Patent Description:
In particular, the present invention relates to a system for producing a beverage, typically coffee, tea, or other beverages obtainable by brewing/extraction or solution of a granular or powdery food substance.

In the field of beverage preparation, systems are known which provide using a single use capsule containing therein a dose of a food substance and a machine that injects a process liquid and/or vapour, typically water and/or water vapour, into the capsule so as to solubilise the food substance or otherwise pick up the aroma thereof producing the beverage which is then delivered by the machine to a target container.

Such capsules generally comprise a cup-shaped container, defined by a side wall, a bottom wall and an opposite opening.

A dose of the food substance is then housed in said cup-shaped body, and a cover element is arranged to close the opening of the cup-shaped body, so that the dose of food substance is held inside the capsule.

When the beverage is delivered, the cover element is fractured or otherwise pierced, to allow injecting the process liquid and/or vapour, which defines with the dose of the food substance contained inside the capsule the desired beverage.

Similarly, during delivery, the bottom wall of the capsule must be pierced/fractured to allow the beverage resulting from the process liquid and/or vapour and the food substance in the capsule to flow out.

In order to enable the delivery, such machine is generally provided with an extraction unit that makes available a housing seat into which the capsule is introduced.

The extraction unit further comprises an injection element, typically an injection needle, which during delivery fractures the cover element so as to enter the containment compartment defined by the capsule to inject said process liquid and/or vapour, which comes into contact with the dose of food substance collecting the aroma thereof.

At the same time, the extraction unit comprises a cutting element, such as a blade, by means of which the bottom wall is incised or pierced, thus making available an outlet for the resulting beverage. The document <CIT> discloses a system for producing a beverage comprising a capsule.

One problem encountered in the prior art is that the bottom wall is often deformed and/or bent without it being pierced under the action of the cutting element attempting to pierce it, making it impossible for the resulting beverage to flow out.

An object of the present invention is to solve said drawback of the prior art.

It is a further object of the present invention to achieve such an object within the scope of a simple, rational and affordable solution.

These objects are achieved by the features of the invention set forth in each independent claim. The dependent claims outline preferred and/or particularly advantageous aspects of the invention.

For the objects set forth above, the invention, in particular, makes available a system for producing a beverage comprising:.

wherein the cutting element is configured to pierce the bottom of the capsule at the groove so as to define a through-hole cutting through one of the edges of the base wall.

Thanks to this solution, the drink delivery occurs in a reliable and repeatable manner.

In particular, said edge of the base wall of the groove makes available a portion of the capsule that is particularly rigid, i.e. less prone to deformation when affected by the pressure of the cutting element, i.e. by the force provided by the cutting element.

In other words, said groove defines (outside the compartment containing the food substance) a concave portion of the base wall of the capsule, with the concavity directed outward of the containment compartment (i.e. in the direction opposite the upper opening) of the container body, and this geometry makes available at each edge, an area of the base wall that is particularly stiff (i.e. less subject to deformation when subjected to the action of the cutting element).

Thanks to this, the system allows to globally pierce the capsule in a particularly repeatable manner, thus obviating the possibility that the capsule may deform without being pierced. In other words, the system allows to make the beverage delivery operations particularly repeatable, i.e. reproducible at each delivery, making sure that the cutting element pierces the bottom wall of the capsule.

The system, in practice, allows to properly deliver the beverage each time it is used. Thanks to this, furthermore, the system allows to obviate wastes of raw materials, particularly of the process liquid and/or vapour and/or food substance.

According to an aspect of the invention, the machine may comprise a pair of cutting elements each of which is configured to pierce the bottom of the capsule at the groove so as to define a respective through-hole cutting through a respective one of said base wall edges.

Thanks to this solution, the system is even more effective in terms of beverage delivery, and furthermore the delivery itself may occur particularly quickly.

Another aspect of the invention provides that, said through-hole may also cut through (at least partially) the side wall originating from said edge of the base wall cut through by the cutting element.

Thanks to such solution, piercing the bottom of the capsule for delivering the beverage is made in another portion of the bottom groove of the particularly rigid capsule.

In fact, the side wall, which is transverse to the base wall of the groove and also to the bottom wall, is overall arranged in such a way as to be more easily pierced by the cutting element penetrating the side wall at an insertion angle lower than a right angle, i.e. transversely to the base wall but not orthogonally, thus obviating the fact that the side wall may deform without being torn.

