Patent Description:
This invention may be applied either with regard to a capsule of the type which contains a food substance intended to allow the beverage to be made by extraction or infusion (such as roasted, ground coffee), or with regard to a capsule of the type which comprises a food substance intended to allow the beverage to be made following complete or partial dissolving of the food substance in the water which passes through it (for example milk, chocolate, powdered tea, etc.).

In general, the capsules for which this invention is intended comprise a main body which contains the food substance, and an upper film which closes the top of the main body. The main body is usually substantially cup-shaped and comprises a lateral wall and a bottom wall. The lateral wall is typically roughly frustoconical or cylindrical.

This invention is intended, in particular, for a type of capsule into which water is injected through the upper film and in which the beverage comes out of the capsule through the bottom wall. In most applications the upper film is initially closed and is pierced at the moment of use by a piercer which is part of the apparatus for making the beverage. The outflow of the beverage through the bottom wall occurs through an opening which may already be present in the bottom wall, or which may also be made in the bottom wall by the apparatus for making the beverage.

In any case, this invention may also be applied in capsules with an inverted inner structure, that is to say, in capsules in which the bottom wall constitutes the infeed wall for the water whilst the upper film constitutes an outfeed wall for the beverage.

Irrespective of how they are structured, prior art capsules also usually have a barrier against the passage of oxygen, in order to ensure optimum preservation of the food substance contained in them.

Amongst the many types of capsules currently present on the market, some are intended to be used in apparatuses equipped with an optical recognition device whose function is to check the capsule inserted in the apparatus in order to allow management of apparatus operation based on the recognition. In particular, there are prior art apparatuses capable of recognising the type of capsule in order to set the supplying parameters accordingly, and apparatuses more simply capable of recognising whether or not it is a capsule suitable for the apparatus and for allowing supplying of the beverage exclusively if the capsule is recognised.

Amongst the various ways of performing capsule optical recognition, one, described for example in patent applications <CIT>, and <CIT> involves each capsule being equipped with an optical recognition element which allows it to be identified, which is positioned inside the capsule and which can be viewed by the apparatus only after the capsule has been pierced. Advantageously, the recognition device comprises a reading head, for example constituted of an optical fibre fixed to the piercer.

This invention was developed with reference to a system for making beverages in which it is necessary to prepare an optical recognition element inside the capsule.

In this context the technical purpose which forms the basis of this invention is to make a capsule for making beverages which is an alternative to the prior art capsules which are equipped with an inner optical recognition element.

The technical purpose specified and the aims indicted are substantially achieved respectively by a capsule and by a system which comprises it which are made in accordance with the accompanying independent claims. In contrast, particular embodiments of this invention are defined in the corresponding dependent claims.

Further features and the advantages of this invention will be more apparent in the detailed description of several preferred, non-limiting embodiments of a capsule and a system for making beverages, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:.

With reference to the above-mentioned figures the numeral <NUM> denotes in its entirety a capsule for making beverages in accordance with this invention. Below there is first a description of the capsule <NUM> and, then, of the apparatus which, with the capsule <NUM>, constitutes the system for making beverages according to this invention.

The capsule <NUM> comprises two main components which define its overall dimensions, that is to say, a main body <NUM> and an upper film <NUM>.

Both may be made mainly with a plastic or metal material (in particular aluminium), or with a compostable or biodegradable material (in these cases even the other components of the capsule <NUM> will advantageously be respectively compostable or biodegradable).

Preferably, whilst the main body <NUM> is a shaped rigid or semi-rigid element, the upper film <NUM> is a flexible film.

Moreover, advantageously, both the main body <NUM>, and the upper film <NUM> are made with a material capable of creating a barrier to oxygen so as to guarantee improved preservation of what is contained in the capsule <NUM>.

The main body <NUM> is substantially cup-shaped and has a lateral wall <NUM> and a bottom wall <NUM>.

The expression "substantially cup-shaped" means that the main body <NUM> has a shape which resembles that of a cup, as is the case for most prior art capsules for making a beverage.

Moreover, in the context of this description the terms "upper" and "lower" shall be understood to refer to a positioning of the main body <NUM> of the capsule <NUM> similar to that of a cup, that is to say, with the bottom wall <NUM> resting on a horizontal resting plane; therefore, these terms do not refer to a way of using the capsule <NUM>, since the latter may be suitable for use both in apparatuses <NUM> with so-called horizontal infusion units <NUM>, and in apparatuses <NUM> with so-called vertical infusion units <NUM>.

