluble food or beverage ingredient (such as a roast and ground coffee or tea leaf). In this example, water extracts the insoluble components.

In the present invention, fluid encompasses any aqueous diluent that can be mixed with soluble beverage ingredients to prepare a beverage (eg, water, carbonated water, milk, etc.). However, water is the preferred fluid to be used in accordance with the present invention.

The insert 10 comprises a fluid inlet 110 for receiving a liquid (generally water) at a pressure higher than 2 bar (more preferably higher than 3 bar, preferably comprised between 2 and 10 bar, more preferably A pressure of about 7 bar) is injected. Fluid inlet 110 is configured such that high pressure fluid injected through the fluid inlet by an external member (not shown) is converted into a high velocity jet 50 within the interior volume of vessel 20 . This is accomplished due to the diameter restriction of the fluid inlet 110 , which communicates with the interior volume of the vessel 20 through the substantially reduced diameter nozzle 120 , allowing a high pressure jet to be converted into a high velocity jet 50 . The fluid inlet 110 communicates with the inner volume of the container through at least one nozzle 120 having a diameter of at most 1 mm, preferably at least 0.24 mm, preferably comprised between 0.3 mm and 1 mm, preferably between 0.3 and 0.5 mm. mm, more preferably a diameter of about 0.4 mm. In this type of configuration, when high-pressure fluid is injected through the fluid inlet 110 by the external injection member, the high-pressure fluid is internally conveyed toward the nozzle 120, from which the high-pressure fluid is converted into the injection container when passing through the small-section nozzle hole. A high velocity jet of fluid 50 within 20. Generally, the fluid jet provided in the jet 50 of the container has a velocity of at least 20 m/s.

In addition, the insert 10 further comprises an air inlet 150 communicating with the exterior of the package 100 and configured to introduce air into the interior volume of the package 100 (see, for example, FIG. Good foaming is obtained during dissolution of the powder product in .

The insert 10 is preferably rigid and is preferably made of a rigid plastic material by injection moulding. Generally, the plastic material can be selected from the following: polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polylactic acid. Likewise, according to a less preferred embodiment, the accessory assembly 10 can be made of a metal such as aluminum or tin plate.

The insert of the present invention is structurally configured to create sufficient water jets 50 and air into the volume of the container to control and stabilize the foaming of the produced product beverage. Generally, the product in the container is a soluble powder to be dissolved by the water jet. Furthermore, since air will be introduced into the volume of the package through the air inlet 150, proper foaming of the product will also be achieved.

The package of the present invention can be configured as a pouch, for example, by a flexible film or sheet that is folded to conform to the container 20 . Other configurations are also possible, such as configuring the container as a capsule, as a pod, or the like. Preferably, the insert 10 will be part of the fluid inlet 110, although other configurations are possible, wherein the fluid inlet 110 is made, for example, directly by piercing the wall of the container 20 ( The container is a bag, a capsule, a pod, or the like).

Preferably, the package 100 of the present invention will comprise two flexible impermeable sheets connected to each other to define the interior volume of the package or container 20, wherein the product (typically a powder) is stored and further sprayed with water Stream 50 is processed to prepare the dispensed beverage. The package further comprises a beverage outlet 160 through which the beverage passes as free flow. There are several possibilities for providing beverage outlet 160 in the package 100, one of which is a straight tube (provided in the insert 10) substantially vertically oriented at the bottom of the package, as shown in FIG. 2 . Another possibility is that the beverage outlet 160 is not configured in the insert 10 (see FIG. 3 ), but directly in the container 20, configured to open in a certain predefined area to allow all Dispensing of prepared food or beverages (generally, when the container 20 is made of a flexible sheet or sheets to configure the interior volume, the flexible sheet(s) will Can be separated from each other under pressure, for example to allow the release (dispensing) of the beverage inside.

Preferably, the insert 10 is arranged on one of the sides of the package 100 as represented in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b , and the insert comprises the fluid inlet 110 and the air inlet 150 . Preferably, it will also comprise the beverage outlet 160 .