Yet another aspect of the invention provides that each edge of the base wall can be defined by an edge between the base wall and a respective side wall.

Thanks to this solution, the edge is particularly easily penetrable by the cutting element, making the overall beverage production system more effective.

A further aspect of the invention provides that each edge may be defined by a fillet (i.e. a rounded corner) between the base wall and a respective side wall.

Thanks to this solution, the capsule globally has an easily reproducible geometry, e.g. by moulding plastic material preferably biopolymeric, and, at the same time, the edge is easily pierceable for the beverage to flow out of the capsule.

Yet another aspect of the invention provides that said through-hole may be centred on one of said edges.

Thanks to such solution, piercing the capsule is particularly simple and repeatable, making the system safer, in terms of the actual delivery of the beverage.

According to another aspect of the invention, at least one of the side walls of the groove may define (particularly on the outside of the containment compartment defined by the container body) with the base wall, an angle greater than a right angle.

Thanks to such a geometry of the capsule, said edge of the base wall of the groove is particularly exposed to the cutting element, and the required mutual movement of the capsule and the cutting element for piercing the capsule is simple and repeatable. Thanks to this, the overall architecture of the machine, and in particular the cutting element is particularly rational simple and easy to assemble.

According to an aspect of the invention, the bottom wall and the base wall of the groove may both be flat and parallel to each other.

Thanks to this solution, the capsule has a particularly simple geometry and is easy to manufacture (for example easily achievable by moulding or thermoforming polymeric material, preferably biopolymeric, preferably a material capable of acting as an barrier to the oxygen so as to maintain the chemical-physical properties of the food dose contained in the capsule).

According to another aspect of the invention, the distance between the opening and the bottom wall along a direction perpendicular to a lying plane of the access opening (i.e. with respect to an extension direction of the capsule from the access opening to the bottom wall) may be greater than the distance between the access opening and the base wall along said direction.

According to another aspect of the invention, an axis of intersection between two capsule median planes, that are mutually transverse and perpendicular to a lying plane of the access opening, may not intersect the base wall of the groove.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the groove may have an annular shape. Thereby, the groove is provided with a particularly regular and uniform shape along the extension of the capsule bottom, and, as a result, manufacturing the capsule appears to be particularly simple and cost-effective.

In addition, the base wall of the groove may thus be defined by a circular crown (with a constant cross-section along the circumferential extension), preferably having the centre on an axis of intersection between two capsule median planes that are mutually transverse and orthogonal to a lying plane of the access opening.

The annular-shaped (full circumferential) groove essentially divides the bottom wall into two portions, a first portion of which is delimited perimetrally (i.e. surrounded) by the groove and a second portion surrounding the groove.

The container body may also be defined by a solid of revolution having an axis of revolution coincident with said axis of intersection.

Thanks to this annular extension of the groove, positioning the capsule into the extraction unit is particularly fast and intuitive.

In fact, it is sufficient to arrange the capsule with the bottom facing the cutting element for the cutting element to be consequently always positioned facing the groove, making it particularly quick and easy to introduce the capsule into the housing seat defined by the extraction unit, and making it particularly fast to deliver the beverage.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the cutting element and the capsule may be mutually movable along a rectilinear trajectory (e.g. purely rectilinear, i.e. entirely rectilinear) between a disengaged position, wherein the cutting element is outside the capsule, and an engaged position, wherein it is at least partially inserted inside the capsule. Thanks to this solution, the mutual movement between the capsule and the cutting element consists of elementary movements of pure translation, which are therefore particularly simple and do not require structurally complex means of movement, making the overall machine architecture particularly simple and quicker to assemble.

According to another aspect of the invention, said trajectory may be perpendicular to the base wall.

Thereby, the piercing of the groove may be achieved by means of one simple movement, and such movement may be rectilinear and consequently easy to perform and involving less energy consumption.

According to another aspect of the invention, the cutting element may comprise an insertion end which is configured to define a first contact between the cutting element and the capsule in order to make the through-hole, and wherein said first contact between the cutting element and the capsule occurs on one of said edges of the base wall.

Thanks to this solution, the capsule may be pierced in a particularly easy manner.

In particular, said insertion end may be shaped with a tip that defines the first contact between the cutting element and the capsule.

In other words, said insertion end of the cutting element has a vertex, defined by the tip end, defining the first contact, i.e. it is the first surface/portion of the cutting element that encounters the groove to pierce it.