The lateral wall <NUM> extends between a first edge and a second edge at which the bottom wall <NUM> is connected.

The first edge, which in the preferred embodiments comprises a flange <NUM> which extends radially outwards relative to a central axis of the main body <NUM> (as wall as of the capsule <NUM>), defines an infeed opening and the upper film <NUM> is fixed at it to close the main body <NUM>. The flange <NUM> constitutes a substantially flat circular ring and has an internal diameter equal to the diameter of the infeed opening. Preferably, the upper film <NUM> is fixed to the main body <NUM>, and in particular to the radial flange <NUM>, by sealing or by gluing.

As regards the second edge, the bottom wall <NUM> is connected to it to close the bottom of the main body <NUM>. However it should be noticed that, depending on the embodiments, the bottom wall <NUM> may be made either as a continuous wall without an opening, or there may be one or more beverage outfeed openings made in it, if necessary closed by suitable closing elements, such as a sheet of flexible material.

It should also be noticed that in the preferred embodiments the passage from the lateral wall <NUM> to the bottom wall <NUM> is without an interruption, so that the second edge coincides with a perimetric edge of the bottom wall <NUM> and cannot be visually distinguished from it.

Depending on the type of apparatus <NUM> with which the capsule <NUM> is intended to be used, one of either the bottom wall <NUM> or the upper film <NUM>, is configured to constitute an infeed wall <NUM> for the water into the capsule <NUM>, whilst the other is configured to constitute an outfeed wall <NUM> for the beverage from the capsule <NUM>. In the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying figures, the upper film <NUM> is configured to constitute the infeed wall <NUM> and the bottom wall <NUM> is configured to constitute the outfeed wall <NUM>.

The capsule <NUM> comprises an optical recognition element <NUM> whose function is to allow optical identification of the capsule <NUM> by an optical recognition device <NUM> which is part of the apparatus <NUM> for making a beverage intended to use the capsule <NUM>.

The optical recognition element <NUM> is placed inside the capsule <NUM> in such a way that it can be viewed once the capsule <NUM> has been pierced. In particular, the optical recognition element <NUM> is positioned in such a way that it can be viewed once an opening has been made in the infeed wall <NUM>.

The optical recognition element <NUM> comprises a recognition substance which, when it is energised with a predetermined first optical signal, emits a second optical signal with known and recognisable characteristics.

In particular, in the preferred embodiments the predetermined first optical signal has a frequency which is included in the band of frequencies of visible light and/or of ultraviolet and/or of infra-red, and has a first emission spectrum, in that range of frequencies, which is known and predetermined (in use the first optical signal will coincide with an energising optical signal emitted by the optical recognition device <NUM> of the apparatus <NUM>). The optical recognition substance is a substance selected in such a way that, once irradiated with that first optical signal, it emits the second optical signal with frequencies in the range of frequencies of visible light and/or of ultraviolet and/or of infra-red and with corresponding known and recognisable characteristics of the emission spectrum.

In some embodiments, the optical recognition substance may have fluorescent properties, so that by using a first optical signal with a frequency band included in the ultraviolet range of frequencies, the optical recognition substance emits a second optical signal with a frequency band which is included in the visible light range of frequencies.

According to the main innovative aspect of this invention, in order to guarantee correct positioning of the recognition element inside the capsule <NUM>, the capsule <NUM> itself comprises a supporting element <NUM> which is mounted inside the main body <NUM>, and which comprises a base <NUM> and a projection <NUM> which extends from the base <NUM> towards the infeed wall <NUM>. Advantageously, the projection <NUM> is connected to the base <NUM> at a central portion of the base <NUM> itself and extends in the shape of a column.

At least part of the food substance is interposed between the base <NUM> and the infeed wall <NUM>. In any case, preferably, the base <NUM> of the supporting element <NUM> is positioned near the outfeed wall <NUM>. Even more preferably the base <NUM> is placed between the food substance and the outfeed wall <NUM>; it is also part of a filtering unit <NUM> of the capsule <NUM> configured to filter the beverage which is made as a result of the water flow passing through the food substance. In the embodiment illustrated the base <NUM> constitutes the filtering unit <NUM> and, for that reason, has a plurality of holes. In other embodiments the filtering effect may even be obtained in other ways, for example, by fixing portions of flexible filtering material to the base <NUM>.

