Patent Description:
Single-serve beverage capsules are known in the art. These capsules are commonly used with beverage preparation machines for on demand dispensing of beverages, like coffee or tea.

For this, usually a beverage capsule with a capsule body that encloses a beverage ingredient is inserted in a capsule receiver of a beverage preparation machine. The capsule receiver is closed and the beverage preparation is started. In the capsule receiver, a top membrane of the capsule is punctured with a needle to inject a fluid, generally water, in the capsule to interact with the beverage ingredient inside the capsule to produce the desired beverage. The fluid fills the capsule so that the pressure inside the capsule increases. When a sufficient amount of fluid fills the capsule, a self-opening mechanism in the capsule is activated and opens a bottom membrane of the capsule to release the prepared beverage at a time when the extraction of the beverage component is completed. Examples of working principles of this type of container are described in <CIT> and in <CIT>.

This type of capsule requires that the fluid provided by the machine presents a high pressure, usually of about <NUM> bar to enable the opening of the bottom membrane. Such a high fluid pressure is adapted to the preparation of beverage from roast and ground coffee or soluble beverage ingredients like powder milk, soluble coffee, soluble tea or chocolate. But this high pressure is not adapted for the preparation of tea from tea leaves stored I the capsule
In order to prepare tea from tea leaves with such a system of machine and capsule, it has been proposed in <CIT> to adapt the self-opening mechanism so that the bottom membrane opens at a lower pressure, in particular by providing a specific design of the pyramid plate and the internal membrane. Yet, in practice, the resulting tea beverage was not fully acceptable quality because the principle of the self-opening mechanism of the capsule opening did still require the building of a certain pressure inside the capsule. In fact, it is well-known that optimal extraction of tea leaves happens at atmospheric pressure all along the tea extraction.

An object of the invention is to address the above existing problems and propose preparation of tea from a capsule comprising tea leaves within a beverage preparation machine such described in <CIT>.

The object is solved by the beverage preparation machine, the capsule holder and the system of Claims <NUM> to <NUM>.

In the present application the terms "internal", "upper", "lateral", "front", "bottom" and "top" are used to describe the relational positioning of features of the invention. These terms should be understood to refer to the container in its normal orientation when positioned in a beverage preparation dispenser for the production of a beverage as shown in the figures.

Specific embodiments of the invention are now described further, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings in which :.

<FIG> show a system of a beverage preparation machine <NUM> and a capsule <NUM> configured to prepare a beverage from said capsule according to the prior art. The machine <NUM> comprises a capsule holder <NUM> removeable from the machine configured to receive the capsule <NUM>. The capsule holder comprises a receiving area <NUM> to introduce the body <NUM> of the capsule. Then the upper part <NUM> of the capsule holder can be inserted in a receiving area <NUM> of the machine to prepare a beverage.

In this particular illustrated embodiment, the receiving area <NUM> of the machine and the upper part of the capsule holder are designed so that the lateral parts of the upper part <NUM> are able to be slidably guided in the receiving area <NUM>.

In addition, the machine comprises, above the receiving area <NUM> for the capsule holder, a liquid injection device <NUM> configured to be connected to the capsule holder and the capsule.

<FIG> illustrate the capsule holder, the capsule and the liquid injection device <NUM> in two operations steps :.

This types of actuator can be such as described in <CIT> for example. The clamping means is configured to clamp the liquid injection device <NUM> against bearing edges of the capsule holder and/or edges of the capsule.

During this operation, the needle is oriented downwardly and the liquid is introduced downwardly as illustrated by the arrow W. A seal around the needle guarantees tightness with the membrane during liquid injection.

This system is particularly adapted to the preparation of a beverage under pressure due to the construction of the capsule as illustrated in <FIG> comprising :.

Usually, the liquid supply system can comprise :.

Generally, this liquid supply system is configured to provide the liquid injection device with pressurised liquid, preferably a liquid presenting a pressure above <NUM> bar.

Preferably, this beverage system of the prior art can correspond to the system described in <CIT> and the machine described <CIT>.

In particular, this beverage system can correspond to the system commercialised by Nestlé under the trademark Nescafé Dolce Gusto.

<FIG> and <FIG> illustrate a removable capsule holder <NUM> according to the invention that is different from the capsule holder of <FIG>, <FIG> and that can be connected to the machine <NUM> and the liquid injection device <NUM> of <FIG> in place of the capsule holder <NUM> of the state of the art.