Thanks to this solution, the cutting element is particularly fit for the purpose of piercing the capsule, and the aforementioned design of the cutting element with an insertion end makes it possible to pierce the bottom wall of the capsule precisely and more effectively. Another aspect of the invention provides that said cutting means may include a spine or a blade or a needle.

Thanks to this solution the cutting element is particularly fit for the purpose of piercing the bottom of the capsule.

The cutting element also has a particularly small footprint, allowing it to be easily enclosed inside the box-shaped body of the machine.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the box-shaped body of the capsule may be made of biopolymeric material.

In particular, said material of which the capsule is made is configured to act as an oxygen barrier in order to maintain the chemical and physical properties of the food dose contained in the capsule unaltered.

Thanks to such solution, the capsule is biodegradable, so the material of which the container body is made is eco-friendly.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent after reading the following description provided by way of non-limiting example, with the aid of the figures illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Referring in particular to such figures, <NUM> globally indicates a system for producing a beverage, which will hereinafter be referred to more simply as "system <NUM>", typically coffee, tea, or other beverages obtainable by brewing/extraction or solution of a granular or powdery food substance.

The system <NUM> comprises, first of all, a capsule <NUM>, which contains a dose of said food substance, which may preferably be in powdery form.

The capsule is provided with a container body <NUM>, defining a containment compartment <NUM> adapted to contain therein said dose of the food substance for producing the beverage. The container body <NUM> of the capsule <NUM> generally has a "cup" shape.

It comprises, first of all, a side wall <NUM> with a preferably circular section.

Obviously, the shape of the container body <NUM> and in particular of the side wall <NUM> may be any shape, such as truncated conical, or cylindrical, hemispherical, polygonal or any other suitable shape.

The side wall <NUM> delimits perimetrally an access opening <NUM> to the containment compartment <NUM> of the capsule <NUM>, through which opening the dose of the food substance is introduced into the container body <NUM>.

Said access opening <NUM>, as visible in <FIG>, lies on an (imaginary) lying plane A.

As shown in the figures, the side wall <NUM> may comprise a flange <NUM>, which originates externally (i.e. radially), transversally, e.g. orthogonally (i.e. substantially squaring), without interruptions from the side wall <NUM> itself.

Said flange <NUM>, in particular, has a planar surface facing in the direction opposite the containment compartment, which lies on said lying surface A of the access opening <NUM>. The access opening <NUM> is closed by means of a cover element (not shown).

The cover element is applied after the container body <NUM> has been filled with the food substance through the opening defined by the side wall <NUM>.

Said cover element comprises, for example, a sheet (or film, not shown) applied to the container body <NUM>, i.e. fixed, e.g. by heat-sealing or gluing, to the container body <NUM>, e.g. fixed at said surface (lying on the lying plane A) of the flange <NUM> of the side wall <NUM>. Said cover element, for example, may have a thickness of between <NUM> and <NUM>, for example it may have a thickness of <NUM>.

Such a cover element may be made of polypropylene (PP), however, it is not excluded that in alternative embodiments of the invention it may be made of aluminium (Al) or of a multilayer material comprising aluminium, or of a biopolymer or other material fit for the purpose.

The cover element is configured to be sealingly associated with the container body so as to seal the food substance inside the containment compartment (i.e. so as to close the upper opening, thereby isolating the food substance dose) from the external environment. The cover element is breakable/fracturable or pierceable, i.e. it is configured so as to be fractured or pierced, with such a fracture or holes that a process liquid and/or vapour, typically water and/or water vapour, can be injected into the container body <NUM> of the capsule <NUM>.

For example, the cover element may be pre-pierced, with holes configured to retain the food substance within the cup-shaped body of the capsule <NUM>, or the cover element may have a trigger, (e.g. made from said holes) configured to retain the food substance within the container body, and which triggers and/or allows to fracture and/or pierce more easily the cover element while the beverage is being prepared for injecting the process liquid and/or vapour.

The container body <NUM> of the capsule <NUM> then comprises a bottom, adapted to close the side wall <NUM> at one end thereof opposite the access opening <NUM> (and the film), i.e. closing the container body <NUM> itself in a position opposite the access opening <NUM>.

The containment compartment <NUM> of the capsule <NUM> is thus laterally delimited by the side wall <NUM>, at the top by the cover element sealing (i.e., by the film adapted to seal) the access opening <NUM> of the capsule <NUM>, and at the bottom by the bottom of the container body <NUM>.