In the preferred embodiments the supporting element <NUM> is made, typically by injection moulding, of a plastic material which may or may not also be compostable or biodegradable.

The optical recognition element <NUM> is supported by the supporting element <NUM> and, in particular, is associated with the projection <NUM> and is directed towards an inner part of the infeed wall <NUM> (the upper film <NUM> in the accompanying figures).

In some embodiments the optical recognition element <NUM> is constituted of the supporting element <NUM>; for example the recognition substance may be inserted in the material which constitutes the supporting element <NUM>; alternatively, the recognition substance may be inserted in an outer covering layer of the supporting element <NUM>, or may be inserted in an ink applied to the supporting element <NUM>.

In other embodiments, the recognition element may be a separate component from the supporting element <NUM> and may be fixed to the supporting element <NUM> or may be inserted in a seat defined by the supporting element <NUM> (in particular by the projection <NUM>).

In some embodiments, the capsule <NUM> also comprises a unit <NUM> for distributing the water flow inside the capsule <NUM>.

<FIG> show a first embodiment of a capsule <NUM> in accordance with this invention which is equipped with a first type of supporting element <NUM> and with a water flow distributing unit <NUM>. <FIG> show several alternative embodiments in which the aspects which change are the shape and/or the positioning relative to each other of the supporting element <NUM> and of the water flow distributing unit <NUM>.

In general, the water flow distributing unit <NUM> divides the inner part of the capsule <NUM> into an infeed chamber <NUM> and into a containment chamber <NUM>. The infeed chamber <NUM> is the zone at which the water enters the capsule <NUM>, and is partly delimited by the infeed wall <NUM> through which the piercer <NUM> is in use inserted. The containment chamber <NUM> is the inner zone of the capsule <NUM> which contains the food substance.

Advantageously, the projection <NUM> of the supporting element <NUM> extends as far as into the infeed chamber <NUM>, in such a way that the optical recognition element <NUM> associated with it is facing the inner part of the infeed chamber <NUM>.

In some embodiments the water flow distributing unit <NUM> is constituted of the projection <NUM>.

For example, as in the embodiment of <FIG> and <FIG>, the projection <NUM> may comprise a top portion <NUM> which defines the water flow distributing unit <NUM> and which comprises a bottom portion <NUM> and a tubular wall <NUM>. The bottom portion <NUM> is at a distance from the infeed wall <NUM> and is facing it. The tubular wall <NUM> extends from the bottom portion <NUM>, and in particular from its perimeter, as far as the infeed wall <NUM> with which it is substantially in contact (if the infeed wall <NUM> is constituted of a flexible film, as in the case of the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying figures, the contact may not be constant; as will be clear from the following description, the important thing is that there is contact when the capsule <NUM> is closed in the infusion chamber defined by the apparatus <NUM>).

The infeed chamber <NUM> therefore corresponds to the part of the inner space of the capsule <NUM> which is laterally delimited by the tubular wall <NUM>, and at the two ends of the tubular wall <NUM>, respectively by the infeed wall <NUM> and by the bottom portion <NUM>. The containment chamber <NUM> extends between the lateral wall <NUM> and the projection <NUM> and, also, between the tubular wall <NUM> and the lateral wall <NUM> of the main body <NUM> near the infeed wall <NUM>. Preferably the tubular wall <NUM> is concentric relative to the lateral wall <NUM> of the main body <NUM>.

One or more transit openings <NUM> are made in the tubular wall <NUM> to put the infeed chamber <NUM> and the containment chamber <NUM> in fluid communication. Advantageously, at least in the case of a powdered food substance intended to allow the beverage to be made by extraction or infusion, the transit openings <NUM> are distributed all around the tubular wall <NUM> in order to distribute the water flow throughout the powdered food substance. Advantageously the transit openings <NUM> are sized in such a way as to prevent the transit of the nominal particle size measurement of the powdered food substance.

In the embodiment of <FIG> the tubular wall <NUM> comprises an upper edge coupled to the infeed wall <NUM>, and the transit openings <NUM> comprise a plurality of slits made in the tubular wall <NUM> starting from the upper edge. Depending on the embodiments, the upper edge may or may not be fixed to the infeed wall <NUM> (for example by sealing.

