Capsule housing

A capsule housing is provided for use in a machine for preparing a desired product from capsules. The capsule housing includes a capsule containment portion, a product collection portion and a product dispensing portion. A dispensing system is disposed in the capsule housing for dispensing product prepared from the capsule. An adjustment system is disposed in the capsule housing for accommodating different sizes of capsules.

FIELD

This specification relates to machines that are adapted to prepare consumable products from capsules and in particular to housings adapted for receiving capsules for such machines.

BACKGROUND

The following background discussion is not an admission that anything discussed below is citable as prior art or common general knowledge. The documents listed below are incorporated herein in their entirety by this reference to them.

Machines for preparing products, such as beverages like coffee or tea, from single use capsules are becoming increasingly popular. Such machines typically include a brew chamber having a capsule housing that is adapted for receiving a specific capsule. The capsule is supported within the capsule housing while a fluid such as hot water is injected into the capsule to mix with ingredients contained within the capsule. A resulting prepared product is subsequently dispensed from the capsule into a desired receptacle such as a cup or bowl.

A problem with such machines is that the capsule housing is only adapted to receive one specific size or shape of capsule. This limits the options available to consumers to prepare a desired product. Accommodating multiple capsule sizes or shapes is a challenge since the capsule housing requires sufficiently close tolerances to support the capsule during injection of fluid and extraction of the prepared product.

Another problem with such machines is that the capsule housing is not adapted to receive larger volume capsules. This limits the options available to consumers to prepare products having a larger volume of required ingredients (such as products with noodles or other insoluble consumable ingredients).

It is desirable to provide a capsule housing that is adapted to receive larger volume capsules and preferably multiple capsule sizes or shapes while maintaining the close tolerances required to adequately support each capsule.

SUMMARY

In one aspect the invention provides a capsule housing for a machine that prepares a product from a capsule, the capsule housing comprising:a capsule containment portion defining a cavity adapted for receiving a capsule;a product dispensing portion defining an opening adapted for dispensing product from said capsule housing to a desired receptacle;a dispensing system adapted for piercing a capsule to dispense product from said capsule to said product dispensing portion; andan adjustment system adapted to adjust one or more dimensions of said capsule containment portion.

In another aspect, the invention provides a capsule housing for a machine that prepares a product from a capsule, the capsule housing comprising:an attachment structure for removably attaching said capsule housing to a support structure disposed on the machine;a capsule containment portion defining a cavity adapted for receiving a capsule;a product dispensing portion defining an opening adapted for dispensing product from said capsule housing to a desired receptacle; anda dispensing system adapted for piercing a capsule to dispense product from said capsule to said product dispensing portion.

Other aspects and features of the teachings disclosed herein will become apparent, to those ordinarily skilled in the art, upon review of the following description of the specific examples of the specification.

DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

Various apparatuses or methods will be described below to provide examples of the claimed invention. The claimed invention is not limited to apparatuses or methods having all of the features of any one apparatus or method described below or to features common to multiple or all of the apparatuses described below. The claimed invention may reside in a combination or sub-combination of the apparatus elements or method steps described below. It is possible that an apparatus or method described below is not an example of the claimed invention. The applicant(s), inventor(s) and/or owner(s) reserve all rights in any invention disclosed in an apparatus or method described below that is not claimed in this document and do not abandon, disclaim or dedicate to the public any such invention by its disclosure in this document.

A capsule housing in accordance with the present invention is shown generally at10in the Figures.

Capsule housing10is adapted to receive a capsule12for preparing a desired product in a machine14(as shown schematically inFIG. 1). Machine14includes a brew chamber having an injection system16for injecting a desired fluid, such as water, into capsule12for preparing a desired product. Machine14further includes a support structure18that is adapted to support capsule housing10.

Capsule housing10includes an attachment structure20for attaching capsule housing10to support structure18. Attachment structure20may include a collar20awith one or more spring biased tabs20bthat are adapted to be removably disposed within corresponding slots18adefined in support structure18(seeFIG. 4).

A dispensing system22may be disposed in capsule housing10for dispensing product from capsule12. Dispensing system22may comprise a hollow probe22athat is adapted to pierce capsule12.

Capsule housing10comprises a hollow body having a capsule containment portion24, a product collection portion26and a product dispensing portion28.

Capsule containment portion24has a side wall30that defines a cavity32for receiving capsule12. Capsule containment portion24may further include a seat34for supporting a first portion of capsule12within interior space20and a base36for supporting a second portion of capsule10within capsule containment portion24.

Product collection portion26has a side wall38that defines a chamber40for collecting product that is prepared from capsule12. Side wall38tapers inwardly from capsule containment portion24to direct product to product dispensing portion28. Chamber40has a sufficient volume to allow product to flow from capsule12through product dispensing portion28without backup or over flow of product.