Said capsule bottom is adapted to be pierced, as will better appear hereinafter, to allow the outflow of beverage produced, i.e. obtained by means of the process liquid which has entered the container body <NUM> and which has solubilised and/or otherwise collected the aroma of the food substance contained within the capsule.

The container body <NUM>, i.e. the side wall <NUM> and the bottom, may preferably be made of a polymeric material.

Preferably the container body <NUM>, i.e. the side wall <NUM> and the bottom, may be made of a biopolymeric material, for example a poly-lactic acid or a poly-lactic acid compound.

It is not excluded that the container body <NUM> may be made of any other material, for example a multilayer material, for example any other biodegradable and/or compostable material.

The container body <NUM> may also be made in one piece, i.e. the side wall <NUM> and the bottom may be made in one piece, i.e. they may be made in a monolithic integral body, i.e. they can be made by means of the same process as the material of which the container body <NUM> is made, e.g. they may be made by means of a single polymeric material (preferably biopolymeric) moulding process.

The bottom of the container body <NUM> comprises a bottom wall <NUM>, e.g. substantially flat and preferably lying on a plane parallel to said lying plane A of the upper opening <NUM>. According to the invention, the bottom of the capsule <NUM> further comprises a groove <NUM> (or recess).

Said groove <NUM> originates, without interruptions, from the bottom wall <NUM>.

Such groove <NUM>, is basically defined by a recess towards the inside of the container body <NUM>, i.e. towards the containment compartment <NUM> of the food substance.

In other words, said groove <NUM> defines a concave portion of the bottom of the capsule <NUM>, having the concavity facing outwards from the containment compartment <NUM> (i.e. in the direction opposite the access opening <NUM>) of the container body <NUM>.

The groove <NUM>, first of all, is provided with a base wall <NUM>, which is delimited, at its opposite ends, by two opposite edges B1, B2.

The base wall <NUM> of the groove is placed with respect to a direction perpendicular to said (imaginary) lying plane A of the access opening <NUM> (i.e., with respect to a direction orthogonal to the bottom wall <NUM>), at a distance from the access opening <NUM> lower than the distance between the access opening <NUM> and the bottom wall <NUM> along said direction. The base wall <NUM> makes available two opposite surfaces, one of which is inside the containment compartment <NUM> of the capsule <NUM> and facing it (and towards the access opening <NUM>), and one outside the containment compartment <NUM> and directed in the opposite direction.

Preferably, the bottom wall <NUM> and the base wall <NUM> of the groove <NUM> are both planar and parallel to each other.

The groove <NUM> then comprises two opposite (and mutually facing) side walls 272a, b connecting the base wall <NUM> of the groove <NUM> with the bottom wall <NUM> of the container body <NUM>, i.e. a first connection side wall 272a and a second connection side wall 272b.

Each of the side walls 272a, b originates from a respective edge B1, B2 of the base wall <NUM> of the groove <NUM> and is also transverse to said base wall <NUM>.

Each side wall 272a, b thus has along its extension a first end (lower, i.e. distal from the access opening <NUM>) which originates (without interruptions) from the base wall <NUM> (transversely thereto) and an opposite end (upper, i.e. proximal to the access opening <NUM>) which originates (without interruptions) from a respective edge B1, B2 of the base wall <NUM>. Each side wall 272a, 272b also defines, with the bottom wall <NUM>, a respective joining edge (which may, for example, be defined by a corner, for example rounded, defined by the side wall 272a, 272b with the bottom wall <NUM>).

For example, each edge B1, B2 of the base wall <NUM> may be defined by the corner defined by the base wall <NUM> with each side wall 272a, 272b.

Yet, it is possible to provide that each edge B1, B2 may be defined by a fillet (i.e. a rounded corner) between the respective side wall 272a, b and the base wall <NUM> of the groove <NUM>.

For example, as visible in <FIG>, the groove <NUM> may have an annular shape.

The annular-shaped (full circumferential) groove <NUM>, in particular may substantially divide the bottom wall <NUM> into two portions of which a first portion which is perimetrically delimited (i.e. surrounded) by the groove <NUM> and a second portion which surrounds the groove <NUM> (as, for example, better visible in <FIG>).

The groove <NUM>, in other words, may have the shape of a ring wrapping around an (imaginary) axis of revolution.

Preferably, said (imaginary) axis of revolution is coaxial (i.e. coincident) with the axis of intersection of two median planes of the capsule that are mutually transverse and perpendicular to the (imaginary) lying plane A of the access opening <NUM>.