In the embodiment of <FIG>, in contrast, the capsule <NUM> comprises two distribution units <NUM>, <NUM>, one similar to that of <FIG> and constituted of the projection <NUM>, and an additional one <NUM> constituted of a screen permeable to the water which extends like an annulus between the supporting element <NUM> and the lateral wall <NUM>. It externally rests on a first shoulder <NUM> defined by the lateral wall <NUM> and internally rests on a second shoulder <NUM> defined by the supporting element <NUM>. The additional distributing unit <NUM> may be rigid or semi-rigid and be either simply rested on the two shoulders or fixed to them, or it may in itself be flexible and be fixed to the two shoulders.

In contrast, in the embodiments of <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> the water flow distributing unit <NUM> is a separate component from the projection <NUM> and is associated with it.

In some embodiments, the projection <NUM> comprises the top portion <NUM>, but without the transit openings <NUM> and placed at a distance from the infeed wall <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG>).

In some embodiments such as that of <FIG>, the water flow distributing unit <NUM> is interposed between the top portion <NUM> and the infeed wall <NUM>. It may be rigid or semi-rigid and be either simply rested on the first shoulder <NUM> and on the top portion <NUM> or be fixed to them, or it may in itself be flexible and be fixed at least to the first shoulder <NUM>. Furthermore, the distributing unit <NUM> may be made of a transparent material in order to allow viewing of the underlying optical recognition element <NUM> associated with the projection <NUM>; in this case it will be at a sufficient distance from the infeed wall <NUM> to not be pierced, in use, by the piercer <NUM> of the apparatus <NUM>. Alternatively, it may be configured to be pierced by the piercer <NUM> so as to allow viewing of the underlying optical recognition element <NUM>. When it is intended to be pierced, the distributing unit <NUM> is advantageously fixed to the tubular wall <NUM> in order to prevent the water from freely infiltrating between the tubular wall <NUM> and the distributing unit <NUM>.

In other embodiments, such as that of <FIG>, the distributing unit <NUM> has the shape of an annulus and rests both on the first shoulder <NUM> and on the tubular wall <NUM>, to both of which it is also advantageously fixed. In this case the tubular wall <NUM> is preferably without transit openings <NUM>.

Furthermore, in some embodiments, such as that of <FIG>, the top portion <NUM> of the projection <NUM> is flat and does not have any tubular wall <NUM>.

In this case too the distributing unit <NUM> may be rigid or semi-rigid and be either simply rested on the first shoulder <NUM> and on the top portion <NUM> or be fixed to them, or it may in itself be flexible and be fixed at least to the first shoulder <NUM>.

In the case shown in <FIG> the distributing unit <NUM> completely covers the top portion <NUM> with which the recognition element is associated; therefore the distributing unit <NUM> must be at least partly optically transparent at least for the frequencies of interest for the first optical signal and the second optical signal.

In other embodiments not illustrated, the projection <NUM> may have the shape illustrated in <FIG> and the distributing element may have a hole at the central area of the upper portion to allow optical access to the optical recognition element <NUM>.

In some embodiments not illustrated the first shoulder <NUM> may not be present; in that case the distributing unit <NUM> may be fixed directly to the lateral wall <NUM>, may be wedged with interlocking inside the capsule <NUM>, or may be fixed, if it is not flexible, only to the supporting element <NUM>.

What is described above shall in any case be understood as a non-exhaustive list of possible shapes and arrangements relative to each other of the projection <NUM> and the liquid flow distributing unit <NUM>; furthermore, the various solutions described may be combined as required to create new solutions.

In all of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying <FIG>, the optical recognition element <NUM> is advantageously associated with the top portion <NUM> of the projection <NUM>, and advantageously with its bottom portion <NUM> when the tubular wall <NUM> is present.

As already indicated, that result may be obtained in many different ways.

In some embodiments the entire supporting element <NUM> is made as the optical recognition element <NUM>, either by incorporating the recognition substance in its material, or by completely covering it with a layer containing the recognition substance.

In some embodiments, the optical recognition element <NUM> is printed on the supporting element <NUM> or is obtained by covering a limited portion of its surface with a layer containing the recognition substance.

In contrast, in some embodiments, the optical recognition element <NUM> is a separate component from the supporting element <NUM> and may be fixed to the top portion <NUM> or simply be inserted in the tubular wall <NUM> (if present).

