WO2017108509A1 - Contenant de poudre pour boisson - Google Patents

Contenant de poudre pour boisson Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2017108509A1
WO2017108509A1 PCT/EP2016/080873 EP2016080873W WO2017108509A1 WO 2017108509 A1 WO2017108509 A1 WO 2017108509A1 EP 2016080873 W EP2016080873 W EP 2016080873W WO 2017108509 A1 WO2017108509 A1 WO 2017108509A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
container
beverage
powder
tank
screws
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2016/080873
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Yann Brunner
Olivier GIRAULT
Original Assignee
Nestec S.A.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Nestec S.A. filed Critical Nestec S.A.
Publication of WO2017108509A1 publication Critical patent/WO2017108509A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47J—KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
    • A47J31/00—Apparatus for making beverages
    • A47J31/40—Beverage-making apparatus with dispensing means for adding a measured quantity of ingredients, e.g. coffee, water, sugar, cocoa, milk, tea
    • A47J31/404—Powder dosing devices

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to beverage dispensers preparing beverages from a soluble powder stored in a container and from which a dose of powder is dispensed to prepare a beverage.
  • beverage soluble powder is prepared by mixing a beverage soluble powder with a diluent.
  • Mixing devices are known for speedier preparation of such beverages by mixing the beverage soluble powder with the diluent, such as water. These devices can comprise a dissolution chamber in which the soluble component and the diluent are fed.
  • the diluent can be introduced into the dissolution chamber in order to create a whirlpool to efficiently dissolve the soluble powder in the hot water or the hot diluent can be introduced under the form of jets that provides mixing, dissolving and frothing.
  • the mixture can also eventually be frothed by a whipper in the dissolution chamber to reconstitute the beverage and produce foam.
  • the beverage is then usually evacuated into a receptacle for drinking.
  • These devices can also mix the beverage soluble powder with the diluent in a drinking cup, usually a single use cup.
  • the soluble food component is introduced in the cup and the diluent is introduced under the form of jets that provides mixing, dissolving and/or frothing.
  • the beverage soluble powder is usually stored in a container placed above the dissolution chamber opened mouth and a dosing device like a screw or an auger doses and delivers the beverage soluble powder which falls in the dissolution chamber or the drinking cup. Diluent is simultaneously fed to the dissolution chamber so that dissolution occurs.
  • each beverage is made according to a specific recipe in which critical parameters are the quantity of the soluble ingredient and the quantity of diluent (usually water).
  • the quantities of soluble ingredient and of diluent define the taste and the quality of the beverage with the expected taste.
  • the operation of dosing is implemented rapidly in order to deliver the beverage in the shortest time as possible once the consumer has launched the preparation.
  • the step of dosing the soluble ingredient can take up to 10 seconds. This dosing time could be reduced by increasing the speed of rotation, but it may affect the consistency and accuracy of the dosing.
  • An object of the invention is to address at least some of the drawbacks of the prior art storing and dosing powder containers or at least to provide an alternative thereto.
  • a container for storing and dosing a food or beverage powder comprising:
  • the two rotatable endless screws are configured for displacing a dose of powder in direction of the at least one outlet duct when said screws rotate in the same rotational direction D1 simultaneously.
  • the tank of the container presents two lateral walls and two end walls, usually one rear end wall and one front end wall.
  • the walls extend between the bottom and the top of the tank and are essentially vertical.
  • essentially vertical it is meant that some parts of the walls can be inclined, for example for increasing the storing volume of the tank above the screw or for creating a funnel that pushed powder to the screw.
  • the top of the tank is preferably closed by a removable lid in order to be able to refill the tank.
  • the at least one horizontal outlet duct is usually positioned at the bottom of the front end wall. Usually the end of each endless screw extends through the at least one horizontal outlet duct.
  • the container comprises two horizontal outlet ducts and the end of each endless screw extends through one dedicated horizontal outlet duct.
  • the ends of the endless screws do not overlap the end(s) of the at least one outlet duct.
  • the length of the horizontal outlet duct at the bottom of the tank can be quite short. In a particular embodiment the length can be limited to the thickness of the wall of the container.
  • the two endless screws present the same design of screwing path.
  • the two endless screws are identical.
  • the screws are generally attached to the container so that each screw is in a position in the container that corresponds to a rotation by 180° of the position of the other screw in the container.
  • the container is configured for rotating the two endless screws in the same rotational direction D1 simultaneously.
  • the container comprises a connector for connecting the two endless screws to the same motor.
  • the connector applies the same direction of rotation D1 to the two screws.
  • the container comprises two driving means each of said driving means cooperating with the rear end of one dedicated endless screw.
  • each endless screw comprises tooth gear and the two tooth gears are interconnected through an intermediate tooth gear. Accordingly when the intermediate tooth gear is driven, the two endless screws rotate in the same rotary direction opposed to the direction of rotation of the intermediate tooth gear.
  • a beverage dispenser comprising : - at least one container such as described above,
  • At least one beverage preparation unit operatively linked to the container for preparing a beverage from the stored food or beverage powder
  • the beverage preparation unit can be any device for contacting the food or beverage powder with a diluent, preferably water.
  • the device for contacting the food ingredient with the diluent can be comprised in the list of : a jet(s) head, a mixing bowl, a whipper bowl.
  • the jet(s) head can be a nozzle delivering at least one jet of diluent. Preferably it delivers at least two jets of diluent and even more preferably the jets head is able to rotate during the delivery of the diluent through the nozzle.