In such case the base wall <NUM> and the side walls 272a, b of the groove <NUM> are also ringshaped.

In other words, as better visible in <FIG> or <FIG>, the base wall <NUM> of the groove <NUM> may have a shape in plan view of a circular crown, for example with a constant cross-section along the circumferential extension, i.e. it may have an inner circumference (i.e. of smaller radius) and an outer circumference (i.e. of larger radius) preferably having a common centre.

In other words, the base wall <NUM> may be delimited by an inner circumference defining one of said edges B1, which is proximal to said axis of intersection between two median planes of the capsule <NUM> that are mutually transverse and orthogonal to the (imaginary) lying plane A, and by an outer circumference defining the other edge B2, and which is distal from said axis of intersection.

At least one of the side walls 272a, 272b of the groove <NUM>, e.g. each of the side walls 272a, 272b, defines (outside the capsule containment compartment <NUM>) with the base wall <NUM> an angle greater than a right angle (and lower than a flat angle).

For example, said angle defined between the base wall <NUM> and (e.g. each) side wall 272a, 272b (outside the containment compartment) of the groove may be between <NUM>° and <NUM>° degrees, preferably between <NUM>° and <NUM>°, preferably an angle of <NUM>°.

The system <NUM> further comprises a machine <NUM> configured to inject a process liquid and/or vapour, typically water and/or water vapour, into the capsule <NUM> to produce the beverage and subsequently deliver the resulting beverage.

Said machine <NUM> generally comprises a box-shaped body <NUM>, adapted to contain the mechanical/electrical/electronic and hydraulic components of the machine <NUM>.

The machine <NUM> comprises a beverage extraction unit <NUM>, which is configured to inject the process liquid and/or vapour into the containment compartment of the container body and also to pierce the capsule so as to allow the beverage resulting from the process liquid and/or vapour and the food substance contained in the containment compartment to flow out.

The extraction unit defines a housing seat <NUM> adapted to house the capsule <NUM> therein, For example, the extraction unit may comprise a cup that makes available said housing seat for the capsule <NUM>, which cup may be removably associated with the container body so as to allow the capsule <NUM> to be introduced and subsequently removed following the extraction of the beverage.

Alternatively, said housing seat <NUM> may be defined by a recess (of suitable geometry and dimensions) made in the box-shaped body <NUM> of the machine <NUM> and selectively openable/closable by means of a lid associated with the box-shaped body <NUM> (e.g. hinged or removably fixed).

The housing seat <NUM> is preferably provided with a shape and/or size corresponding to the shape and/or size of the capsule <NUM>.

Thereby, the housing seat <NUM> may be adapted to substantially precisely house said capsule <NUM> therein.

The extraction unit <NUM> is fluidically connected to a process liquid tank <NUM> and configured to pick up a (given) amount of process liquid from it.

For example, said tank <NUM> may be contained inside the box-shaped body <NUM> of the machine <NUM> or may be associated with it externally.

For example, the extraction unit may be provided with heating means (e.g. in the form of an electrical resistor or other) that allow to heat the process liquid to a desired operating temperature, for instance to such an operating temperature that it at least partially or completely vaporises (i.e. brings it to the vapour state).

The machine extraction unit <NUM> further comprises a piercing and injection device, which is adapted to pierce the cover element (e.g., at least one hole in the cover element) of the capsule <NUM> and inject the process liquid and/or vapour, picked up from the tank <NUM> and heated to the desired operating temperature, inside the containment compartment <NUM> of the container body <NUM> through the access opening.

The piercing and injection device may comprise, for example, an injection needle (not shown) adapted to pierce the cover element (i.e. the film) of the capsule <NUM> to enter the containment compartment <NUM> defined by the capsule <NUM>.

The liquid and/or process vapour injected by the piercing and injection device comes into contact with the dose of food substance housed inside the containment compartment, collecting the aroma and producing the drink.

The extraction unit <NUM> of the machine <NUM> also comprises (at least) a cutting element <NUM>, which is designed (i.e., configured) to cut i.e. pierce the capsule <NUM>, i.e., to make at least one through-hole F, to allow the resulting beverage to flow out.

More in detail, the cutting element <NUM> is designed to pierce the bottom of the capsule <NUM>, i.e. to make at least one through-hole F in the bottom of the capsule <NUM>.

