WO2018109326A1

WO2018109326A1 - Beverage container

Info

Publication number: WO2018109326A1
Application number: PCT/FR2017/053429
Authority: WO
Inventors: Matthieu BRIERE; Arnaud Riva; Michel Robin; Michael Schmid
Original assignee: Seb S.A.
Priority date: 2016-12-13
Filing date: 2017-12-07
Publication date: 2018-06-21
Also published as: FR3059986A1; DE212017000270U1; FR3059986B1; CN210028634U

Abstract

The invention relates to a beverage container (20) comprising walls (24, 25, 35) defining at least one compartment (30, 34) designed to accommodate at least one component (32) of a beverage and a dispensing circuit for dispensing the component (32), said dispensing circuit including a recess (33) which is intended for receiving the component (32) during the use of the container and which is provided with a dispensing opening (41). According to the invention, the dispensing circuit comprises a self-priming siphon (40) which makes it possible, during the use of the container (20), at least partially to transfer the component (32) from the cavity (33) to the outside via the dispensing opening (41).

Description

CONTAINER FOR BEVERAGES

The present invention relates to a beverage container for cooperating with a beverage dispensing apparatus, in particular for serving a wide variety of types of drinks.

It is known from WO2013139864 to produce a beverage container comprising walls defining at least one compartment designed to accommodate at least one component of a beverage and a distribution circuit of the component extracted from the container during the use of said container. The distribution circuit comprises a cavity which is intended to receive the component during the use of the container and which is provided with a dispensing orifice.

The container is intended to cooperate with a beverage dispensing apparatus which comprises a receptacle for receiving the container. When using the container to make a beverage, the component is transferred into the cavity and mixed with water, the resulting mixture flowing through the dispensing orifice. The establishment and removal of the container from the dispensing apparatus are carried out by the user.

However, during the operation of removing the container from the dispensing apparatus after use, a small portion of the component / water mixture that can remain in the cavity will flow through the dispensing orifice and come to stain or soil the container. environment of the device or the user himself. The flow of this residual portion of the component / water mixture may occur during the tilting of the container during handling.

In the case of a viscous component, a residual portion that adheres to the walls of the compartment and the cavity will flow after the end of the use of the container. Thus, even if the user waits a certain time before evacuating the container, a flow of the component through the dispensing orifice is still possible. The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks and to provide a container that has a simple and ergonomic implementation, particularly in terms of cleanliness during use. Another object of the present invention is to provide a container that has a simple design and is economical to implement.

These objects are achieved with a beverage container comprising walls defining at least one compartment adapted to house at least one component of a beverage and a component distribution circuit, the dispensing circuit having a cavity which is adapted to receive the component when using the container and which is provided with a dispensing orifice, characterized in that the dispensing circuit comprises a self-priming siphon which allows, when using the container, to transfer at least partially the component of the cavity to the outside through the dispensing orifice.

By using the container, it is understood that the container cooperates with a dispensing apparatus for producing a drink from the ingredient contained in the container.

"Container" means a capsule or pod that includes one or more cavities each containing a component or ingredient in the beverage composition, such ingredients or ingredients being especially intended to be mixed or diluted or infused with water or another extraction liquid during the preparation of the drink.

By a cavity that receives the component during use of the container, it is understood that the component may be the component alone or the component mixed with water or other extraction liquid.

By self-priming siphon, it is understood that the component of the beverage that arrives in the cavity will accumulate to a so-called level of initiation of the siphon, then the component will flow through the dispensing orifice until the component reaches a so-called level of siphon defusing, the level of priming being higher than the level of defusing. Thus, the siphon at least partially siphons the component of the drink out of the cavity during the use of the container, so that, after siphoning, the container can be inclined relative to the position of use by limiting strongly the risk of flow of the component possibly still present in the container, the siphon forming an obstacle to the flow of the residual component. As a result, the risk of getting dirty or dirtying the environment of the dispensing apparatus during the evacuation of the container from the machine after use is greatly reduced.

A self-priming siphon is also called an automatic siphon or siphon bell.

Advantageously, the siphon comprises an ascending duct capped by a bell, the ascending duct having the dispensing orifice.

Thus, the siphon has a simple and economical construction to implement.

Preferably, the cavity comprises a bottom wall provided with an inner face from which extends the ascending pipe which has an upper free end and the container has an intermediate wall which comprises the bell, the cavity comprising the intermediate wall. .