Referring to Figures 1a and 1b, there is disclosed a package 100 according to one possible embodiment of the present invention. The package is configured to comprise an insert 10 and a container 20 substantially delimiting a vertical plane P, the insert 10 being arranged on the underside of the package. The container 20 will contain a product, generally a powder, more specifically a concentrated powder, in the interior of its volume, by passing a liquid, generally water, through the insert 10 (e.g. a jet of liquid) From its addition, the powders will be dissolved, mixed and homogenized into a beverage. The prepared beverage will be dispensed through outlet 160 (configured as a vertical tube as shown in FIG. 2 ), or through other output members (configured elsewhere in the package), or for example (as explained or) dispensing through openings made by the separation of the sheets of the container 20 configured under certain controlled pressure conditions; in any of these cases, the insert 10 The beverage outlet will not be included, as represented in FIG. 3 .

Figure 4 shows a detail of the insert 10 arranged in a package 100 according to the invention, also showing a fluid inlet 110 through which a fluid, generally water, is introduced into the package. According to the invention, the insert 10 is further configured so that it can be accessed from the front and also from the rear, meaning that the consumer will not need to care how the package is placed in the machine, since it can be accessed from both sides, That is, the packaging system is made reversible. 2 and 3, it can be seen that the fluid inlet 110 is made on both sides (front and rear) of the insert 10: in fact, it comprises a transverse section through the insert 10 (from between the sides). one to the other) at a substantial level allowing it to be accessible through both ends thereof. When the container 20 is configured by a flexible sheet, also configured to cover the front and rear portions of the insert 10, the injection member (not shown) will also be configured as a piercing member, which can The sheet above the fluid inlet 110 is pierced and the fluid injected thereafter. The insertion member will be configured at a specific position in the beverage preparation machine to pierce and access the fluid inlet 110, independent of whether the package is positioned on one of its sides, as long as it is substantially along the plane P. placed vertically.

Preferably, in the packaging of the present invention, the flexible sheet or sheets configuring the container 20 also completely cover the insert 10, except for the insert 10 inside and communicating with the internal volume of the container 20. section outside. More preferably, a flexible sheet is configured to cover the entire insert 10, configuring the inner volume of the container 20 by sealing its ends.

Preferably, the injecting and piercing member is preferably a fluid needle (hereinafter referred to as a needle), such that these injecting and piercing members generally comprise an internal conduit or tube through which high-pressure fluid is injected in the fluid Entrance 110 in.

Referring now to FIG. 5 , which shows a section from A-A of FIG. 4 , it shows that a pressurized fluid is introduced through a fluid inlet 110 into the insert 10 disposed on the underside of the package 100 . The pressurized fluid is forced through a nozzle 120 (which has a substantially reduced diameter relative to the fluid inlet 110 cross-section), which causes the fluid to lose its pressure in favor of velocity, and thus creates a jet of fluid 50 to the container 20 in the internal volume. The jet of fluid 50 enters the interior volume of the container 20 through a suction port 130 which also communicates with an air inlet 150 to the exterior of the package. Thus, when the jet of fluid 50 is conveyed at high speed in the container, air is sucked or drawn in through the open air inlet 150 , which thus adds air to the jet of fluid 50 . Since this jet also has air incorporated, the dissolution of the product (powder) also incorporates these air bubbles, thus providing a very good and accurate foaming.

As explained, the air inlet 150 is connected to a suction port 130 through which the jet 50 enters the interior volume of the package 100, configured so that when the jet 50 is introduced into the package interior , air is drawn through the air inlet 150 (by the velocity of the jet entering the interior volume of the package). Another possibility is that the air inlet 150 is connected to an external member that actively injects air into the inner volume of the package 100, such as an air pump or the like.

In general, two possible configurations would be passive air intake (by opening the air inlet 150 to the outside so that air is drawn in as the fluid jet 50 enters the interior volume of the container 20), or by The active air pump actively injects air through the inlet 150 when connected to the air inlet 150 .

In addition, the obturation of the air inlet 150 can be adjusted to control the amount of air injected through the inlet 150, generally from none (closing the air inlet 150) to some foaming (regulating the entry of air and the air inlet 150 opening), up to active air pumping (maximum foaming).