In particular, this capsule holder <NUM> is designed to enclose a capsule <NUM> that is different from the capsule <NUM> of the prior art and that does not require the introduction of the liquid at high pressure inside the capsule during the beverage preparation. On the contrary, the beverage extraction is operated at ambient pressure inside the capsule <NUM>. Such a pressure is particularly adapted to the preparation of tea from tea leaves as beverage ingredient.

This capsule holder <NUM> comprises an upper part <NUM> designed to cooperate with the capsule holder receiving area <NUM> of the machine <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment, the lateral parts 114a, 114b of said upper part present the same shape as the lateral parts of the capsule holder <NUM> of the prior art in order to be slidably guided in the receiving area <NUM> of the machine and to be able to be connected with the liquid injection device <NUM>.

This capsule holder <NUM> comprises a chamber <NUM> for enclosing the capsule <NUM>. This chamber is openable to introduce and remove the capsule (for example as illustrated in <FIG>).

The upper part <NUM> of the capsule holder comprises a top plate <NUM> provided with a liquid input opening 111a and configured to cooperate with the liquid injection needle <NUM> of the machine. The capsule holder <NUM> comprises an internal conduit <NUM> designed to drive pressurised liquid injected by the liquid injection needle <NUM> in this liquid input opening 111a to the capsule <NUM> hold in the chamber <NUM>. This conduit <NUM> comprises a liquid pressure reducing means <NUM>. Accordingly, the pressure of the liquid supplied by the injection device can be decreased before the liquid is supplied in the capsule hold in the chamber and optimal extraction of the beverage ingredient, such as tea leaves, can be obtained.

Preferably, the liquid pressure reducing means <NUM> is designed to get a pressure close to atmospheric pressure inside the chamber.

Preferably, this liquid pressure reducing means <NUM> can be a pressure reducing valve <NUM> oriented in the conduit <NUM> so as to be opened by the flow of pressurised liquid. The valve member <NUM> can be spring loaded against the valve seat <NUM> so that the pressure of the pressurised liquid reaches the required atmospheric pressure in the chamber.

Alternatively, as illustrated in <FIG>, the liquid pressure reducing means <NUM> can be provided by the shape of the conduit <NUM> that can comprise a decompression chamber 111d. This decompression chamber is designed as a buffer chamber inside the conduit <NUM>. Preferably, a cross section reduction 111c is provided in the conduit upstream said chamber.

Preferably, the holder <NUM> comprises a liquid injection needle <NUM> to inject the low pressure liquid supplied at the downstream side of the internal conduit in the capsule <NUM> that is enclosed in the chamber and, if necessary, to pierce a wall of the capsule.

Generally, the capsule <NUM> encloses the beverage ingredient in a tight manner in order to preserve shelf life of the ingredient against humidity and gas. Before liquid is introduced inside the capsule, the capsule is opened to atmosphere in order to enable extraction at ambient atmosphere.

The capsule can be opened by the user, for example by removing at least one tab covering premade opening(s), and/or the capsule can be opened by piercing a beverage outlet and/or a liquid inlet inside the walls of the capsule.

Preferably, the capsule holder <NUM> comprises means to pierce the capsule <NUM> before the liquid supply system provides the liquid injection device <NUM> with pressurised liquid :.

These piercing means guarantee that the beverage preparation occurs at atmospheric pressure.

Generally, such piercing means pierce the capsule when the user introduces the capsule <NUM> inside the capsules holder and encloses the capsule in the chamber <NUM> of the holder.

In the illustrated embodiment, the first piercing means is a hollow needle <NUM>. The upstream input end of said hollow needle is connected to the outlet end 111b of the conduit of the capsule holder.

When the capsule presents the configuration such as described in below <FIG> with an overflow wall oriented vertically during beverage preparation, then preferably, the downstream opening <NUM> of the hollow needle is designed to orientate liquid downwards to the lowermost part of the capsule hold in the capsule holder as described in <CIT>.

In addition, when the capsule presents the configuration such as described in below <FIG> with this overflow wall, the second piercing means <NUM> can be present a hook-like shape to shear the cover <NUM> of the capsule against the shearing member <NUM> of the capsule as described in <CIT>.

In addition, the capsule holder <NUM> can comprise a beverage guiding outlet <NUM> to guide the beverage dispensed from the capsule outlet to a drinking cup.

<FIG> illustrate capsules that can be used with the capsule holder of the present invention.