Thus, the siphon is arranged between the intermediate wall which forms the ceiling of the cavity and the inner face which forms the bottom of the cavity. Advantageously, the distance between the free end of the ascending duct and the bottom defines a siphon initiation height and the bell has a lower free end, the distance between the free end of the bell and the inner face defining a height of defusing the siphon. Thus, at the beginning of use, the component of the beverage accumulates in the cavity on the priming height of the siphon to reach the so-called level of siphon priming and then the component flows sucked into the conduit to the dispensing orifice. At the end of use, the component of the drink is no longer sucked out of the cavity when the component reaches the defusing height of the siphon. The lower the defusing height, the smaller the residual volume of the component in the cavity. The priming height and the defusing height are measured when using the container.

Advantageously, the ratio between the priming height and the defusing height is greater than 2, preferably greater than 3. Thus, the residual volume in the cavity will be blocked by the ascending channel during handling of the container at the end of use , especially if the container is tilted during handling.

Preferably, the container comprises at least one closure device for sealing the compartment and isolating the component of the beverage during storage, said closure device being open when the container is used to allow the component of the beverage to flow into the distribution circuit. Thus, the closure device has a dual function, a closure function during storage of the container and an opening function when using the container.

Advantageously, the closure device seals the compartment tightly.

Preferably, the container has a plurality of compartments configured to house the respective components of a beverage with at least a closing device.

Advantageously, the closure device is configured to break directly or indirectly under the pressure exerted by a liquid injected into the container during use.

Preferably, the container has a moving part moving between a storage configuration in which the compartment is closed and an active configuration for the use of the container in which a closure device is broken to allow the component of the drink to flow into the distribution circuit.

Thus, the container has own means, independent of the dispensing device, to go from the storage configuration to the active configuration. As a result, the dispensing apparatus may not be in contact with the beverage component during dispensing.

Advantageously, the cavity is formed in part by the movable portion which has the inner face from which extends the ascending channel of the siphon.

Thus, in the active position of the container, the ascending pipe is arranged in the bell to form the siphon. Preferably, the inner face of the movable part, oriented towards the inside of the container, comprises one or more piercing devices for opening the respective compartment (s), the piercing device (s) being configured to drill and open the closure device (s) upon movement of the movable portion to the active configuration.

Advantageously, the movable portion is a base portion of said container. The invention will be better understood with the study of the embodiments taken in no way limiting and illustrated in the accompanying figures in which:

- Figure 1 illustrates a dispensing apparatus with a beverage container according to a particular embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the container illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view along the line 11-1 of the container illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a section along the line of the container illustrated in FIG. 2 according to another embodiment, which comprises a moving part in a storage configuration;

FIG. 5 illustrates the container in a view similar to FIG. 4, the moving part in an active configuration;

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of the container illustrated in FIG. 2 according to another embodiment which comprises two compartments configured to house the components of a beverage;

- Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the movable part of the embodiment of Figure 6, configured to perforate the closure devices of the two compartments.

Note that, in this document, the terms "horizontal", "vertical", "lower", "upper", "longitudinal", "transverse", "high", "low", used to describe the dispensing apparatus beverage container and refer to this device and container in use situation, the device being placed on a horizontal work surface.

As shown in Figure 1, a dispensing apparatus 2 is intended to be placed on a horizontal work surface, for example in a kitchen. The dispensing apparatus 2 may for example have a width of 250 to 300 mm, a depth of 300 to 400 mm and a height of 250 to 300 mm. It is configured to dispense a beverage into a container 4 such as a glass as shown in FIG. The dispensing apparatus 2 comprises a support 6 for receiving the container 4. The support 6 may comprise a collection tray drops. The user can place its container 4 on the support 6 directly under a dispensing orifice 41 of a mixed drink. Preferably, the support 6 can be adjustable in height on a frame 3 of the dispensing apparatus 2 so as to adapt to containers of different sizes.

The dispensing apparatus 2 comprises a receptacle 8 for receiving a container 20 for drinks. The receptacle 8 is pivotally arranged between an open loading position as visible in Figure 1 and a closed dispensing position (not shown in the figures). The receptacle 8 comprises a flap 8a which, when the receptacle is in the closed position, is flush with the frame 3 of the dispensing apparatus 2.

As will be described in more detail below, the container 20 may take the form of a capsule to be inserted into the receptacle 8 for use in the dispensing machine 2. Advantageously, the dispensing apparatus 2 may comprise a drive mechanism provided with a motor for moving the receptacle 8.

It is expected that most of the beverages that will be prepared using the respective containers will require the addition of water. In this respect, the dispensing apparatus 2 could be connected to a water supply. Alternatively, as illustrated in the embodiment of Figure 1, a mobile cover 12 provides access to a water reservoir, which can be filled by the user. In the illustrated embodiment, the reservoir has a capacity of about 600 ml. The water tank can be removable to facilitate its filling.