  • the mixing bowl can be a chamber configured to receive the diluent and the food or beverage powder. It can be designed so as to make an efficient contact of the powder and the diluent, and improve the dissolution of the powder.
  • the whipper bowl usually comprises a first part which is a mixing chamber configured to receive the diluent and the powder and a second part comprising a whipper configured to make the mixture of the diluent and the powder foam.
  • the food or beverage powder designates powders, pellets or granules of food or beverage ingredients.
  • the beverage ingredients are soluble ingredients like soluble coffee, tea, chocolate, milk, sugar, flavoured powders, soup, ..
  • the terms “internal”, “external”, “rear”, “front”, “bottom” and “lateral” are used to describe the relational positioning of features of the invention. These terms should be understood to refer to the container in its normal orientation when positioned in a beverage preparation dispenser for the production of a beverage as shown in Figures 1 and 6.
  • the terms “endless screw” cover a usual endless screw and also a helicoidal spring attached to a solid insert, said solid insert being placed within the helicoidal spring.
  • FIG. 1 is a view of a container according to the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the container 1 as taken along plane AA of Figure 1 ,
  • FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the tank 1 1 of the container 1 of Figure 1 as taken along plane BB of Figure 1 ,
  • FIG. 5 is a magnified view of the back end of the container of Figure 2
  • FIG. 6 is a view of a beverage dispenser according to the state of the art.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a beverage powder container 1 according to the invention.
  • the container comprises a tank 1 1 to store a powder.
  • the tank 1 1 is closed at its top by a removable lid 1 10 in order to be able to refill the tank with powder.
  • the container usually presents an essentially parallepipedal shape presenting two vertical lateral walls 1 1 1 and two vertical end walls, one front wall 1 12a and one rear wall 1 12b.
  • the container comprises a powder outlet 13.
  • the container comprises a connector 16 for connection to the shaft of a motor.
  • the container comprises two horizontal outlet ducts 13a, 13b at the bottom 1 13 of the tank for evacuating the powder from the tank.
  • the outlet ducts 13a, 13b are positioned at the bottom of a terminal wall.
  • the container comprises two endless screws 12a, 12b at the bottom 1 13 of the tank.
  • the front end 121 a, 121 b of each endless screw extends through one dedicated outlet duct 13a, 13b respectively. Accordingly each screw doses powder through one outlet duct only, as further illustrated in Figure 4.
  • the two screws are identical : they present the same design and are positioned in the tank so that they displace powder to the outlet ducts 13a, 13b when they are rotated in the same rotational direction D1 .
  • each endless screw may be arranged to comprise a volume of powder transport that is greater in the front portion of the endless screw than in the rear portion of the screw.
  • the cylindrical core 122 of the endless screw may present a decreasing section from the rear side to the front side of the tank thus reducing the capacity of the screw to move the powder in the rear region as opposed to the front region of the container and thereby reducing cliffing at the front region.
  • Figure 3 illustrates the preferred shape of the bottom 1 13 of the tank. This is the shape of a double U that follows the outlines of the screws.
  • the lateral walls 1 1 1 1 a, 1 1 1 b attached to the double U are preferably vertical.
  • the screws comprises driving means 14a, 14b, respectively configured for being indirectly connected to the drive shaft of a motor and being rotated in the same direction of rotation D1.
  • the driving means 14a, 14b comprise tooth gears.
  • the container comprises a connector 15 presenting :
  • the connector 15 enables the rotation of both endless screws 12a, 12b - simultaneously in the same rotational direction. It means that, view from the front ends, 121 a, 121 b, both screws rotate clockwise according to direction D1 (direction D1 is illustrated in Figure 2)
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a beverage dispenser according to the state of the art. Behind the front door 22, the dispenser comprising beverage powder containers 1 placed above beverage preparation units 21 . The outlets of the containers are oriented so as to deliver the beverage powder in the beverage preparation 3 for contacting a dose of beverage powder with a diluent.
  • the diluent is supplied by a fluid system comprising usually a boiler, a pump and a heater placed in the back part of the dispenser (not illustrated).
  • the beverage preparation unit 21 delivers the beverage in a cup placed in a dispensing area 24.
  • the containers 1 cooperate with motor shafts 23 at their rear end in order to actuate the dosing screw inside the containers.
  • the containers of the present invention can be positioned in such a dispenser in place of existing containers.
  • the container illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 was filled with a beverage powder ingredient. Then the whole container was emptied by dosing successively portions of the ingredient ; at each dosing the same number of rotations was applied to the screws. Each dosed portion was weighed in order to evaluate the consistency of the successive dosing operations. In another run of tests, similar dosing operations were realised with a similar container comprising the same two endless screws, but in which these both screws dose the powder by rotation in opposed directions.
  • Cappuccino powder is an instant coffee mix comprising at least instant coffee powder, milk powder and powdered sugar. Such a powder comprises more than 20 % in weight fat and more than 20 % in weight powdered sugar.
  • Nescau powder is a chocolate powder.
  • the beverage dispenser of the present invention presents the advantage of dosing beverage powders more consistently and in a shorter time length compared to a container of the state of the art comprising two screws rotating simultaneously in opposed rotational directions that is one screw rotating according to the rotary direction D1 (e.g. clockwise) and the other screw rotating according to the rotary direction opposed to D1 (e.g. anticlockwise).
  • D1 rotary direction
  • D1 anticlockwise
  • powders comprising fats and/or powdered sugar, or powders that are not well agglomerated.
  • the container of the present invention enables a consistent dosing of beverage powders, whatever the nature of the powder.
  • the same container can be used for the storage, dosing and dispensing of all kinds of beverage powders.
  • beverage preparation unit 21 front door 22 motor shaft 23 dispensing area 24 direction of rotation of the screws D1