The capsule comprises a capsule body or housing <NUM> defining an internal volume for storing beverage ingredients. <FIG> shows the back side of said body. In the present capsule, back side refers to the side where liquid is introduced in the capsule, whereas the front side refers to the side the beverage is dispensed from. At said back side, the body <NUM> presents a liquid inlet hole <NUM>. This hole is configured for cooperating with and enabling the passage of the first piercing member <NUM> of the holder. Preferably this hole is closed by a membrane 211a. This membrane is made of a material pierceable by the needle. It is usually an aluminium membrane.

<FIG> shows the front side of the body. At said front side, the housing is closed by a front cover <NUM>. The cover <NUM> is attached to a rim extending from the front opened side of the housing. Preferably, at least a part of the cover is pierceable or tearable so that a beverage outlet can be created. The cover guarantees the freshness and the hygiene of beverage ingredient stored in the capsule.

<FIG> corresponds to the capsule of <FIG> wherein the cover <NUM> was removed. The capsule comprises a front wall <NUM> at the front face of the body. This front wall <NUM> comprises two beverage overflow holes <NUM>. These overflow holes prevent the beverage from leaving the capsule too rapidly and before tea leaves have been sufficiently brewed.

The front wall <NUM> is usually positioned just under the front cover <NUM> of the capsule.

In a preferred mode, the front wall <NUM> can comprise a shearing member <NUM> on its front face, said shearing member being designed to tear the front cover <NUM> when the capsule is enclosed in the capsule holder further to the interaction of the shearing member with the second piercing means <NUM> of the holder. Accordingly, a beverage outlet can be made in the front cover <NUM> when the capsule is enclosed in the holder. Such a shearing member is described in <CIT>.

In one particular embodiment, the capsule can comprise a filter to prevent tea leaves from leaving the capsule. This filter covers at least the overflow holes <NUM>. In a particular embodiment, the filter can extend along the whole surface of the front wall according to the teaching of <CIT>.

Accordingly, when the capsule comprises tea leaves, a tea beverage of optimised quality and deprived of tea leaves fines is produced.

A similar capsule devoid of front cover <NUM> or wherein the cover was removed by the user before introduction inside the holder can be used too.

The above capsules are particularly designed for the production of tea from tea leaves, yet other types of capsule requiring beverage preparation at low pressure, close to atmospheric pressure, can be used with the system of the holder and the beverage machine according to the invention.

<FIG> illustrates the relative position of :.

As illustrated in <FIG>, <FIG>, the injection device <NUM> of the machine is provided with a liquid injection needle <NUM> that is oriented essentially vertically downwardly when the liquid injection device is connected to the capsule holder placed inside the machine.

To enclose such a capsule, the chamber comprises a first part 113a that is cup shaped and a second part 113b that is essentially plane and extends along a plane P'.

In order to implement the overflow function of the front wall during the beverage preparation, the plane P' of the second part of the chamber is essentially perpendicular to the plane P of the upper part of the chamber when the chamber of the capsule holder is closed and the capsule holder is connected to the liquid injection device <NUM>.

The correct orientation of the overflow holes <NUM> close to upper part <NUM> can be obtained by an asymmetric shape of the body <NUM> of the capsule and the corresponding conformal shape of the cup-shaped first part 113a of the chamber of the holder.

The internal shape of the holder guarantees the correct orientation of a capsule with overflow wall in this machine <NUM> that is not configured to receive such type of capsules and enables an optimal preparation of tea from tea leaves.

<FIG> is a vertical cross section views of the capsule holder of <FIG> connected to the liquid injection device of the machine illustrating the path of liquid during beverage preparation when the capsule comprises an overflow wall <NUM> such as the capsule of <FIG>.

Liquid presenting a pressure above <NUM> bar is injected by the needle <NUM> of the liquid injection device of the machine inside the liquid input opening 111a of the capsule holder. Liquid follows the conduit <NUM> and pushes the pressure reducing valve <NUM> to enter the hollow needle <NUM> at a pressure close to atmospheric pressure. The hollow needle <NUM> is positioned inside the capsule <NUM> so that its end opening dispenses liquid inside the capsule downwardly. The liquid is directed to the bottom of the capsule where the beverage ingredients, preferably tea leaves, stand.

The flow of liquid is generally comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>/min. Liquid fills the capsule and produces the beverage, preferably tea, by contact with the beverage ingredient, preferably tea leaves. The beverage is able to flow through at least one opening <NUM> at the top of the overflow wall as illustrated by arrow B. This upper beverage outlet guarantees that tea leaves are sufficiently wetted and can sufficiently soak in the liquid before tea is dispensed from the capsule. A tea with improved quality is obtained.