The system described above can be used as follows. A beverage container 20, for example in the form of a capsule, is introduced into the dispensing apparatus 2 by inserting it onto the receptacle 8. A wide variety of different types of containers 20 may be provided. Preferably, all containers have the same outer shape, but may have different internal configurations. The container 20 has a body 22 which defines at least one compartment 30. The body 22 comprises an outer wall 25 which in part defines the compartment 30. The wall 25 of the body 22 is preferably rigid. The compartment 30 is configured to house a component 32 of a beverage. The container 20 comprises a lid 24 which closes the compartment 30. The lid 24 may be a piece ultrasonically welded to the body 22, for example with dimensional characteristics adapted to fit the wall 25 of the body 22. The compartment 30 contains the component 32 In a lower part, the container 20 comprises a distribution circuit provided with a cavity 33, a dispensing orifice 41 and a siphon 40.

When using the container 20, the component 32 of the drink is extracted from the container by means of a liquid called "extraction liquid". The extraction liquid may be the component 32 itself, housed in the compartment 30, or an external extraction liquid, for example water, injected inside the compartment 30. The extraction liquid, water, for example, is preferably injected into the container by puncturing the lid 24. The extraction liquid may be a juice, a non-alcoholic beverage or other liquid. Regardless of the use of an extraction liquid external to the component 32, at the end of the normal use of the container 20, the container 20 is preferably at least partially emptied of the extraction liquid by the provision of a This purge gas may in particular be air at atmospheric pressure or under pressure. This flushing gas is generally introduced into the container through the perforation holes of the lid 24.

The container can be adapted for use under standard pressure conditions, so that the beverage obtained with the container can be extracted from the container by flowing by gravity. Thus, in use, the container is in a position where the dispensing portion, with the siphon 40, is at the base of the container. This position is called "position of use". During the use of the container 20, the siphon 40 siphons, at least partially, the extraction liquid of the container. Siphoning is preferably provided under standard pressure conditions. In other words, the siphon 40 ensures the flow of the component 32 out of the container despite the provision of an ascending pipe 52 on the path followed by the extraction liquid inside the container 20. The siphon 40 can be defined structurally as a conduit that carries a liquid of a higher level to cross a barrier to a lower level, the flow being maintained by gravity and atmospheric pressure as long as the conduit remains filled. According to such a definition, the upper level is formed by an inner face 48 of a bottom wall 47 of the cavity 33, while the lower level is formed by a bottom of the container 4 receiving the extraction liquid extracted from the container 20. The barrier corresponds here to the upstream duct 52 of the siphon which traps the liquid inside the container 20, on the internal face 48.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the ascending duct 52 which includes the dispensing orifice 41 is capped by a bell 31. The container 20 has an intermediate wall 35 which includes the bell 31. The intermediate wall forms part of the cavity 33. The upstream duct 52 has an upper free end 53 and the bell 31 has a lower free end 39. The distance between the free end 53 of the ascending duct 52 and the inner face 48 defines a priming height 46 of the siphon 40 and the distance between the free end 39 of the bell and the inner face 48 defines a defusing height 44 Siphon 40. The defusing height 44, corresponds to the maximum height of the extraction liquid that will remain in the container 20 after use. A differential height 42 determined between the priming height 46 and the defusing height 44 is the siphon height. After the use of the container 20 with the siphon 40, the siphon height 42 of the ascending duct 52 creates an anti-drip barrier for the component and / or the extraction liquid possibly remaining in the container, especially in case of slight inclination with respect to the position of use. Therefore, the presence of the siphon 40 in the container 20 avoids the user may be soiled by droplets of component and / or extraction liquid during handling of a used container.

The priming height 46 is preferably between 2 and 15 mm. Ideally, it is between 5 and 7 mm. Respectively, the defusing height 44 is preferably between 0.5 and 4 mm. Ideally, this is between 1, 5 and 2.5 mm. The aforementioned heights preferably apply to a container having the following dimensions:

height of 25 to 100 mm, preferably 55 to 65 mm;

average diameter of 20 to 80 mm, preferably 45 to 55 mm.

The rising duct 52 has the dispensing orifice 41 which corresponds to the outlet of the siphon 40. This dispensing orifice 41 allows the component and / or the extraction liquid extracted from the container to be dispensed directly into the container 4, without contact. with the dispensing apparatus. Advantageously, the ascending pipe 52 has a diameter of between 2 and 10 mm.

