Patent Publication Number: US-2013247774-A1

Title: System for Preparing a Beverage Starting From an Infusion Product Contained in an Interchangeable Capsule

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a system for preparing a beverage starting from an infusion product contained in an interchangeable capsule. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an interchangeable capsule adapted to be used in such a system. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     It is well known that interchangeable capsules contain a granular product, e.g. coffee, barley, powered milk, tea, chamomile etc. 
     Generally, the interchangeable capsules for infusion products comprise a cup, made of a plastic material, in which the infusion product is accommodated, and a lid arranged to close the cup and also made of a plastic material or a film which can be perforated. 
     When the capsule is inserted in a percolation chamber of a system for the preparation of a beverage, pressurized hot water is injected into the cup through a first plurality of holes made on the bottom of the capsule itself. 
     The water is mixed with the granular product in the capsule and flows out from the capsule itself through a second plurality of holes present in the lid of the cup. 
     An example of such a system is shown in European patent EP-B1-2 134 611 (SARA LEE). 
     In the solution suggested in EP-B1-2 134 611 (SARA LEE) the perforation tip used to perforate a traditional capsule does not perforate the bottom of the capsule of innovative type suggested in the aforesaid document because the bottom of said capsule of innovative type is always at a given distance from the perforation tip, also when the latter is in a completely extracted position. This new solution is suggested to avoid a large central piercing in the bottom which would require the constitution of preferential flow lines within the granular mass. The formation of such preferential flow lines is indeed considered undesirable for obtaining an aroma-rich infusion which, instead, should duly be extracted from the entire granular mass contained in the interchangeable capsule. 
     Furthermore, from EP-B1-2 134 611 (SARA LEE) it results that, in order to avoid the formation of preferential flow lines in the infusion mass, the bottom of the capsule must be distant from the bottom of the receptacle of the machine which accommodates the capsule itself. In such manner, the entire inlet section of the bottom of the capsule is not perforated by the perforation tip so that, instead, such an inlet section is entirely invested by the flow of infusion water. 
     However, the solution adopted in EP-B1-2 134 611 (SARA LEE) has the very significant drawback that the capsule must be necessarily shorter in order to avoid the tip, the receptacle being equal. Consequently, such a capsule is shorter and consequently contains less infusion product. For this reason, the infusion which derives is less rich in aromatic essences because not only there is less product in the capsule, but also because, being shorter, the permanence time of the water in the capsule is shorter, fact which obviously is detrimental to the quality of the produced infusion. 
     DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
     Thus, it is the object of the present invention to make a system for preparing a beverage starting from an infusion product contained in an interchangeable capsule which is free from the aforesaid drawbacks. 
     According to the present invention, a system is therefore made for preparing a beverage starting from an infusion product contained in an interchangeable capsule as disclosed in claim  1  or in any of the Claims depending directly or indirectly from claim  1 . 
     Furthermore, a further object of the present invention is to provide an interchangeable infusion capsule which is adapted to be used in the aforesaid system. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a better understanding of the invention, an embodiment is described by way of non-limitative example only, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a cross section of a part of a system for preparing a beverage according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a three-dimensional view of the inside of a capsule used in the system in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows an enlargement of a lid in a capsule according to claim  2 ; the lid being provided with a plurality of valves which in this figure are shown in closing position; 
         FIG. 4  shows an enlargement of the lid in  FIG. 3  with the same valves this time in opening position; 
         FIG. 5  shows a longitudinal section of the capsule (with respective enlargement) according to  FIG. 2  completed by a lid as shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ; 
         FIG. 6  shows the system in  FIG. 1  with a first enlarged detail; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates the system in  FIG. 1  with a second enlarged detail; and 
         FIG. 8  shows a longitudinal section of the capsule itself with enlargement of some details of the same. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     In  FIGS. 1 ,  6 ,  7 , numeral  100  indicates as a whole a preferred embodiment (according to the present invention) of a system for the preparation of a beverage starting from an infusion product contained in an interchangeable capsule  1 . 
     The system  100  comprises an interchangeable capsule  1 , which will be described hereinafter in greater detail, and a percolating machine  150  for the preparation of infusions. 
     The percolating machine  150  comprises, in turn, a receptacle  160  ( FIG. 1 ) adapted to contain the interchangeable capsule  1  and a dispensing device  170  for a pressurized fluid, in particular, pressurized water. 
     With reference in particular to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  8 , the interchangeable capsule  1  will be now described in greater detail before returning to the detailed description of the operation of the system  100 . 