Figure 5 also shows that the dimensions of the insert 10 and its components, and their orientation in the insert and also for the package 100, influence the properties of the final beverage obtained. These dimensions generally refer to: Diameter D ₁ : it refers to the diameter of the jet 50

Diameter D ₂ : it is the diameter of the air inlet 150

Diameter D ₃ : it is the diameter of the suction port 130

L ₁ : It is the relative positioning of the air inlet 150 to the fluid jet 50 and to the suction port 130

L ₂ : it is the height of the suction inlet 130, which is measured relative to the air inlet 150

The general dimensions of the above parameters can be listed as follows (these dimensions should only be used as examples based on experience): D ₁ : 0.3 to 0.6mm

D2: _0.5 to 1.0mm

_D3 : 1.0 to 2.0mm

L1 _: 3.0mm

L2: _2.0 to 7.0mm

In general, the relative positioning of the suction port 130 to the air inlet 150 (dimensions L ₁ , L ₂ ), together with the diameter (D ₂ ) of the air inlet 150 defines the degree of foaming of the prepared food or beverage. On the other hand, the diameter of the nozzle 120 (same diameter as the jet 50 , dimension D ₁ ) and/or the suction opening 130 (diameter D ₃ ) define the design of the jet 50 in the inner volume of the package.

According to the present invention, the fluid inlet 110 may be configured to provide a directable high-velocity jet provided into the container, preferably in relation to the fluid provided into the fluid inlet by the injection and piercing member. About 90° is provided, but any other angle would be feasible and included within the scope of this application.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, numerous modifications and changes can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

10‧‧‧Plug-in/accessory assembly

20‧‧‧container

50‧‧‧jet stream

110‧‧‧fluid inlet

120‧‧‧Nozzles

130‧‧‧Suction port

150‧‧‧air inlet

A-A‧‧‧section

ΦD1‧‧‧diameter

ΦD2‧‧‧diameter

ΦD3‧‧‧diameter

L1‧‧‧relative positioning

L2‧‧‧height

Claims (16)

A package (100) for preparing a food or drink product from one or more food or drink ingredients, comprising an insert (10) and a container (20) for storing the ingredient or ingredients, the insert (10 ) comprising a fluid inlet (110) configured to introduce an aqueous fluid in the form of a jet (50) into the interior volume of the package, wherein the insert (10) further comprises an air inlet (150 ), the air inlet communicates with the exterior of the package (100) and is configured to introduce air into the interior volume of the package (100), wherein the air inlet (150) is connected to a suction port (130) , the jet (50) enters the interior volume of the package (100) through the suction port configured so that when the jet (50) is introduced into the package (100), air passes through the air The inlet (150) is sucked in, and the relative positioning of the suction port (130) relative to the air inlet (150), together with the diameter of the air inlet (150), defines the degree of foaming of the prepared food or drink. As the package (100) of claim 1, wherein the air inlet (150) is connected to a suction port (130), the jet (50) enters the internal volume of the package (100) through the suction port, the air The inlet (150) may be connected to an external member that actively injects air into the inner volume of the package (100). The package (100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the fluid inlet (110) is configured to convert pressurized fluid introduced by a beverage machine into a high velocity fluid jet (50) in the interior volume of the package ). The package (100) of claim 2, wherein the fluid inlet (110) communicates with a nozzle (120), the nozzle having a diameter that is extremely restricted relative to the fluid inlet (110). The package (100) of claim 1 or 2, comprising two flexible, water-impermeable sheets connected to each other to define the inner volume of the package. The package (100) of claim 1 or 2, comprising a beverage outlet (160) through which the beverage is delivered as a free flow. The package (100) of claim 6, wherein the beverage outlet (160) is a straight tube oriented substantially vertically to the bottom of the package. The package (100) of claim 6, wherein the insert (10) is disposed on one of the sides of the package (100), and the insert includes the fluid inlet (110), the air inlet (150), and The beverage exits (160). The package (100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the container (20) is configured to open in a predefined area to allow dispensing of the prepared food or beverage. The package (100) of claim 4, wherein the diameter of the nozzle (120) and/or the suction opening (130) defines the design of the jet (50) in the interior volume of the package. The package (100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the food or beverage ingredient is a soluble food or beverage ingredient. The package (100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the container (20) is configured as a pouch, a capsule, or the like. The package (100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the fluid inlet (110) can be accessed from the front and/or the rear to introduce an aqueous fluid through one side or both sides. The package (100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the airtightness of the air inlet (150) can be adjusted to control the amount of injected air. The package (100) of claim 1 or 2, which exhibits a planar shape oriented along a plane (P) that is substantially vertically oriented during beverage making, and the fluid inlet (110) directs the fluid to The jet is oriented in a direction contained in the plane (P). Use of a package (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 13 for preparing a food or beverage product.

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