Downstream the overflow opening <NUM>, beverage is guided between the cover <NUM> and the wall <NUM> to the opening sheared in the cover by the piercing means <NUM> and then dispensed downwards out of the capsule holder along the guiding outlet <NUM> inside a drinking container positioned below.

As illustrated in <FIG>, preferably the pressure reducing valve <NUM> is positioned inside the conduit <NUM> as close as possible to the outlet end 111b of said conduit. This preferred position provides this valve <NUM> with an anti-backflow function and limits the volume of dead volume just upstream the outlet 111b which is critical when a beverage like tea from tea leaves is prepared from this capsule holder. In fact, any dead volume of fluid in a beverage preparation machine is disadvantageous due to safety and health issues. A dead volume can promote the development of bacteria, for example bacteria originating in and/or migrating into the dead volume from a used capsule, which has not yet been ejected or removed from the capsule holder.

Preferably, to limit even more the presence of dead volume, the pressure reducing valve <NUM> comprises a spring loaded valve member <NUM> and the shape of this valve member is conformal to the shape of the valve seat <NUM> designed by the conduit <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrate the introduction and the removal of the capsule in and from the holder <NUM> according to a particular embodiment. This capsule holder comprises two parts 11a, 11b movable one to the other between an opened position and a closed position.

These two parts are mobile or articulated in relation to the other between :.

In the specific embodiment, the two parts are attached one to attached one to the other by a hinge <NUM>, yet these two parts can be fully detachable one from the other in other alternatives. <FIG> illustrate the opened position where the two parts are distant one from the other and the capsule <NUM> has just been introduced in a receiving area of the first part 11a. This receiving area is designed to orientate the capsule correctly inside the chamber defined by the holder, in particular with the overflow hole <NUM> positioned closer to the upper plate <NUM> than to the beverage outlet <NUM>, when a capsule such as described in <FIG> is used.

Then the two parts 11a, 11b can be moved tone to the other to enclose the capsule <NUM> inside the holder, which form the capsule chamber. During the closure operation, the capsule, that is held in the first part 11a, is pierced by the needle <NUM> rising from the second part 11b. The cover of the capsule is simultaneously sheared to create the beverage outlet. The upper part <NUM> of the closed holder can be introduced inside the receiving area of the machine and the beverage can be prepared.

After the preparation, the holder can be removed from the receiving area of machine and the two parts can be distanced one from the other again to remove the capsule <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, by orienting the receiving area of the first part upside down, the capsule can be directly thrown away in a bin.

Although the invention has been described with reference to the above illustrated embodiments, it will be appreciated that the invention as claimed is not limited in any way by these illustrated embodiments.

Variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

Claim 1:
System of a beverage preparation machine (<NUM>) and a beverage capsule (<NUM>),
said machine comprising :
- a removable capsule holder (<NUM>) configured for receiving and holding the capsule (<NUM>) and comprising an upper part, and
- a capsule holder receiving area (<NUM>) for receiving the upper part (<NUM>) of the removable capsule holder (<NUM>), and
- a liquid injection device (<NUM>) connectable to the capsule holder when said capsule holder is inserted in the receiving area, said liquid injection device comprising :
. a liquid injection needle (<NUM>), and
. actuating means (<NUM>) configured to move the capsule holder and the liquid injection device relatively one to the other to enable the introduction of the liquid in the capsule, and said liquid injection needle (<NUM>) being oriented vertically downwardly when said liquid injection device (<NUM>) is connected to the capsule holder,
and
- a liquid supply system configured to provide the liquid injection device with pressurised liquid, preferably a liquid presenting a pressure above <NUM> bar,
said capsule (<NUM>) comprising :
- a cup shaped body (<NUM>) containing one or more beverage ingredients, preferably tea leaves, said body presenting a front opened side (<NUM>), and
characterized in that said capsule (<NUM>) comprises:
- a plane front wall (<NUM>) extending at the front opened side, said front wall comprising at least one beverage overflow hole (<NUM>) close to the periphery of capsule body,
wherein the capsule holder (<NUM>) comprises a chamber (<NUM>) for enclosing the capsule (<NUM>), said chamber being openable to receive and remove the capsule, and
wherein the chamber (<NUM>) and the upper part (<NUM>) of the capsule holder (<NUM>) are designed so as :
- to orientate the front wall (<NUM>) of the capsule vertically, and
- to orientate the at least one beverage overflow hole (<NUM>) upwardly,
when the capsule holder (<NUM>) is inserted in the receiving area.