The cutting element <NUM> of the machine <NUM> is, in particular, configured to pierce the bottom at groove <NUM>.

More specifically, the cutting element <NUM> is configured to pierce the groove <NUM> of the capsule <NUM> so as to define a through-hole F cutting through one of the edges B1, B2 of the base wall <NUM> (as better visible in <FIG>).

Preferably, the cutting element <NUM> is configured to pierce the groove <NUM> so as to make a through-hole F centred on one of said edges B1, B2 of the base wall <NUM>.

In other words, said through-hole F may have a circular section whose geometric centre lies (i.e. is made) at one of said edges B1, B2 of the side wall.

Yet, in other words, the cutting element <NUM> may have a longitudinal central axis, and be configured to pierce the capsule <NUM> so that said longitudinal central axis lies at one of said edges B1, B2 of the base wall <NUM>.

For example, said through-hole F made by the cutting element <NUM>, also, cuts through (at least partially) the side wall 272a, 272b which originates from the edge B1, B2 cut by the through-hole F.

The cutting element <NUM> may be configured to make a through-hole F in the groove <NUM> that does not cut through a geometric centre of the base wall <NUM>.

In other words, the cutting element <NUM> may be configured to make a through-hole F cutting through one of said edges B1, B2, at most a portion of the side wall 272a, 272b departing from said edge B1, B2 and at most an extremal portion of the base wall <NUM> proximal to said edge B1, B2.

The cutting element <NUM> may, in particular, be configured to pierce the groove <NUM> without removing (i.e. completely detaching) material from it.

Thanks to this, the groove <NUM> may be pierced without allowing the portion thereof at which the through-hole F has been made to remain vacant inside the housing seat <NUM> and possibly prevent the beverage from flowing out of the housing seat towards a target container.

Preferably, the cutting element <NUM> may be configured to pierce the capsule <NUM> at the groove <NUM> so as to define a flap of the groove <NUM> that remains constrained to the remaining part of the groove <NUM> and folded inwards into the containment compartment.

The cutting element <NUM>, for example, by making the through-hole F, can make a flap hinged to the bottom wall <NUM> by means of a folding line placed on the (respective, i.e. at the respective) joining edge between the side wall 272a, 272b and the bottom wall <NUM>. In detail, the cutting element <NUM> and the capsule <NUM> are mutually movable between a disengaged position wherein the cutting element <NUM> is completely outside of the containment compartment of the capsule <NUM> (i.e. it does not pierce the capsule <NUM>), and an engaged position wherein the cutting element <NUM> pierces the capsule <NUM> (i.e. of said edges B1, B2) and is at least partially inserted within the containment compartment of the container body <NUM> of the capsule <NUM>.

Preferably, the cutting element <NUM> comprises an inserting (cutting) end which is configured to define a first contact with the groove <NUM>, during the movement from the disengaged position to the engaged position.

Said first contact between the cutting element <NUM> and the groove for making the through-hole F may occur, in particular, on one of said edges B1, B2 of the base wall <NUM>.

In particular, said insertion end of the cutting element <NUM> may be shaped like a tip (i.e. it may be substantially triangular-shaped), or otherwise define a (cutting) section of the cutting element <NUM> proximal to the groove <NUM> that substantially defines a vertex of the cutting element <NUM>, and the vertex (i.e. said section of the cutting element <NUM> proximal to the groove <NUM>) defines the first contact between the cutting element <NUM> and the groove <NUM> at one of said edges B1, B2 of the groove.

Preferably, the capsule and the cutting element <NUM> are mutually movable between the disengaged position and the engaged position (and vice versa) along a rectilinear trajectory, e.g. purely rectilinear (i.e. entirely rectilinear).

In other words, between the disengaged position and the engaged position, at least one between the capsule <NUM> and the cutting element may perform a pure translatory movement, i.e. a pure translation, for example along a direction orthogonal to the base wall <NUM> (i.e. along a direction transverse to the side walls 272a, b).

For example, it is possible to provide that the cutting element <NUM> may be integral with the housing seat <NUM> of the machine <NUM>, i.e. it may be rigidly fixed (i.e. fixed without residual degrees of freedom) inside the housing seat (i.e. fixed without residual degrees of freedom to the cup defining the housing seat) and facing inwards.

In this case, the extraction unit <NUM> of the machine <NUM> may further comprise a pusher element (not shown) adapted to move the capsule along the aforementioned rectilinear trajectory, forcedly pushing it against the cutting element <NUM>, thereby piercing the capsule <NUM>.

