Patent Publication Number: US-2020290797-A1

Title: Method and installation for producing a portion capsule, and portion capsule for beverages and foodstuffs

Description:
FIELD OF APPLICATION AND PRIOR ART 
     The invention relates to a method and an installation for producing a portion capsule for drinks and food products having a cup-shaped bowl and having a cup-shaped filter element which is inserted into the bowl. The invention further relates to a portion capsule for drinks and food products. 
     Portion capsules for drinks or other food products are known from the prior art. The cup-shaped bowl is preferably formed in a truncated-cone-like manner or cylindrically and has a base and a covering face. It is produced, for example, from a deep-drawn plastics film or with the plastic material injection-molding method. At a side opposite the base, there are provided a filling opening and a seal edge which surrounds the filling opening and on which a covering film is applied, in particular sealed, after the portion capsule has been filled. 
     In order to produce specific drinks or food products, a filter element has to be inserted into the portion capsule. 
     An installation for producing a portion capsule having a filter element is known, for example, from EP2093148 A1, wherein the installation has a single forming and inserting device in order to form in one step individual cup-shaped filters which comprise a filter material and to insert each of these cup-shaped filters into a bowl, and wherein there is provided downstream of this forming and inserting device a welding device, by means of which an edge of each cup-shaped filter is welded to an upper seal edge of the associated bowl. 
     Problem and Solution 
     Objectives of the invention are to provide a method and an installation for producing a portion capsule which is improved for subsequent handling and an improved portion capsule. 
     These objectives are achieved by the aspects of subject-matter having the features of claims  1 ,  6  and  11 . Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims. 
     According to a first aspect, there is provided a method for producing a portion capsule for drinks and food products having a cup-shaped bowl comprising a seal edge, a base and a covering face and having a cup- shaped filter element which is inserted into the bowl and in which a product is introduced, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a filter element from a forming piece comprising a filter material; (b) inserting the filter element formed into a cup-shaped bowl; (c) connecting an edge of the formed filter element to a seal edge of the cup-shaped bowl; and (d) connecting the filter element to the base and/or the covering face of the bowl. 
     By the filter element being connected to the base and/or the covering face of the bowl, subsequent handling is improved. In this instance, the connection locations are preferably selected so that separation of the filter element is not carried out when the portion capsule is pierced during use for dispensing the drink. 
     Connection of the filter element to the seal edge of the bowl and/or the base or the covering face is preferably carried out by means of an adhesive, melt or seal connection. 
     In one embodiment, simultaneous connection of the filter element to the seal edge and the base or the covering face is carried out. In advantageous embodiments, steps c) and d) were carried out separately. 
     In this case, in an advantageous embodiment there is provision for the filter element to be preformed in step a), wherein the preformed filter element is brought into a definitive form before or during step d). 
     In an embodiment, the forming piece is stamped or cut out from a material web and formed in one step. In advantageous embodiments, however, there is provision for the forming piece to be stamped or cut out of a material web before step a), that is to say, before the filter element is formed, in a separate step. 
     The bowl is preferably transported during the method in a product flow direction. In this case, there is preferably provision for series production for a plurality of portion capsules to be produced simultaneously, wherein a plurality of filter elements are simultaneously inserted into a plurality of bowls which are arranged one behind the other in the product flow direction or beside each other transversely, preferably perpendicularly, to the product flow direction, and each to be connected to the associated bowl. 
     In one embodiment, the bowls are provided by deep-drawing from a material web, wherein a plurality of bowls are connected to each other at the seal edges thereof. 
     In an advantageous embodiment, after the filter element is inserted and the filter element is connected to the base or the covering face of the bowl, embossing is carried out. The portion capsules which are separated after the connection have improved handling in comparison with conventional portion capsules. By the bowls being stamped out after the filter elements are inserted and fixed, an edge of the filter element is also prevented from projecting beyond a seal edge of the bowl in a finished portion capsule. 