     Both incidentally and in the present context, the words “interchangeable capsule” must be understood as a capsule, usually for single use, of the disposable type, meaning that after infusing the granular product contained in the capsule such a capsule is disposed of (with all the product to be infused already used inside) removing it from the receptacle of the percolating machine. Evidently, a first “interchangeable capsule”, once used and disposed of, is replaced, in general, by a second capsule of the same type, which takes the place of the first capsule in the specific receptacle of the percolating machine. 
     The capsule  1  ( FIG. 5 ) comprises a cup-shaped structure  2  made in a single truncated-cone-shaped body and defined by a side wall  3 , by a bottom wall  4 , and by a flat circular crown  5  which extends radially from an upper edge of the side wall  3 . As we will see, such a flat circular crown  5  supports the cup-shaped structure in the specific receptacle  160  of the percolating machine  150  ( FIG. 1 ) (see below). 
     Furthermore, three longitudinal ribs  3   a  arranged equally spaced apart by  120 ° extend towards the inside of the side wall  3 . As explained in greater detail below, the three ribs  3   a  are used to reinforce the side wall  3  and are additionally used to break the streams of hot pressurized liquid in the cup-shaped structure  2  itself so as to take the hot water during the step of percolation into more intimate contact with the granular product to be infused. What is more, the three ribs  3   a  are also used to avoid the spontaneous stacking of the capsules  1  during the automatic handling for filling with the infusion product. In other words, the three ribs  3   a  on the inner wall of the cup-shaped structure  2  prevent the capsules  1  from being randomly and involuntarily stacked inside each other. If this were not so, i.e. if a cup-shaped structure  2  could randomly enter inside another cup-shaped structure  2 , an incorrect handling and filling of all the cup-shaped structures  2  with the product to be infused would occur. 
     The cup-shaped structure  2  is made of a rigid plastic material or a thermosetting plastic material; preferably the plastic material used being of the biodegradable type. 
     The capsule  1  further comprises a lid  6  which closes the free mouth of the cup-shaped structure  2  ( FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5 ) allowing the entrapment of the granular material (not shown) to be infused inside the cup-shaped structure  2  itself. As shown in particular in  FIG. 5 , the lid  6  is arranged inside the circular crown  5  so that the upper edge of the side wall  3  is underneath the lid  6  itself. 
     The lid  6  has a substantially circular shape in the particular embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 . In use, the lid  6  is accommodated in a circular, crown-shaped recess  6   a  obtained in the upper area of the wall  3 . The lid  6  is also made of a rigid plastic material. 
     As shown in greater detail in  FIG. 8 , the upper part of the recess  6   a  includes an edge  66 , which has an annular shape and projects internally towards a longitudinal symmetry axis (Y) of the cup-shaped structure  2 . Such an edge  66  is also made of a plastic material and can thus be elastically deformable so as to allow the insertion of the lid  6  in the recess  6   a . During the step of automatic coupling of the lid  6  with the respective cup-shaped structure  2 , such a lid  6  is thus tightened between the bottom of the recess  6   a , on one side, and the edge  66 , on the other. Indeed, during the packaging of the capsule  1  in a specific packing machine (of known type and not illustrated), such a capsule  1  is subjected to high accelerations and thus, if the lid  6  were not tightened between the aforesaid elements, there would be the actual risk of a detachment of the lid  6  from the respective cup-shaped structure  2 , with a consequent undesired spillage of product in the packaging machine. 
     What is more, as shown in particular in  FIG. 8 , there is a circular relief  31  on the bottom of the recess  6   a.  With the known methods, after filling the cup-shaped body  2  with the product to be infused and closing such a cup-shaped body  2  with the lid  6  in the aforesaid manner, the method proceeds with the localized melting (e.g. by means of ultrasounds) of the circular relief  31  only, so as to obtain a definitive fastening of the lid  6  to the bottom of the recess  6   a.    
     The inner face of the lid  6  may be provided with a filter (not shown) of any type suited to the need. In particular, such a filter is, as known, elastically deformable. 
     The circular relief  31  may be either of the continuous type or of the interrupted type, meaning that, in the latter case, such a circular relief  31  consists of circular segments, e.g. three in number offset by 120° with respect to each other. The latter solution is shown in  FIG. 2  where each circular relief  31  is placed at a rib  3   a.    
     As still shown in  FIG. 8 , a sealing annular rib having triangular section with a rayed tip is provided on the lower surface of the circular crown  5 . 
     It has been found that the best results concerning the sealing of the capsule  1  with respect to the receptacle  180  of the system  100  are obtained if a sealing thickening  33  of the circular crown  5  is made ( FIG. 8 ) at the sealing annular rib  32 . As can be observed in  FIG. 8  such a sealing thickening  33  is distributed on both faces of the circular crown  5 . 
     In the embodiments shown in the accompanying figures (see in particular  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ), the lid  6  has a plurality of valves  7 , arranged to allow the release of the infused beverage made by mixing hot water with the infusion product. 