Advantageously, the infeed chamber <NUM> is configured to house, in use, the piercer <NUM> which is part of the apparatus <NUM>, when the piercer is inserted in the capsule <NUM> piercing the infeed wall <NUM>. In particular, in embodiments such as those of <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, as well as that of <FIG> if the central part of the distributing element must be pierced, the tubular wall <NUM> of the supporting element <NUM> defines a seat in which the piercer <NUM> can be partly housed.

The capsule <NUM> described above may advantageously be used in the context of a system for making a beverage which, in addition to the capsule <NUM>, also comprises an apparatus <NUM>.

In the known way, the apparatus <NUM> will comprise an infusion unit <NUM> which in turn comprises a first part <NUM> and a second part <NUM>, at least one of which is movable relative to the other. In this way the first part <NUM> and the second part <NUM> are movable between an operating position, in which they are coupled with each other and define an infusion chamber <NUM>, and a non-operating position in which they are uncoupled and at a distance from each other.

The infusion chamber <NUM> is configured to house in use the capsule <NUM> to be used for making the beverage. When the infusion chamber <NUM> is closed and the capsule <NUM> is inserted in it, a watertight seal is advantageously present between the infusion unit <NUM> and the infeed wall <NUM> in such a way as to prevent water leaks during supplying of the beverage.

In the embodiment illustrated in <FIG>, the first part <NUM> practically completely defines the space of the infusion chamber <NUM>, whilst the second part <NUM> acts as a lid for the infusion chamber <NUM>. The first part <NUM> is also movable (vertically relative to the appended drawing) relative to the second part <NUM> which is fixed (as regards the movement between the operating position and the non-operating position, whilst it is extractable as a whole when the infusion unit <NUM> is in the non-operating position).

When they are in the non-operating position, the first part <NUM> and the second part <NUM> allow capsule <NUM> insertion and removal, respectively, in and from the infusion chamber <NUM>; in the embodiment illustrated that is achieved by removing the first part <NUM> from the rest of the apparatus <NUM>.

In order to open and close the infusion chamber <NUM>, that is to say, to move the first part <NUM> and the second part <NUM> between the operating position and the non-operating position, the apparatus <NUM> may also comprise a movement mechanism, which allows the first part <NUM> and the second part <NUM> to be shifted relative to each other; the movement mechanism may be operated directly by the user of the apparatus <NUM>, for example using a lever in the case of manual operation, or by pressing a button in the case of motor-driven operation, as well as fully automatically in ways already known and therefore not described in detail.

The apparatus <NUM> also comprises feeding means for feeding, in use, the water flow into the capsule <NUM> housed in the closed infusion chamber (<NUM>), and supplying means for, in use, supplying to the outside of the apparatus <NUM> the beverage which is made inside the capsule <NUM>, housed in the infusion chamber (<NUM>), as a result of the water flow passing through.

Advantageously, the feeding means comprise a tank configured to contain the water to be introduced into the capsule <NUM>, a pump which allows the desired water injection pressure to be obtained, and a boiler which allows the water to be brought to the temperature necessary for making the beverage.

In some of these embodiments, the feeding means may also comprise a nozzle configured to inject the liquid directly into the main body <NUM> of the capsule <NUM>; advantageously, the nozzle may be defined by the piercer <NUM> as in the case of the embodiment illustrated in <FIG>.

Indeed, in many embodiments the feeding means comprise a piercer <NUM> configured to pierce the infeed wall <NUM> of the capsule <NUM> when the capsule <NUM> is housed in the infusion chamber <NUM>.

In the known way, the apparatus <NUM> may also comprise an ejector, which is configured to eject the capsule <NUM> from the infusion chamber <NUM> after the beverage has been supplied; advantageously the ejector can also be activated by means of the movement mechanism previously described, in such a way that the capsule <NUM> can be ejected after the extraction unit has passed from the non-operating position to the operating position. In the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying figures the ejector is not present, whilst an elastically operated disengaging element <NUM> is present, configured to disengage the capsule <NUM> from the piercer <NUM> when the first part <NUM> and the second part <NUM> return to the non-operating position (in <FIG> it is shown in the position which it adopts when the capsule <NUM> is inserted in the infusion chamber <NUM>).

The apparatus <NUM> also comprises an optical recognition device <NUM> which is associated with the infusion chamber (<NUM>) and which is configured to recognise the optical recognition element <NUM> of the capsule <NUM>, when the capsule <NUM> is inserted in the infusion chamber (<NUM>). The optical recognition device <NUM> comprises a head for acquisition of an optical signal which is positioned inside the infusion chamber <NUM> and is positioned in such a way that it is directed towards the optical recognition element <NUM> when the capsule <NUM> is housed in the infusion chamber <NUM>; the same acquisition head is also configured to acquire the second optical signal.