     According to a second aspect, an installation is provided for producing a portion capsule for drinks and food products having a cup-shaped bowl comprising a seal edge, a base and a covering face and having a cup-shaped filter element which is inserted into the bowl and in which a product can be introduced, comprising a first device, in particular a fold-forming member, for forming a filter element from a forming piece comprising a filter material, a second device for inserting the formed filter element into a cup-shaped bowl, a third device, in particular a seal device, for fitting an edge of the formed filter element to a seal edge of the cup-shaped bowl, and a fourth device, in particular a seal device, for fitting the filter element to the base and/or the covering face of the bowl. 
     In this case, the devices can be constructed partially together. Thus, it is conceivable for the first and second devices to have a common tool for insertion and fitting, in particular sealing the filter element to the seal wall. Similarly, it is conceivable for the third and fourth devices a common tool for simultaneously fitting the filter element to the seal edge and to the base or the covering face of the bowl. In advantageous embodiments, the second and the third devices have a common tool for inserting the formed filter element into the cup-shaped bowl and connecting the filter element to the seal edge of the bowl. In other embodiments, all the devices are constructed separately, wherein the bowl or a plurality of bowls is/are transported to the devices successively in a product flow direction. 
     In an embodiment, the filter element can be brought into a definitive form by means of the first device. In advantageous embodiments, there is provided after the first device and before or at the fourth device a forming tool, by means of which the filter element inserted into the bowl can be brought into a definitive form before or during the fitting of the filter element to the base and/or the covering face of the bowl. By formation in the bowl, an optimum formation of the filter element is ensured. 
     In an embodiment, the first device is constructed in such a manner that stamping and forming of the filter element are carried out by means of the first device. In advantageous embodiments, a stamping or cutting device for stamping or cutting out the forming piece from a material web is provided in the product flow direction upstream of the first device. 
     There is preferably provided a transport device, by means of which bowl or in series production a large number of bowls can be transported in the product flow direction during production of the portion capsule. The bowls are preferably connected to each other in the product flow direction. 
     In advantageous embodiments, the installation has a stamping device downstream of the device for fitting the filter element to the base and/or the covering face of the bowl, wherein the bowl with the filter element inserted can be brought into a final form by means of the stamping device and/or the bowls which are connected to each other can be separated. 
     According to a third aspect, a portion capsule for drinks and food products having a cup-shaped bowl is provided, comprising a seal edge, a base and a covering face and having a cup-shaped filter element which is inserted into the bowl and in which a product can be introduced, wherein an edge of the filter element is connected to the seal edge of the cup-shaped bowl and wherein the filter element is connected to the base and/or the covering face of the bowl. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Additional advantages and aspects of the invention will be appreciated from the claims and the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention which are explained below with reference to the Figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of a portion capsule; 
         FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of an installation for producing a portion capsule according to  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 3  shows a packaging line for producing, filling and packaging the portion capsules illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a portion capsule  2  for drinks and food products having a cup-shaped bowl  3  and a cup-shaped filter element  4  which is inserted into the bowl and in which a product which is not illustrated can be introduced. 
     The bowl  3  has a seal edge  30 , a base  31  and a covering face  32 . The filter element  4  is connected at the free edge  40  thereof to the seal edge  30  of the cup-shaped bowl  3 , for example, sealed thereto. Furthermore, the filter element  4  is connected to the base  31  of the bowl  3 , for example, sealed thereto. 
       FIG. 2  schematically shows an installation  1  for producing a portion capsule  2  according to  FIG. 1  having a cup-shaped bowl  3  and a filter element  4 . A product flow direction is schematically indicated by an arrow. 
     The installation  1  comprises a transport device  10 , by means of which the cup-shaped bowls  3  are transported in the product flow direction. The transport device  10  is preferably constructed in such a manner that a plurality of bowls  3  are conveyed in parallel rows in the product flow direction. The bowls  3  are preferably connected to each other at the seal edges  30  in the product flow direction. 