     More in particular, the valves  7  may be of a first type, indicated by  7   a , or of a second type, indicated by  7   b.  Both types  7   a ,  7   b  open towards the external ( FIG. 4 ). 
     As shown, for example in  FIG. 1 , the valves  7   a  are on the opposite side of the valves  7   b  with respect to a symmetry plane (ψ) of the lid  6 . In this manner, at least a portion of the valves  7   a ,  7   b  will certainly open by effect of the action exerted by the infusion water. 
     The choice of having two types of valves  7   a ,  7   b  was dictated by the need to simplify, as much as possible, the packaging machine (not shown) of the capsules  1 . Indeed, if all the valves  7  were of type  7   a,  the packaging machine would need to orient the lids  6  during the coupling with the cup-shaped body  2 . This would imply an evident complication (above all on sensor level) of the packaging machine of the capsules  1  complete with product. Instead, by adopting two types of valves  7   a,    7   b  in the same lid  6 , how the lid  6  is mounted in the recess  6   a  is indifferent. 
     An enlargement of a generic valve  7   a  is shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     The valve  7   a  (but the same conditions obviously apply also to the valve  7   b ) has a respective cavity  8  and a respective flap  9  hinged to the rest of the lid  6  by means of a hinge  10 , on one side, and a through cut  11  on the other. 
     In one embodiment (not shown), there is a preferential breakage line, which is broken by the pressurized liquid, instead of the through cut  11 . 
     In actual fact, in the embodiment suggested in the accompanying figures the flap  9  is simply the bottom of the cavity  8 . 
     In use, the pressure of the infused product attempting to exit from the cup-shaped body  2  exerts a force on the flap  9  making it turn about the hinge  10  according to an arrow (F 1 ) ( FIG. 7 ), towards the outside of the cup-shaped structure  2 . 
     In particular, each flap  9  has a rectangular plan and a trapezoidal longitudinal section, and in case of a valve  7   a,  extends completely within the cup-shaped body  2  thus forming the respective cavity  8 . 
     Advantageously, but not necessarily the valves  7  are obtained in one piece with the respect to the lid  6  by means of a single molding operation of a plastic material. 
     As clearly illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the bottom  4  comprises an annular hollow  12  arranged in symmetric position with respect to the longitudinal symmetry axis (Y) of the cup-shaped structure  2 . A respective annular groove  13  which faces the outside of the cup-shaped structure  2  corresponds to the annular hollow  12 . 
     Furthermore, the bottom  4  has an indentation  14  at axis (Y). 
     The presence of the annular hollow  12  and of the indentation  14  is motivated by the need to confer appropriate stiffening to the bottom  4 , in particular due to the high pressure of the water to which the bottom  4  itself must be subjected. 
     As shown again in  FIG. 5 , there are four valves  17  (only one of which is visible in  FIG. 5 ), offset by 90° with respect to each other on the bottom of the annular groove  13 . 
     Each valve  17  has a respective flap  18  hinged to rest of the bottom  4  by means of a hinge, on one side, by a hinge  19 , while a through cut  20  is provided on the other side. 
     In an embodiment (not shown) there is a preferential breakage line which is broken by the pressurized liquid, instead of the through cut  20 . 
     The hot water distributed by the dispensing device  170  exerts a force on the flap  18  making it turn about the hinge  19  according to an arrow (F 2 ) (enlargement in  FIG. 5 ) towards the inside of the cup-shaped structure  2 . 
     In particular, each flap  18  has a rectangular plan and substantially rectangular longitudinal section and, if stressed by the pressurized water extends within the cup-shaped structure  2 . 
     Advantageously, but not necessarily, the four valves  17  are obtained in one piece with the rest of the bottom wall  4 , and thus with the rest of the cup-shaped structure  2 , by means of a single molding operation of a rigid plastic material. 
     We will now go back to the system  100  shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  6 ,  7 . 
     A substantially cylindrical recess  165  is provided in the central part of the receptacle  160  and adapted to contain part of the aforesaid dispensing device  170 . 
     Such a dispensing device  170 , in turn, comprises a feeding duct  171  of the hot liquid and a distribution chamber  172  accommodated, at least partially, in the recess  165 . 
     The distribution chamber  172  is in fluid communication on one side with a feeding pipe  171  by means of an opening  173 , and, on the other side, with the annular groove  13 . In brief, the pressurized hot water flows from the feeding pipe  171  to the annular groove  13  passing through the opening  173  according to an arrow (ARW). The dispensing device  170  further comprises three perforation needles  180  (only one of which is visible in  FIG. 5 ) arranged at 120° from each other. In other words, the perforation needles  180  constitute the traditional means provided in a plurality of percolating machines for perforating the bottom of the capsule  1 . In use, the perforating needles  180  move towards the bottom  4  of the cup-shaped structure  2 . 