For example, said pusher element may be defined by said lid that closes the housing seat formed in the box-shaped body <NUM> of the machine <NUM>, which when closed (i.e. fixed to the box-shaped body <NUM> so as to occlude the housing seat <NUM>) presses on the capsule <NUM> pushing it against the cutting element <NUM>.

Alternatively, it is possible to provide that the extraction unit <NUM> may comprise means for moving the cutting element <NUM>, adapted to move said cutting element <NUM> between the disengaged position and the engaged position, for example along the aforesaid rectilinear trajectory.

Alternatively, it is also possible to provide that the extraction unit <NUM> of the machine <NUM> comprises both the pusher element for the capsule <NUM> and the means for moving the cutting element <NUM>.

Said rectilinear trajectory defining the mutual movement between the capsule <NUM> and the cutting element <NUM> between the disengaged position and the engaged position is preferably perpendicular to the base wall <NUM> of the groove <NUM>.

For example, said trajectory is preferably parallel to the aforementioned (aforesaid) axis of intersection between two median planes that are mutually transverse and orthogonal to the lying plane A of the access opening <NUM> of the capsule <NUM>.

The cutting element <NUM> may, for example, comprise a spine or needle or a blade, or in general any element capable of cutting or piercing the material of which the container body <NUM> of the capsule <NUM> is made.

For example, as visible in <FIG>, the extraction unit <NUM> may comprise more than one cutting element <NUM>, for example a pair of cutting elements <NUM> (each as described above and each movable between a respective disengaged position and a respective engaged position), each of which is configured to pierce the bottom of the capsule <NUM> so as to make a respective through-hole F cutting through a respective one of said edges B1, B2 of the base wall <NUM>.

For instance, one cutting element <NUM> of the pair may be configured to make a through-hole F cutting one edge B1 of the base wall <NUM>, while the other cutting element <NUM> of the pair may be configured to make a respective through-hole F cutting through the other edge B2 of the base wall <NUM> of the capsule <NUM>.

The through-hole F made by the cutting element <NUM> may have a size (diameter or width or cross-section) greater than the size (diameter or width or cross-section) of the cutting element itself.

In particular, due to the mutual translation movement of the cutting element <NUM> and the capsule <NUM> along said direction transverse to the side wall 272a, b , and due to the fact that the through-hole F can also cut through said side wall 272a, b which originates from the respective edge B1, B2, it is possible to globally obtain a through-hole F with a size (diameter or width or cross-section) greater than the size (diameter or width or cross-section) of the cutting element itself.

For example, the extraction unit <NUM> may further comprise a delivery duct <NUM>, through which the beverage flowing out of the capsule <NUM> (through the through-hole F made by the cutting element <NUM>) flows out of the housing seat <NUM> and is conveyed outside the machine <NUM> to a target container.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible to several modifications and variations, all falling within the scope of the invention defined by the claims.

Claim 1:
A system (<NUM>) for producing a beverage comprising:
- a capsule (<NUM>) provided with a container body (<NUM>) defining a containment compartment adapted to contain therein a dose of a food substance for producing the beverage, said container body (<NUM>) comprising:
• a side wall (<NUM>) delimiting an access opening (<NUM>) to the containment compartment (<NUM>) of the food substance, and
• a bottom, adapted to close the container body (<NUM>) at one end thereof opposite the access opening (<NUM>), said bottom comprising a bottom wall (<NUM>) and a groove (<NUM>), said groove (<NUM>) being provided with:
∘ a base wall (<NUM>) delimited by two opposite edges (B1, B2), and
∘ two opposite side walls (272a, b) connecting the base wall (<NUM>) with the bottom wall (<NUM>), each of which originates from a respective edge (B1, B2) of the base wall (<NUM>) and is transverse to the base wall itself,
- a machine (<NUM>) for delivering said beverage, the machine (<NUM>) being configured to inject into the capsule (<NUM>) a process liquid for producing the beverage, said machine (<NUM>) being provided with an extraction unit (<NUM>) comprising:
• a housing seat (<NUM>) for the capsule (<NUM>), and
• a cutting element (<NUM>),
characterized in that the cutting element (<NUM>) is configured to pierce the bottom of the capsule (<NUM>) at the groove (<NUM>) so as to define a through-hole (F) cutting through one of the edges (B1, B2) of the base wall (<NUM>).