     The installation  1  comprises in the product flow direction a device  12  for inserting a filter element  4  into a bowl  3  and a device  13  for connecting a free edge  40  (cf.  FIG. 1 ) of the filter element  4  to a seal edge  30  of the bowl  3 . The edge  40  of the filter element  4  is fitted to the seal edge  30  of the bowl  3 , preferably by means of an adhesive, melt or seal connection. The insertion of the filter element  3  into the bowl  3  and connection of the filter element  4  to the seal edge  30  of the bowl are carried out depending on the configuration in one step by means of a common tool or in two steps using different tools. 
     The installation  1  further comprises a forming device  14 , by means of which the preformed filter element  4  is formed in the bowl  3  and a seal device  15 , by means of which the filter element  4  is fixed to a base  31  and/or a covering face  32  of the bowl  3 , in particular sealed to the base  31  and/or the covering face  32 . 
     In the embodiment illustrated, the forming device  14  and the seal device  15  have a common tool. In other embodiments, two separate tools are provided. In still other embodiments, an additional forming device  14  for forming the filter elements  4  is dispensed with. 
     Downstream of the forming device  14  and the seal device  15  in the product flow direction, a stamping device  16  is provided, wherein the bowls  3  are stamped by means of the stamping device  16  together with the filter elements  4  which are fitted thereto to produce a desired form and size. If the bowls  3  are connected to each other at the edges thereof, the bowls are separated from each other by means of the stamping device  16 . 
     The filter elements  4  are prefabricated before insertion. To this end, the installation comprises a filter separation or stamping device  18 , by means of which forming pieces  42 , for example, round blanks, for the filter elements  4  are stamped or cut out of a material web of the filter material which is supplied from a store  44 . Finally, the installation  1  further comprises a fold-forming member  19 , by means of which the forming pieces  42  are preformed from the filter material before or during insertion into the bowls  2 . 
     As schematically indicated, residual material portions are supplied to a chopper  5  or a different type of waste processing. 
     In a method carried out by means of the installation  1  according to  FIG. 2  for producing a portion capsule  2 , the following steps are preferably provided for: 
       1 . stamping or cutting out a forming piece  42  from a filter material by means of the filter separation or stamping device  18 ; 
       2 . forming a filter element  4  from the forming piece  42  by means of the fold-forming member  19 ; 
       3 . inserting the formed filter element  4  into a cup-shaped bowl  3  by means of the device  12  for inserting a filter element  4  into a bowl  3 ; 
       4 . connecting an edge  40  of the formed filter element  4  to a seal edge  30  of the cup-shaped bowl  3  by means of the device  13  for connecting a free edge  40  of the filter element  4  to a seal edge  30  of the bowl  3 ; 
       5 . forming the filter element  42  into a final form in the bowl  3  by means of the forming device  14 ; 
       6 . connecting the filter element  4  to the base  31  and/or the covering face  32  of the bowl  3  by means of the seal device  15 ; and 
       7 . stamping the bowl  3  with the filter element  4  inserted and connected by means of a stamping device  16 . 
     As described above, in this instance there may be provision for individual steps to be carried out together. In particular, steps  3  and  4  and/or steps  5  and  6  are preferably carried out with a common tool. 
       FIG. 3  schematically shows a packaging line for producing, filling and packaging portion capsules  2  which are not illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The packaging line comprises the installation  1  according to  FIG. 2  for producing the portion capsules  2  including the filter elements  4  which are inserted therein. In the product flow direction which is indicated by an arrow, a work station  102  is provided downstream of the installation  1  for filling the portion capsules. A store  101  is provided between the installation  1  and the work station  102  for filling. The packaging line illustrated further comprises a first cartoning device  103 , a second cartoning device  104  for inserting into a surrounding carton and a palletizing device  105 . The individual work stations  1 ,  102 ,  103 ,  104 ,  105  are connected to each other via suitable transport paths. 
     The packaging line is merely exemplary and the individual work stations, in particular the installation  1  for producing the portion capsules  2  with a filter element  4 , can be combined with other work stations and/or in other arrangements.