The compartment 30 comprises the intermediate wall which comprises a closure device 50 (FIG. The closure device 50 may take the form of a closure member, so that the compartment 30 is sealed. This is useful especially when the component 32 of the drink has a limited shelf life in contact with the air. The closure device 50 is further designed to be open and allow the extraction of the component 32 during use of the container. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the closure device 50 is preferably provided inside the container 20. This positioning inside the container 20 limits the splashing of the extraction liquid out of the container during use. . It thus limits the risk of dirtying the user and / or the machine when opening the closure device during use of the container. The closure device 50 may be made in one piece with the material of the intermediate wall of the compartment 30. The closure device 50 may be a solid wall formed in one piece, for example molded, with the intermediate wall of the compartment 30. In this embodiment of the solid wall, the opening of the closing device 50 can be provided by a part weakened.

The closure element 50 may either be perforated by the internal pressure of the extraction liquid inserted in the compartment 30, or be perforated by the physical displacement of a moving part. For the embodiments (particularly that illustrated in FIG. 3) in which the closure device is designed to rupture under the internal pressure, the closure device 50 can be broken directly or indirectly by the internal pressure. In case of indirect rupture of the closure device by internal pressure, the closure device 50 may have sufficient flexibility to deform under the internal pressure until contact with an internal perforator. The closure device 50 may be designed as a membrane, for example in the form of a sheet of metal or plastic. The internal perforator may be a needle, a pick, or a pointed end. As the internal pressure increases, the contact between the flexible closure and the sharp internal shutter will increase and cause the flexible closure to rupture. In case of direct rupture by internal pressure, the closure device may take the form of a flexible material, such as a membrane as described above. To facilitate breakage, the membrane may be provided with a weakened portion. Alternatively, the membrane may be full, and the location of the rupture on the membrane will not be predetermined.

In a particular embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the container 20 comprises a mobile part 26. The mobile part 26 forms the bottom of the container and comprises the bottom wall 47 provided with the inner face 48. The inner face 48 comprises a piercing device 54. The piercing device 54 is directed towards the closure device 50 which closes the compartment 30. The closure device 50 has been masked in FIG. 5 to facilitate understanding. Figure 4 shows the mobile part 26 in the low position, in which the piercing device 54 does not interact with the closing device 50. This low position of the movable part 26 corresponds to a storage configuration. The piercing device is designed to perforate the device of closure 50. This break provided by the piercing device is induced by the movement of the movable portion 26 in the rest of the container 20, that is to say by the displacement of the piercing device 54 in the closure device 50. This move moves from the storage configuration to an active configuration.

Fig. 5 illustrates the movable portion 26 in the active configuration to allow use of the container. As a result, the active configuration can also be named "usage configuration". The movable portion 26 is at the bottom of the container 20 and thus forms a base portion of the container 20. The movable portion 26 is arranged in a housing 37 formed by the wall 25 of the body 22. The housing 37 may in particular be configured to guide the base portion 26 between the storage configuration and the active configuration.

The siphon is partially formed by the movable portion 26 and partially by the intermediate wall of the container 20. The engagement of the movable portion 26 in the remainder of the container is preferably hermetic in the active configuration (or use configuration). The hermetic engagement of the movable portion 26 in the rest of the container avoids the defusing of the siphoning effect.

This hermeticity is provided by the combination of an annular rib 58 on the movable portion 26 and a peripheral flange 38 on the intermediate wall of the container 20. In the active configuration, the annular rib 58 is adapted to engage with force with the peripheral flange 38 to provide an annular seal between the two. The peripheral flange 38 may be integrally formed with the intermediate wall of the compartment 30. The peripheral flange 38 forms at least guide means for moving the movable portion 26 of the storage configuration to the active configuration. The annular rib 58 may also act in combination with notches 60 provided on the peripheral flange 38. These notches 60 are arranged on the peripheral flange 38 so as to striking the annular rib 58 when moving the movable portion 26 of the storage configuration to the active configuration. A force must be applied on the moving part 26 to move it to the active configuration, in particular a force greater than 5 N. Thus, the combination of the notches 60 and the annular rib 58 prevents any accidental movement of the moving part 26 towards the configuration active. The moving part 26 can only move voluntarily to the active configuration against these notches 60.