     If there are preferential breakage lines instead of the through cuts  20 , the pressure of the liquid is such to break such preferential breakage lines and, as mentioned, the flaps  18  turn about the hinges  19  (according to arrow (F 2 )), thus allowing the passage of pressurized hot water from the annular groove  13  to inside the cup-shaped structure  2 . It is worth noting that the four valves  17  are all on the bottom of the annular groove  13 , in use, the needles  180  are located inside such an annular groove  13 . 
     In actual fact, in the case in hand, the perforating needles  180  do not perforate the bottom  4  in any manner, but the flaps  18  are only deformed by effect of the pressurized fluid distributed by the dispensing device  170 . 
     It is also worth noting that, as mentioned, there are four valves  17 , while there are three perforating needles  180 . Thus, it is always certain that at least two perforating needles  180  always touch, without pushing, at least two flaps  18 . 
     Thus, the fact that the perforating needles  180  touch the flaps  18  without pushing them allows, on one hand, to retrieve useful space to have more granular material to be infused in the cup-shaped structure  2 , and, on the other hand, prevent that the flaps  18  can be sheared by the perforating needles  180  themselves and enter the infusion liquid. If this occurred, i.e. if there were particles of plastic or metal suspended in the infusion liquid, nearly certainly such particles would be ingested by the consumer with evident negative consequences. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 7  instead with regards to the valves  7   a ,  7   b  on the lid  6 . 
     In the system  100 , the receptacle  160  is closed at the top by an upper closing element  190  of the receptacle  160 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , a collection chamber  191  of the fluid after percolation is thus defined between the lid  6  and the upper closing element  190 . In other words, all the percolated fluid which has already completely crossed the cup-shaped structure  2  and has exited from the valves  7  is accumulated in the collection chamber  191 . It is worth noting that, there being no mechanical opening elements of the valves  7 , it is the pressure of the water itself inside the cup-shaped structure  2  that opens the valves  7  themselves. From a closing position under the bias of the pressure of the percolated fluid, the valves  7  shift from a closing position of the outlet area to an opening position of the outlet area thus remaining in such an opening position also when the flow of percolated fluid is interrupted. The configuration of the lid  6  is thus permanently modified. It is worth noting that because the valves  7  remain in the opening position also after the interruption of the percolated fluid flow nothing else flows out from the cup-shaped structure  3  because the aforesaid filter (not shown) applied to the lid  6  blocks any passage of parts of the infusion product towards the outside. Being made of elastically deformable material, such filter is deformed but not perforated during the opening of the valves  7 . 
     Furthermore, as shown again in  FIG. 7 , by graduating the height (H) of the collection chamber  191  it is possible to consequently graduate also the opening of the flaps  19  of the valves  7 , and thus the water pressure in the capsule  1  being equal, to graduate the outlet speed of the water itself from the valves  7 . By varying the height (H) the contact time of the water with the granular product to be infused can be indirectly graduated. Such a permanence time must be balanced and thus sufficiently long to allow, at the same time, a good infusion of the granular product without being excessively detrimental to the rapidity of the percolation operation. 
     In use, once a capsule  1  is inserted in the receptacle  160 , such a receptacle  160 , with respective dispensing device  170 , is moved against the upper closing element  190  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The pressurized hot water will start flowing from the pipe  171  towards the annular groove  13  and the valves  17  which will open by effect of the pressure of the water itself. Once the pressurized hot water enters in the cup-shaped structure  2  it will start flowing towards the lid  6  without having preferential flow lines. Under the bias of the pressure of the percolated fluid the valves  17  shift from a closing position of the inlet area to an opening position of the inlet area thus remaining in such an opening position also when the flow of percolated fluid is interrupted. 
     Furthermore, preferably, but not necessarily introduction gaps of the water in the valves  17  oriented so as to create substantially tubular paths of the percolation fluid in the interchangeable capsule  1  can be included in order to encourage the turbulence of the water inside the cup-shaped structure  2 , in order to involve as much granular material as possible in the percolation operation. The valves  17  create jets of pressurized hot water preferably directed against the side wall  3 . Such jets are introduced by the ribs  3   a  creating the desired turbulence in the cup-shaped structure  2 . 
     The main advantages of the system described above are:
         considerable increase of the amount of granular product in the cup-shaped body;   possibility of graduating the permanence time of the hot water in contact with the granular product; and   practically complete elimination of the preferential flow lines of the hot water in the cup-shaped structure; and   complete elimination of any risk of contamination of the beverage there being no broken fragments coming from the bottom and/or the lid.