In the preferred embodiments the acquisition head is constituted of the end of one more optical fibres <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the acquisition head is associated with the piercer <NUM>. When the capsule <NUM> is housed in the infusion chamber <NUM>, the piercer <NUM> is partly inserted in the infeed chamber <NUM> of the capsule <NUM> and the acquisition head is facing the optical recognition element <NUM>.

The optical recognition device <NUM> is also configured to inspect the response optical signal and to control operation of the apparatus <NUM> depending on the result of that inspection. In particular, the inspection aims to ascertain if the response optical signal has the known and recognisable emission spectrum characteristics of the second optical signal described above (which and how many characteristics are to be inspected may be decided on each occasion at the design stage). If the result of the inspection is positive (that is to say, if there is a match) the optical recognition device <NUM> considers the capsule <NUM> recognised and controls operation of the apparatus <NUM> accordingly, in the known ways. If the result of the inspection is negative (that is to say, if there is no match), the optical recognition device <NUM> considers the capsule <NUM> unrecognised; at that point operation of the apparatus <NUM> may be permitted or not depending on design choices.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in <FIG>, the optical recognition device <NUM> is operatively associated with the piercer <NUM> and comprises an emitter <NUM> for generating the first signal, for example an LED, an optical fibre <NUM> configured to direct the first signal towards the reading area of a capsule <NUM> inserted in the infusion chamber <NUM>, and a mirror <NUM> positioned in such a way as to reflect at least part of the light radiation it receives from the LED, in the optical fibre <NUM>. The optical fibre <NUM> is mounted inside the piercer <NUM> and is directly facing the reading area to irradiate it with the first optical signal. The same optical fibre <NUM> receives the response signal and sends it towards a detecting sensor <NUM> which in the embodiment illustrated is placed behind the mirror <NUM>. The latter is indeed advantageously constituted of a dichroic mirror <NUM> which reflects the band of frequencies in which the part of interest of the first optical signal is included, and which is in contrast transparent for the band of frequencies of interest for the second optical signal.

This invention brings important advantages.

Indeed, thanks to this invention, it has been possible to provide a capsule, and a corresponding system which uses it, which is an alternative to the prior art capsules which are equipped with an inner optical recognition element.

Finally, it should be noticed that this invention is relatively easy to produce and that even the cost linked to implementing the invention is not very high.

The invention described above may be modified and adapted in several ways without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept.

Claim 1:
A capsule for making a beverage, containing a food substance and which allows the beverage to be made by passing a water flow through the food substance, wherein said capsule (<NUM>) comprises:
a main body (<NUM>) which is substantially cup-shaped and which has a lateral wall (<NUM>) and a bottom wall (<NUM>), the lateral wall (<NUM>) extending between a first edge, which defines an infeed opening, and a second edge, and the bottom wall (<NUM>) being connected to the second edge and closing the main body (<NUM>) at said second edge;
an upper film (<NUM>), fixed to the main body (<NUM>) at the first edge; and
an optical recognition element (<NUM>) for optical identification of the capsule (<NUM>) by an optical recognition device (<NUM>) of an apparatus (<NUM>) for making a beverage which uses the capsule (<NUM>), the optical recognition element (<NUM>) being placed inside the capsule (<NUM>) and comprising a recognition substance which when it is energised with a predetermined first optical signal, emits a second optical signal with known and recognisable characteristics;
wherein one of either the bottom wall (<NUM>) or the upper film (<NUM>) is configured to constitute an infeed wall (<NUM>) for the water into the capsule (<NUM>) and the other, of either the bottom wall (<NUM>) or the upper film (<NUM>) is configured to constitute an outfeed wall (<NUM>) for the beverage from the capsule (<NUM>);
characterised in that it also comprises a supporting element (<NUM>) mounted inside the main body (<NUM>) and which comprises a base (<NUM>) and a projection (<NUM>) which extends from the base (<NUM>) towards the infeed wall (<NUM>), at least part of the food substance being interposed between the base (<NUM>) and the infeed wall (<NUM>), and in that the optical recognition element (<NUM>) is associated with said projection (<NUM>) and is directed towards an inner part of the infeed wall (<NUM>).