According to Figure 6, the walls of the container may define a plurality of compartments 30, 34 configured to house the respective components of a beverage. In the foregoing description, references made to compartment 30 also apply to embodiments of the multi-compartment container. Thus, for each of the multiple compartments, the component of the beverage housed in the compartment can be maintained in this compartment by a closure device 50, either dedicated to this compartment, or common to all or some of the compartments. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the compartment component 34 is held by a dedicated closing device (not illustrated) of the same type as the closing device 50 which can be broken by the physical displacement of a moving part. 26. Figure 7 illustrates the movable portion 26 configured to perforate the closure members of the two compartments 30 and 34. The movable portion 26 has two piercing devices 54 and 56. In use, the components flow through the cavity 33 to be mixed before being distributed through the siphon 40. In addition, the container 20 has a fluid passage 36 directly from the cover 24 to the cavity 33. This fluid passage 36 allows, for example, the injection of water in the container 20 while the components housed in the compartments 30 and 34 are extracted by a flushing gas.

The characteristics of the beverage container presented in this document allow the products to be separately stored and preserved. freshness until serving time. In particular, the container can be constructed of hard, rigid and solid plastic materials with separate sealed compartments for the individual components separately stored until blending immediately before serving.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment for the guide means in addition to or in replacement of the peripheral flange 38. These guide means are formed by the notches 64 arranged on the mobile part 26. The notches 64 are formed on a reinforced edge 62 of the movable portion 26, for example by doubling the thickness of the material of the edge of the movable part. The notches 64 cooperate with grooves (not shown) on the wall 25. The movement of the movable portion 26 is guided relative to the remainder of the container by the sliding movement of the notches 64 along the corresponding grooves.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the described and illustrated embodiments which have been given by way of example. Modifications are possible, particularly from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

In an alternative embodiment not shown in the figures, the closure device may take the form of a grid or a filter to ensure at least the physical retention of the component housed in the compartment. The component of the beverage may be for example ground coffee or a beverage concentrate, or any other solid or powdered component of a beverage. In other words, it may be that the closure device does not provide any seal. The component of the beverage is extracted from the container, at least partially, by dissolution or infusion with the extraction liquid, for example water, injected into the container.

Claims

1. Beverage container (20) comprising walls (24, 25, 35) defining at least one compartment (30, 34) adapted to house at least one component

(32) of a beverage and a distribution circuit of the component (32), said dispensing circuit having a cavity (33) for receiving the component (32) when using the container and which is provided with a dispensing orifice (41), characterized in that the dispensing circuit comprises a self-priming siphon (40) which makes it possible, when using the container (20), to transfer at least partially the component (32) of the cavity (33) to the outside through the dispensing orifice (41).

Beverage container (20) according to claim 1, characterized in that the siphon (40) comprises an upward duct (52) capped by a bell (31), the ascending duct (52) having the dispensing orifice ( 41).

Container (20) for beverages according to claim 2, characterized in that the cavity (33) has a bottom wall (47) provided with an inner face (48) from which the ascending duct extends ( 52) which has an upper free end (53) and in that it comprises an intermediate wall (35) which comprises the bell (31), the cavity (33) comprising the intermediate wall (35).

Beverage container (20) according to claim 3, characterized in that the distance between the free end (53) of the ascending duct (52) and the inner face (48) defines a priming height (46) of the siphon (40) and in that the bell (31) has a lower free end (39), the distance between the free end (39) of the bell and the inner face (48) defining a defusing height (44) siphon (40).

5. container (20) for drinks according to claim 4, characterized in that the ratio between the priming height (42) and the defusing height (44) is greater than 2, preferably greater than 3.

Beverage container (20) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises at least one closure device (50) for sealing the compartment (30, 34) and isolating the component (32) from the beverage during storage, said closure device (50) being open when using the container (20) to allow the beverage component (32) to flow into the dispensing circuit.

Beverage container (20) according to claim 6, characterized in that the container (20) has a plurality of compartments (30, 34) configured to house the respective components (32) of a beverage with at least one device closure (50). Beverage container (20) according to one of Claims 6 to 7, characterized in that the closing device (50) is configured to break directly or indirectly under the pressure exerted by a liquid injected into the container ( 20) during use.

9. container (20) for drinks according to any one of claims 6 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a movable part (26) moving between a storage configuration in which the compartment (30, 34) is closed and an active configuration for using the container (20) in which the closure device (50) is broken to allow the beverage component (32) to flow into the dispensing circuit. Beverage container (20) according to claim 9, characterized in that the cavity (33) is formed in part by the movable part (26) which has the inner face (48) from which the duct extends. ascending (52) of the siphon (40).

1 1. Container (20) for beverages according to claim 10, characterized in that the inner face (48) of the movable part (26), directed towards the inside of the container, comprises one or more piercing devices (54, 56) for opening the respective compartment (s), the piercing device (s) (54, 56) being configured to drill and open the closure device (s) (50) ) during movement of the moving part (26) to the active configuration.