Product dispensing portion28defines an aperture42for dispensing product into a desired receptacle44such as a cup or bowl. Product dispensing portion28may include a sidewall46defining a cylindrical passage.

Capsule housing10as depicted inFIGS. 2 and 3is adapted to receive a capsule12, as shown inFIG. 3, having a larger volume than conventional capsules. Capsule housing10is adapted to be retrofitted to existing machines (and in particular a K-Cup™ capsule machine sold by Keurig™). Side wall30of capsule housing extends with little or no taper from seat34to base36to define a capsule containment portion24of optimal volume. Additional volume is obtained by defining a shoulder48above seat34.

Referring toFIGS. 5-13, an adjustment system50is provided to adjust the configuration of capsule housing10to accommodate capsules12of different heights, shapes or diameters at a desired position within capsule housing10.

Referring toFIGS. 5 and 6, adjustment system50may be provided to adjust the shape or diameter of seat34to accommodate capsules12of different shapes or diameters. Adjustment system50may comprise an insert52that may be removably disposed within capsule housing10. Insert52includes side wall54and seat56that define a capsule containment portion24sized to accommodate a desired shape or diameter of capsule12. (in this instance, insert52includes a containment portion24that is adapted to receive a Keurig™ Vue™ style of capsule having an irregular shape). Insert52may further include dispensing system22, such as hollow probe22a, disposed in a location suitable for dispensing product from the particular shape or diameter of capsule12intended for use with insert52.

Adjustment system50may also be provided to accommodate capsules12of different heights. Referring toFIGS. 7 and 8, one embodiment of adjustment system50for adjusting heights is shown. Capsule housing10comprises an outer sleeve60defining at least one outer track62and an inner sleeve64defining at least one inner track66. Outer track62extends parallel to the axis A of capsule housing10. Inner track66extends diagonally from a first height H1 to a second height H2. Tracks62,66may be formed by raised bosses (such as outer track62) or by a slot (such as inner track66) or any other suitable structure for controlling movement over a desired path.

An adjustable base68is disposed within inner sleeve64. Adjustable base68includes at least one runner70adapted for moving along both outer track62and inner track66. In the embodiment depicted inFIGS. 7 and 8, four outer tracks62and four inner tracks66are provided with four corresponding runners70adapted to run in the tracks62,66.

A collar72is disposed over outer sleeve60to define seat34for supporting capsule12. A slot74is defined in collar72for receiving a tab76extending from inner sleeve64. Movement of tab76from one end of slot74to the other end of slot74causes inner sleeve64to rotate relative to outer sleeve60. Because runner70is disposed in outer track62, adjustable base68is prevented from rotating with inner sleeve66. Rotation of inner sleeve66thus causes runner70to move along inner track66to move adjustable base68between first height H1 and second height H2. Inner track66further includes a ledge78at each end of track for supporting adjustable base68at first height H1 or second height H2 depending on positioning of tab76.

Adjustable base68includes a dispensing system22such as hollow probe22a. An aperture80is defined in adjustable base68to accommodate capsules12having an integral dispensing nozzle (not shown) rather than requiring dispensing probe22a.

Referring toFIGS. 9-11, adjustment system50may instead comprise a plurality of support ribs82disposed in capsule containment portion24. Support ribs82define a first support surface84for supporting smaller size capsules12of a first height, shape or diameter. Larger size capsules12may be configured with corresponding grooves86in their sidewall88to receive support ribs82. Adjustment system50further comprises a base36for supporting such larger size capsules. Base36includes a dispensing system22with hollow probe22afor piercing such larger size capsules. As a result, larger size capsules12may be rotatably inserted into capsule housing10until support ribs82are disposed in grooves86to allow capsule12to be lowered into capsule containment portion24. It will be understood that adjustment system50may comprise a plurality of support ribs82with support surfaces84disposed at a plurality of heights or other dimensions (not shown) to support different sizes of capsules.

Referring toFIG. 12, height adjustment system50may instead comprise a removable insert90that may be disposed within capsule containment portion24to accommodate a different height or shape of capsule.

Referring toFIG. 13, another embodiment of height adjustment system50is shown. In this embodiment, base36is disposed on a telescoping platform100that may be raised or lowered by a linear actuator102. Linear actuator may be triggered by switch104disposed on seat34. Linear actuator may be electrically powered by a battery106disposed in capsule housing10or it may be wired directly to the control system for machine14. When switch104senses that capsule12has been disposed in capsule housing10and brew chamber has been closed then linear actuator is activated to move base36to a position where dispensing system22is activated. For example, base36may be moved to a position where probe22apierces capsule12to dispense product.

While the above description provides examples of one or more processes or apparatuses, it will be appreciated that other processes or apparatuses may be within the scope of the accompanying claims.