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Apparatus For Making Beverages (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un contenant (1) pour le stockage, le dosage et la distribution d'un aliment ou d'une boisson en poudre comprenant : un réservoir (11) ; au moins un conduit de sortie horizontal (13a, 13b) dans la partie inférieure du réservoir ; et deux vis sans fin rotatives (12a, 12b) placées dans la partie inférieure du réservoir (113). Les deux vis sans fin rotatives (12a, 12b) sont conçues pour déplacer une dose de poudre dans la direction du conduit de sortie lorsqu'elles tournent dans le même sens de rotation D simultanément.
PCT/EP2016/080873 2015-12-22 2016-12-14 Contenant de poudre pour boisson WO2017108509A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP15202079 2015-12-22
EP15202079.8 2015-12-22

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2017108509A1 true WO2017108509A1 (fr) 2017-06-29

Family

ID=55023989

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/EP2016/080873 WO2017108509A1 (fr) 2015-12-22 2016-12-14 Contenant de poudre pour boisson

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2017108509A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11219329B2 (en) 2018-04-12 2022-01-11 Marmon Foodservice Technologies, Inc. Sugar dispenser with auger

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2007135597A1 (fr) * 2006-05-19 2007-11-29 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Appareil permettant de préparer du lait pour nourrisson à partir d'une préparation instantanée

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2007135597A1 (fr) * 2006-05-19 2007-11-29 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Appareil permettant de préparer du lait pour nourrisson à partir d'une préparation instantanée

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11219329B2 (en) 2018-04-12 2022-01-11 Marmon Foodservice Technologies, Inc. Sugar dispenser with auger

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